WARNING: This takes place after the Book of Atlantic. There will be some minor spoilers.
I do not own these series, nor do I make any money off of this.
"talking"
'thinking'
Chapter 75: An Interesting Day
Naruto handed Sasuke a bottle of water. They were sitting on a crate on the side of a tall building that was more fancy than the others. It was clear that it was owned by someone rich. After having arrived in this world, the two noticed how different it was than all of the other worlds they had been to. The clothing people wore, especially the women, weren't something they'd seen. Sure, they had seen dresses and suits before, but none like this. The dresses were very frilly and the suit jackets were longer. They also noticed that compared to some of the other worlds, their transportation was carriages for those batter dressed and walking for everyone else. It was clear that Naruto and Sasuke were clearly dressed as lower class people. Neither really cared though. The other thing they noticed was that people saw them as foreigners. They weren't sure what that meant, but again, they didn't care.
Naruto put his bottle of water down before he pulled out a bag of money. Sasuke looked at the bag, a bit surprised that it wasn't Naruto's usual wallet. Naruto caught his glance. "I had to seal it away since it was beginning to fall apart." He sighed. "I wish I could get a new one." He held up the small bag. "This will have to do though." Sasuke nodded, taking another sip of his water. He pulled out his own wallet. Again, Naruto sighed. "I don't even know what these coins mean."
"I've been keeping track of what I have," Sasuke said. "In the last world, we had something called dollars and cents. If my math is correct, ten ryo is worth about one dollar. Based on that, we should be all set as long as nothing is overpriced."
"Hm… still, I think I should get a job, just in case."
"I doubt anyone will hire us. From the way those people were looking at us, I don't think we are welcomed here."
Naruto couldn't help but agree. He sniffed before looking up at the sky. "It's going to rain." Sasuke also looked up, raising an eyebrow. There weren't any clouds in the sky. "I can smell it." He grabbed his bag and took out the scroll with the Organization Cloaks in them. He handed Sasuke his, a blush on his face. "I washed it." Once Sasuke grabbed it, Naruto got to his feet and quickly put his cloak on. He threw the hood down over his head and turned slightly to hide his face. Sasuke gave Naruto a confused look before he put his own cloak on. It had been just in time as the rain began to pour down. They checked their backpacks, making sure no water had gotten inside before they sat back down.
They watched several people run by them as the rain fell down harder. It was clear that no one else had foreseen the downpour. Sasuke shivered as the temperature quickly decreased. He hadn't expected that. Naruto instantly noticed the change. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine." Sasuke crossed his arms, trying to keep his hand from getting colder.
"We can't stay here." Naruto stood up. "I tend to forget that not everyone is like me." He held out a hand. Sasuke just stared at it. "Oh come one! I know you're cold and that you hate being touched, but you have to get somewhere warm before you get sick." Sasuke shivered, but he didn't move. Naruto rolled his eyes and grabbed Sasuke's arm and pulled him to his feet. Sasuke glared but allowed Naruto to drag him out of the alley.
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"Are you alright, My Lord?" Sebastian asked. They had been headed to the alley where McLennan was kidnapped when it started down-pouring. Luckily, they had been close to the Phantomhive Toy Store.
"Do I look alright?" Ciel yelled. "I'm drenched!"
"Indeed," Sebastian said. He pulled out a handkerchief and brought it towards Ciel's body.
Ciel smacked his hand away. "Do you honestly think something so small could help me?" He shivered.
"Yes, yes, I understand," Sebastian said. "I'll go get a carriage so we can get you home before you get sick." He turned on his heel and headed for the shop's door when it was slammed open. Sebastian and Ciel looked at Naruto and Sasuke in surprise. Sasuke pulled his arm free from Naruto's grasp as he glared at the people staring at them. Sebastian stared at Naruto until Ciel caught his attention.
"Weren't you getting a carriage?" Ciel asked.
"Right," Sebastian said. He walked around Naruto and Sasuke, his eyes taking another glance at the blond. He then left the store to fulfill his duty.
