Parasol: Kuroshitsuji .Chapter One.

Parasol
Kuroshitsuji


I'm coming, my friend, after the moon. I'm humming, no end; I'll be arriving soon.



It was everywhere. The walls were muck, the counters and tables were burnt, the air was thick of almost unbreathable wastes. A blowtorch lied across the floor, almost ten feet away from the oven. "Oh no," the chef almost squeaked. "Oh, no, no, no... I can't belive I just ruined i-i-it!" Bard sobbed like a big baby, knowing he would be recieving a punishment as soon as this was all discovered.


Shimmering glass stretched across the floor, glistening under the sunlight coming through a window. A plate here, a bowl there, and my, the china was everywhere! A pair of crooked glasses lead to a crooked face, surrounded by red hair. " ....!" She twitched her leg, but had no attempt to sit up after this. Oh no, she wouldn't dare, especially when she knows he heard it. " ...I'm done for." Mey-Rin whispered.


Fresh air met rays of sun; what a beautiful day it was! The dirt couldn't be any browner, and the shrubbery, also couldn't be any browner. In fact, almost everything was brown. Not a spec of any other color was in sight within the garden. Just void spaces remained. Bubbley blonde hair, and a straw hat with it, looked to and fro. "Wait...? What happened? Did I water them too much...?" A round face looked down to a blue bottle.

"..."

"This is weed killer! Ahh!"

Oh, Finny.


"Ohohoho..." Tanaka just watched as he sipped his tea.



Rooms away, with an occupied desk, constant shuffling of papers weren't the only thing to be heard; but illegible mummering and huffs of fustration hovered the air as the young master of the house unsuccessfully attempted to approach his paperwork with cooperation. Ciel squirmed in his chair, trying to keep the little patience he had with himself to fulfill this so very busy day. The day of the new moon...



I will be sent to your manor on the day of the new moon.



Guests! He hadn't forgotten about them, of course; he was just rather unprepared and not quite in the specific mood for guests. He highly doubted that Bard, Mey-Rin, and Finny would keep the mansion clean long enough for him to be away and finish business with others. He had no choice but to stay here for the rest of the day. He wouldn't take the chance with a situation like this, oh no. He had his hopes rested on his butler.



Sebastian looked around. Everything was in place. The failed dinner attempt, the broken china, and the unexistant garden. With a small twich of his lip, he knew his schedule had been set for the day. He had the speed of invisibility, the skill of gracefulness, and the knowledge of time, and with that, he was finished organizing.


Lunch was prepared.

The china and silverware back in cabinets.

The garden flourished, and Pluto was fed.



He dusted himself off, even though it was clear that he did his job so very well that the dust didn't actually exist. You see, he was just simply one hell of a butler. He felt a tug on his mind, as he was being summoned to his master's office. What could possibly be stressing the boy so?

As Sebastian walked through the doors of the Earls' study, Ciel placed the paperwork on the wooden desk in front of him. He rose from his seat. "I'm not saying that I had just realized, in fact, I have been wasting my time over it, that the mutt has to be hidden," He spoke in an irratable tone. "If we are to have guest, especially surprise guest, then we cannot have the hound visible to others."

"Of course, my Lord. I will seek to have it dealt with. Perhaps a cup of tea will soothe my young master?" The butler implied, not too concerned with Pluto.

"Just one would be plenty. We have many other things to be dealt with, rather than the hound. We must have preparations finished. Have you already arranged the guest a bedroom?"

"There is a room ready, although it is the young lady Elizabeth's sleeping quarters..."

"It will do, for now. As long as Lizzie doesn't appear without notice." He crossed one arm and rested the other atop of it, with his jawline in contact with his fingertips. "She would throw such a fit if she found someone else in her quarters. She would feel so... replaced."

Both of them imagined the chaos that the little lady could and would cause, and within that same second, they both sweatdropped in slight fear. "Sebastian, this is an Order... if you sense Elizabeth anywhere on the premises, warn me first, and then redirect the guest to another bedroom,"

Though it sounded funny, it was no joke to the Phantomhive residence. The Middleford girl could make your life a living Hell, whether you've already been there, or not.

"...and bring me my tea that I had asked for."

With a bow, Sebastian replied with the same answer as always.




After lunch, and everything was cleaned up and tidy again, everyone returned to their previous stations. The household servants all sat outside, just to waste time and breathe in that beautiful Phantomehive air, as for Ciel, more paperwork. Many of the papers were just work-related gathering invitations, as in small festives of sorts. Ciel Phantomhive did not enjoy any sort of ballroom dances or 'fun little festive things'. In his eyes, they were absolutely outrageous!

"This is stupid."

He tossed aside most of the pile. It was getting late, anyway. He peered through the large window behind him, noting that the sky was phasing into an orangey glow as the sun started to set. It wasn't too long now until the guest would arrive...



They were pouncing. They were stalking. They were purring, scratching, and sneezing! Oh, what a delight they were! In his arms, the cat-obsessed butler held many more than three kittens. What were they doing in his room? Well he saved them, of course! Well he believes that he had saved them. He knew he wasn't suppose to have them, but he just couldn't help himself... they practically followed him home! After hiding Pluto behind the horse stables somewhere, he had found a litter of these furry creatures. Maybe he could hide them in his closet? He had to, anyway. There was a knock on the door.



There was a definite knock on the door. Ciel could hear it clearly from his office study. Have they finally arrived? He strained himself out of his chair, and onward to the front end of the mansion. He was met up by the five servants of the houshold, who were already lined up and prepared to welcome this guest. Every moment seemed more intense than the last, and without cause. Sebastian, who was almost guarding the door, motioning the boy to locate himself toward the front. He gripped the door's handle and pulled the damn thing open.

