Kuro Kishi: Shiro Pon (Black Knight: White Pawn)

[Zelman Clock]

Chapter 16 - Attack

"I can hear at least half a dozen humans inside. And I sense another dozen more," Sebastian commented as he pressed his ear against the door, "Though I'm sure there are more hiding. Quite a number to have snared. What a clever demon we're dealing with. Well, there's nothing for it. Young Master, please stay back until it's safe."

Ciel nodded, fingering his pistol. Sebastian knocked the door in and he and Kyo entered, both on their guard.

"They're here!" A chorus of male voices called out, shouting. They jumped out as the two intruders stepped in. "Get em!"

Kyo yelled as he karate chopped the first person that confronted him. He imagined Yuki's face as he made contact with the next.

Sebastian skillfully jumped and knocked over several men before they were aware of what they were up against. He smirked. When would the real fun start, he wondered. He paused at the sound of gunfire, narrowly missing being hit by the bullet. So that was how they wanted to play was it?

Kyo heard the gunshot and it reminded him of the gun he had been given by Ciel. He pulled it out. How did one use this thing, he wondered, then decided not to even worry about it as he chucked it at the first person he saw with a raised rifle. It made contact, sending the man flying backwards into the wall. "Yes!"

Sebastian dispatched another set of men who had taken up firing positions against them. He deftly caught their bullets, sending them sailing back at their respective owners, ending that threat.

Kyo karate kicked another man and lurched as another moved to intercept him with a gun. A shot rang out and the man fell. The boy looked back over at the door to see Ciel holding a smoking gun. "Thanks," he yelled before another attacker took up his attention.

Sebastian took a moment to check his watch. Too long. This was taking too long. "We'd better wrap things up," he said calmly as he kneed another man in the face.

Kyo agreed as he sent a spinning kick at another assailant. "Let's go!"

Short and Tall dumped the two girls in the far room. Tohru grunted from the short fall, not realizing that her bonds were being removed.

Lizzy stirred. "Ugh Tohru? What's going on?" She shrunk back as she realized they were in a different room. Ahead of her, the corpse of a woman stared blankly at her. She screamed.

Ciel whirled at the sound of Lizzy's scream. "Elizabeth!" He ran into the room without thinking.

"Young Master!" Sebastian called out a warning as an unseen foe tried to come up behind the boy with a knife. But before he could do anything to rescue his master, Kyo flew in with a vicious kick to the man's throat that left him crumbled.

Ciel didn't seem to notice, only moving forward. "They're doing something to the girls," he yelled behind him. "We have to hurry!"

Sebastian and Kyo easily overtook the earl and ran ahead. "From here, we won't be fighting humans," the butler warned. "You'd best let me take things from here, master Kyo."

Kyo growled as he ran down the corridor. "Like hell I will! I'm going to be the one to save her! Don't underestimate me!"

Ciel was soon wheezing and Sebastian checked his speed, looking at his young charge as he stopped. "Young Master, don't push yourself. Why don't you rest here while I go on ahead?"

The boy shook his head. "No, I too will go forward. I want to be there, no matter what happens. This is an order you. Do not let those girls die no matter what happens and don't stop me from going with you."

Sebastian bowed on one knee as he looked into his master's eyes. "Yes, My Lord. It shall be as you command."

Kyo took that opportunity to catch his breath as well. "Well, looks like we need to go in guns blazing." It was now or never, he thought, his heart pounding, though not from running.

Both master and servant looked at him with some confusion. "I don't see how we can go in 'with guns blazing,' as you put it. You threw your gun away," Ciel reminded but Kyo cut him off as he pulled his sleeve away from his wrist to display his carefully guarded beads.

Determination shown in his face, a grim expression. "I told you that I'm going all the way, that you don't have to look out for me. These beads are the reason why."

Ciel blinked in disbelief. "Beads? You're secret weapon is a string of beads?"

Kyo's face went hard. "Just wait. But I do need you to look after these for a while," he said as he began to slide the beads off. "I just hope that whatever it is you've seen in the past prepares you for this. It's not going to be pretty. Make sure I get those back when it's over or Tohru won't ever be able to look me in the face again."

Ciel looked up at Kyo in confusion as he pressed the beads into his hands. What was he talking about?

With the beads removed, it didn't take long for things to start happening. Kyo suddenly hunched over as if in great pain and began to make gagging noises. Steam started to roll off of him as his skin and bones stretched, ripping his shirt. "G'AH!"

Ciel backed up in shock and Sebastian could only stare as the boy's eyes changed from his usual to a larger, purple cat iris, a rather pungent stench rolling off of his morphing flesh. The earl had to turn away to gag, covering his mouth with one hand, the beads held in the other.

It only took a minute, but when it was over, Sebastian blinked at the unexpected form Kyo had taken. It looked like the transformation had been quite painful, but he now understood why the boy had insisted he could handle himself. He wondered just how well such a form would work. This was a most unusual form, not human, but not necessarily animal either, and not demon. He'd never seen such a form before and it intrigued him. He'd have to remember to look into it later.

The transformation finished with the steam clearing, Kyo's now greenish skin stretched tightly over elongated bones and muscles, his face becoming unrecognizable. He looked like a creature from someone's nightmare, something that might be conceivably found in the demon world. He let out a roar of rage, his jagged teeth gnashing. Within a blink of an eye, he was running towards Tohru's scent like the wind, leaving the others to follow behind.