"Young Master," a man said. He was carrying some towels. "Please, dry yourself." Ciel nodded and took a towel. The man bowed before he walked over to Naruto and Sasuke. "Sirs?" Naruto didn't hesitate to grab two towels. He tossed one at Sasuke who glared before using it to dry his face. Again, the man bowed. He walked away, back to work.
"We need to find a place to stay," Naruto said. "We aren't going to be able to wait out the rain here." He turned towards Ciel. "Do you know of an inn nearby?"
Before Ciel could say anything, Sebastian returned. "Why don't you come to the Phantomhive mansion and stay there?" Ciel gave Sebastian a look, but the man just smiled. Ciel wondered what the demon was planning.
"That's very nice of you, but I don't think…" Naruto began.
"We have plenty of rooms you can stay in along with food to eat," Sebastian said, walking over to Ciel. "Besides, it would probably be a good idea to take a bath so you don't get sick."
Naruto wanted to refuse. Something was off about Sebastian. But he glanced at Sasuke who's shaking was getting worse. It was clear that the raven was trying to hide it, but Naruto wasn't stupid. He might not be able to get sick, but Sasuke could. "If it's not too much of a bother." Naruto decided he'd just be careful around the older man.
"Not a bother at all," Sebastian said, smiling. He pushed Ciel forward. "The carriage is outside. Make haste." Ciel glared at the pushiness of Sebastian. Seeing the smile on the demon's face confused him. The four of them got into the carriage quickly. The entire ride to the Phantomhive Mansion was made in silence. Naruto kept an eye on Sebastian as he checked on Sasuke. Ciel was watching Sebastian as well. It was clear that he found something very interesting. Sasuke was focusing on his breathing. He was sending some chakra through his body in an attempt to keep warm. He felt Naruto getting closer to him and he just moved slightly away each time.
They were welcomed by Finny and the gang before Tanaka led Naruto and Sasuke to the guest bathroom. Naruto forced Sasuke to use it first, reminding him that he couldn't get sick. Sasuke huffed before removing his clothes and taking a bath. Naruto stood outside the bathroom. He accepted a towel from Tanaka as well as some clothes for the two of them. Naruto thought about turning the clothes down, but then he remembered that Tanaka had no idea that his backpack was waterproof. He accepted everything before being told that Tanaka would be back when they were done.
Meanwhile, Ciel was taking a bath of his own in his quarters. Sebastian was with him. "Why did you invite strangers into the mansion?" Ciel asked.
"Strangers indeed," Sebastian said.
"Do you think they have something to do with the case?" Ciel asked. It was the only reason he could come up with as to why Sebastian was acting so strange.
"I can't say they aren't, but the blond one is very interesting." Sebastian's eyes glowed as he licked his lips. Ciel briefly wondered if he should be concerned. Seeing the expression on Ciel's face, Sebastian composed himself. "Anyway, if they are involved we will find out very soon." Ciel nodded, allowing Sebastian to help him fish with his bath.
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Once Naruto was done, he found Sasuke and Tanaka waiting for him. Tanaka smiled as he led them to the dining room. Ciel was already seated with Sebastian at his side. Tanaka pulled out Sasuke's seat for him while Sebastian moved to pull out Naruto's seat. Naruto hesitated for a few seconds before he sat down. Feeling the coldness coming from Sebastian as he pushed the chair forward, Naruto shivered. Sasuke raised an eyebrow, but Naruto played it off as nothing.
"Thank you for letting us stay here," Naruto said. "As well as the bath and the change of clothes."
"It's of no consequence," Ciel said. "I do have to wonder where you are from. Your clothing, especially those cloaks, are foreign to me. I've never seen anything like it."
"The cloaks were a gift," Naruto said. "I do not know who made them."
"I see," Ciel mumbled.
"I don't think properly introduced ourselves, have we, my Lord?" Sebastian asked.
"No, I suppose we haven't," Ciel admitted. "My name is Ciel Phantomhive, Earl of Phantomhive. These are my butlers Sebastian and Tanaka."
"It is a pleasure to meet you," Tanaka said, bowing. Sebastian also bowed.