Two beautiful young ladies appeared in front of everyone's eyes. Bright red hair, which could compete against Grell's, flowed down beside a unmoving brunette. In her hands, she held a simple parasol. One of them bowed down.

"Phantomhive household, we greet you," spoke the red mistress, with piercing scarlet eyes.

"As we do to you, my lady." Sebastian, who was the first to speak, bowed down as well.

Ciel was very distracted by the girl who stood in front of him. That brunette; her face was creaseless, as if she had never used a muscle in it out of her whole life. It was almost impossible to have a face so porcelain-like.  She watched him study her, but she remained motionless. Though unexpectedly, she did speak.

"Ciel Phantomhive," in almost a whisper. "Might I ask, if it isn't too much trouble, if we may be greeted inside?"

Jumping ahead, the butler opened the door and allowed the two women to enter the mansion.



Inside, they were directed to a room where they all could be seated, persuaded an opportunity to explain each other's motives. "As far as I know, you two are here by Queen Victoria's orders. I do not know who you are, or what it is you are in need of," the Earl crossed his legs, "And it is obvious that you already know who I am."

The brunette handed over her parasol to the redhead, who had not taken a seat.

"This is my maid. Elinoir Anafolez is her given name. She has served me for a very long time." A red haired maiden, tall and beautiul, clad in a dark blue dress that covered neck to ankle. Upon her head, she wore a maid's hair band. Her lashes were thick and dark, making her sunset shaded eyes stand out; her hair almost matched.

"I am the lady Maybelle Crossworth. We have been sent to extend a helping hand in the investigation the Queen has asked of you." She was young, but not as young as Ciel. Her face remained porcelain. This girl's expression never changed. As she would talk, her face kept at a gaze, which was fixated toward the Phantomhive boy. He actually found it quite chilling. Behind her semi-curling hair, two blue pearls peek out. They did match with her choice of wardrobe, as  she was covered by a lighter blue dress, almost identical to Elinoir's. Her eyes were wide, in an apathetic manner, and just as her dress, they were an outstandingly ice colored.

Ciel shifted in his seat. "Does her Majesty have no faith in me?"

"On the contrary." Maybelle had answered quickly. "She has much respect for you."

"Then did she send you here on some sort of deal? Or is it that you had made a deal with her?"

"Absolutely not. We are only here to serve our purpose. I assure you, Phantomhive, that I have no intentions of bribery, or to be bribed."

The irratation on his face spoke for itself. Why did the Queen suddenly think that he needed help with this sort of job? He was sure that he could manage with just himself and Sebastian. It wouldn't be the first time, nor would it be the last.

"We do not have to leave until tomorrow morning. Have you a bedroom I may attend to for the night?"

"Sebastian can take you to your rooms."

The girl turned her gaze to the demon butler. She arose from the chair and stood by her maid. "Ah, Sebastian Michaelis. I trust you serve your master well?"

He smiled at her. "What sort of butler would I be if I couldn't do that much?"

"Very well then. If you may..."

"Ah, yes. This way, my lady."



Mey-Rin, Bard, Finny and Tanaka all resided in the kitchen, where it was safely out of the way. The awkward maid was gleaming at the though of having guest over, and was truly amazed at their beauty. "Her face is so perfect! Her hair is so gorgeous!" She continued to rant on and on about the things that excited her as of this very night, though everyone else just ignored it.

Bard stuck another cigarette in his mouth. As he began to light it, he just happened to glance over at Finny. The gardener was completely zoned out. His eyes rolled left, up, then right (as if it were a habit) as he pondered on.

After sliding his lighter back into its pocket, Bard leaned against the counter in front of Finny. "Thinking about the redhead?" He said, startling the younger blonde. "I know I am, if you get my drift!"

"Actually, I am thinking about her. And the other girl, too."

Bard just laughed a roaring chuckle. He slapped the boy on the back. "I didn't know you had it in 'ya!"

After flinching because of the physical contact, Finny waved his hands in front of his face, as if he were disagreeing. "It's not like that! I'm just saying that they seem a bit... weird."

"Well, that wasn't exactly a compliment. But you're right, they do seem kinda like a strange bunch."

Without warning, Tanaka stood up. "The Misses Elinoir Anafolez reminds me of Sebastian, in some way or form. Could you say you agree?"

The three other servants looked at each other, and nodded in response.

The elder butler turned around, facing the other direction. "The both of them seem to give off some sort of Godliness. Though, it could be that they have had their fair share of work through their lives---" And he was back on the ground, sipping tea from his little Japanese cup.

"Ah! Mr. Tanaka!" squeeled Mey-Rin, after she jumped out of her skin.




Ciel flipped to the next page of his book. It was already very late, but he didn't have a desire to sleep. "Sebastian..." he called out as he shut the book and placed in on the small tabletop next to him. Sebastian, who was sitting in a chair in Ciel's bedroom, looked up. "Is there something bothering you, young master?"

"Ah. It's nothing. Forget it."

Oh, but Sebastian already knew. "You are troubled by the Misses Maybelle, am I correct?"

He was pleased when he saw Ciel's face scrunch up tighter than before.

"It's just, she..."



"Ah, Sebastian Michaelis. I trust you serve your master well?"



"Yes, I am aware. She knows quite a bit about us, doesn't she?" Sebastian smirked. "I would suppose that research would pay off."

"But she knows your name! Not many people do, other than the residence of my mansion!"

He was very aware of that, too. Not too many do actually know his name. "You should get some rest, my Lord. We have quite the day ahead of us." And he left the room, without second thought.