"I'm Naruto Uzumaki and this is Sasuke Uchiha," Naruto said. Sasuke just nodded at his name. "As you can tell, we're not…" A fork was sent flying past Naruto's head after he heard the sound of glass breaking. He glanced over at the fork now embedded in the wall before he grabbed Sasuke's arm and threw himself to the floor.
"Sebastian!" Ciel yelled.
"Right away my Lord," Sebastian said. He grabbed a few knives and threw them out the broken window. He clapped his hands. "Finny will take care of the body."
"Another assassin," Ciel frowned. "Will they ever get tired of trying to kill me?"
"That was cool!" Naruto cheered. He was standing by the fork, staring at the bullet it caught. Sasuke glared at the blond as he pat himself down. Naruto looked over at Sebastian who was smirking.
"It was nothing," Sebastian said. "After all, I'm one hell of a butler."
"Oh you are as sexy as ever, Bassy!" Grell said. He was crouched down next to Sebastian's right leg.
Ciel stood up. "Grell Sutcliff! Where did you come from?"
"Oh I was just nearby," Grell said. "Thought I'd drop in!" Everyone looked up to see that a ceiling tile had been moved. "I'm just here to do my job."
"This isn't a part of your job," William said. He was leaning on the wall next to the broken window. He pushed his glasses back, glaring at Sebastian. "Demon."
"Grim Reaper," Sebastian said.
"Demon?" Naruto asked. "Grim Reaper?" Ciel cursed. To have outsiders find out about Sebastian, wasn't a good thing. "So that's why!" Everyone looked at Naruto. He walked over to Sebastian who shrugged Grell off his arm. "I'm guessing you can sense him and that's why you keep staring at me." He patted at his stomach.
"Yes, and it is most interesting," Sebastian said. He moved his hand towards Naruto's stomach.
"No!" Grell whined. "Bassy! Don't touch him!"
"He's a strong one," Sebastian said, ignoring Grell. He placed his hand on Naruto's stomach. "I've seen demons possessing humans before, but this seems to be different." He removed his hand.
"He was sealed inside of me when I was a baby," Naruto said.
"A Jinchuriki," Sebastian nodded. He turned to Ciel. "A human sacrificed to host a demon. It's very rare."
"So that's it then," William remarked. "The higher-ups did say there was going to be an anomaly. They must have meant you."
Naruto put up his hands. "Look, I'm not here to cause trouble."
The sound of a chainsaw being started up caught everyone's attention. "I find that hard to believe." He charged at Naruto. Naruto was ready to block the attack, but Sasuke got in front of him, his Sharingan catching Grell's gaze. Grell froze as he was lost in a genjutsu.
William sighed. "So stupid."
Sebastian turned away from the others. He tried to stop himself from salivating. 'His soul, it's so dark. I bet it would taste so go.' He glanced at Ciel. 'No, I can't.' He straightened himself and turned back to the others, glad that no one noticed his struggle.
"We'll be going now," William said. He grabbed Grell's shoulder, knocking the red-head out of the genjutsu. Grell looked at William in confusion before he was dragged out the window.
Ciel sighed as he sat back down. "Honestly, whenever that man is involved, there's trouble."
"Shall we resume with dinner?" Sebastian asked. Tanaka came back into the room with a fresh pot of tea. No one had even noticed him leaving the room. Naruto and Sasuke looked at each other before they took their seats. The conversations stayed clear of Ciel's job as well as their pasts. It wasn't long before Finny, Mey-Ri, Bard, and Snake were introduced to Naruto and Sasuke. Naruto and Finny instantly got along. Sasuke found solace in the fact that Mey-Rin wasn't interested in him. Snake found Sasuke intriguing as his snakes let him know that Sasuke had traces of snake-scent on him. Naruto didn't really like Snake, but he knew it had to do with his hatred of Orochimaru.
Ciel sat back and watched the scene, a smile appearing on his face. Sebastian stayed silent except to remind Bard not to bring out any weapons. He didn't want to have to clean up after him. Bard did manage to bring out some liquor, but Naruto and Sasuke refused to drink it. He got himself and Mey-Rin drunk, but Sebastian stepped in to prevent them from destroying anything.
Once things calmed down, Tanaka escorted Naruto and Sasuke to their rooms. It was the first time in a long time that they weren't sleeping next to each other. They had a hard time trying to sleep. Naruto ended up calling Watanuki again to check up on his friends. Sasuke pulled out his portable DVD player and started watching Code Geass.
"It's been a long day," Sebastian said as he helped Ciel get ready for bed. "It looks like they weren't involved after all."
"I want you to look for more clues," Ciel ordered.
"Yes, my Lord," Sebastien said. He walked over to the window. "I'll be back in the morning." Ciel nodded before he closed his eyes. With another smile, Sebastian jumped out the window.
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'The rain has washed away the last traces of the McLennan boy,' Sebastian thought. He looked around. 'What I don't understand is how anyone was able to snatch a little boy without being seen or heard.' Sebastian's mind went to previous search. 'No, they had been seen. But they are only described as shadows. But shadows can't kidnap people. If I had to guess, what they saw wasn't a shadow but someone completely dressed in black. Still, most of the abductions happened during the day. This alley received enough light that it isn't that dark. Even while it is raining, things are clear.' He began to pace back and forth. 'That means they had to make it dark. But how?'
"Why, it's the Butler of Phantomhive?" a male voice said. Sebastian turned and saw Lau and Ran-Mao. Lau had his pipe held to the side, its smoke fading into the air. "What might you be doing here?"
Sebastian's eyes followed the smoke before he grinned. "Gas."
Lau tilted his head to the side. "What?"
"Do you have any idea where someone can get a lot of sleeping gas that happens to be black?" Sebastian asked.
"I'm not really sure," Lau said. "There is an old plant near the docks. It was shut down due to an accident where someone fell asleep due to a gas leak and nearly killed himself. But that's all I know."
"Hm…" Sebastian nodded. "If I'm correct, then they are there. I'll take a look." He smiled. "Thank you." He bowed before jumping to the side and using the two walls to reach the roof. He then jumped the roofs of the building towards the docks.
Lau and Ran-Mao stared after Sebastian. "He's such a mystery, that man." Ran-Mao only nodded.
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Sebastian entered the abandoned plant carefully. It was very quiet, too quiet. Sebastian managed to dodge the sotoba that had been thrown at him. "I knew you'd dodge that," Undertaker said. He leaped down, another sotoba in his hand.
"Are you behind this?" Sebastian asked.
"Not really," Undertaker said. "Two little birds did come to me though. Poor things lost their baby chicks."
"So I was right then. That couple, Sarah and Johnathan Holden were behind this."
"Indeed."
"And you helped them."
Undertaker shrugged. "I just gave them a few suggestions. They brought those kids here on their own in hopes of replacing those they lost. But at last, none of them suited them. I'm amazed they're even still alive. Though if I had to guess, those people won't be alive for much longer."
"Where are they?"
"They went looking for another set." Undertaker tapped his sotoba on the ground. "You know, normally I wouldn't be giving you all of this information for free. Then again, I suppose I haven't really given it to you for free now, have I?" Sebastian gave the man a confused look. Undertaker laughed. "Now that's unusual. It isn't often that I get to see you so baffled. It looks good on you."
"It seems I'll have to force it out of you." Sebastian pulled out several knives.
"That didn't work the first time. What makes you think it will work this time?"
"I don't have to worry about idiots getting in the way."
"Oh really? At least one 'idiot' will be here soon. I have to wonder if Little Red managed to flip the coin in his favor." Sebastian's eyes began to glow. Undertaker grinned. "It seems you've caught on a little. But I'll still give you one more hint, a simple question you should be able to answer. Tell me, what color hair did the victims have?" Sebastian tossed all of his knives at Undertaker who raised his sotoba to defect them. His grin widened as he saw Sebastian running out of the plant. "We'll meet again." He turned around and walked into the shadows, disappearing.