Elizabeth had fainted. It was probably just as well, Tohru thought as her own knees trembled. She kind of wished she could faint as well. "Who are you," she asked, her voice quaking as a dark clad man stalked towards her. She noticed the other two men had fled the room the moment they'd undone the cords.

The demon laughed. "I am the bringer of bliss, the ender of pain. I am the granter of wishes. I will send you to a place beyond any you have ever experienced."

Her heart pounded. Something about this being sounded so false to her, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She had to be strong! Lizzy needed someone to protect her! "Please, let us go," she begged. "Neither one of us want what you have to offer."

The demon laughed louder, his fangs showing. "What I have to offer? Who said you had a choice in the matter?"

Tohru let out a small sort of strangled sound, then ran to the far end of the room to get away from the approaching man. "Stay back!" She tried to remember the karate moves Kyo had taught her but her mind came up blank.

The demon smiled eagerly as he moved towards her again. "Don't struggle. It will only take a moment, an ecstasy beyond any you've ever experienced before! Of course, if you prefer, I could prolong it just a little."

Tohru felt herself being lifted off the ground, then pushed against the wall. Her body shivered with fear, her eyes wide at the man-like creature in front of her, holding her up. His eyes burned crimson, almost like a cat's but much more sinister. For a moment, she forgot how to breathe.

The demon smiled maliciously at her frightened expression. This one would be just as sweet as he'd hoped she would be. He could tell just from the expression on her face. He pinned her to the wall with one hand, her feet dangling as the fear washed through her.

He moved in closer. He would not be able to enjoy her as slowly as he'd have liked, not with company in the same building, but he could still have the satisfaction of a tasty meal before they broke into his sanctuary. He crushed his mouth against hers in his haste to consume her before being interrupted.

Realizing that this demon creature was violating her in some way, Tohru's instincts kicked in and she struggled, hitting him with her fists and kicking out as much as she was able. Her eyes were wide and she felt a bit dizzy from not breathing before she realized she was out of air and tried to gasp.

The moment her lips parted, intense pain engulfed her and she screamed, though the sound was strangled and cut off by the mouth over her own. She tried to struggle all the more as the pain increased, her eyes blinded by that pain so that she couldn't even see that the demon had his own eyes closed in the closest proximity of joy he would ever feel.

Her only reward for struggling was that he pressed more firmly against her, increasing the pain, bruising her face. She began to see black blotches swim before her eyes. A pounding sound filled her ears, but whether it was the pounding of her own heart or something else, she couldn't tell. She tried to suck in air one more time before blacking out.

[Zelman Clock]

Chapter seventeen - And the World Came Crashing Down

Kyo rushed the door one last time, the wood around the frame splintering as it buckled under him, then fell down with a crash. He could smell her, and his strong sense of smell told him she was in pain. Taking a moment to look around, he saw a very tall, black-garbed creature holding her against the wall, his mouth against hers. She looked like she was struggling against this assailant, trying her all to get away, useless as it was. Anger welled up in him and he charged.

Sebastian leaped over the broken door seconds behind him. "Wait!" He tried to warn the foolish boy against his actions but it was too late.

Kyo growled. "LET GO OF HER!" He reached out a clawed hand and sank it into the creature's shoulder, pulling him away from her. There was a horrible sound of sucking air as the demon and Tohru's lips parted.

The demon snarled in rage at him as he whirled around to crush the disruption. "I'll teach you to meddle," he said in a menacing voice as he let go of Tohru, who slid to the ground like a lifeless doll. He spun around and slammed his hands into Kyo's chest, sending him flying against the far wall, smashing into various odds and ends on the way over.

Ciel peered around the broken door frame, out of breath, debating. Sebastian was there, even though he was doing nothing at the moment but watching, waiting. He didn't see Tohru's limp body sitting against the back wall. But, as he looked around, he saw Lizzy, lying unconscious nearby. He hesitated. Part of him wanted to run recklessly into the room and make sure she was all right, but another part of him knew that if he did, he was making himself as good of a target as anything.

Kyo shook his large head in a daze, then turned angry, purple eyes towards the demon and growled menacingly. "YOU'RE TOAST!" With another roar of rage, he rushed the demon again.

Sebastian continued to wait, watching, calculating. He took in everything in the room, Kyo, the other demon, Tohru, Lizzy, every article of furniture. He was rather amazed that Kyo was still fighting after being thrown by his adversary. It was true that the boy had shown incredible strength fighting against humans, but against a demon, that was something else entirely. But for all that, the boy was definitely giving him a run for his money. Perhaps he'd not given him enough credit after all.

The demon snarled at Kyo as they circled once more. Their first clashes had left various wounds, bruises, cuts and scrapes. Kyo was panting but still fired up, like a lion fighting for a fallen mate. He limped slightly, blood soaking his pants from his right thigh down.

Ciel didn't know if he could watch any longer. He could see that Kyo was obviously injured. He didn't know how long the boy could keep this up. And Sebastian was just standing there! Why was he just standing there? He clenched his hand, Kyo's beads biting into his palm. In the end, Kyo was only human, not the demon he appeared to be right now, and, if things stayed the way they were, he would lose.

Stepping into the doorway, Ciel removed the patch from his right eye, clearly showing the mark of his contract with his butler. "Sebastian! This is an order!" He pointed clearly at their adversary's back. "Destroy that demon!"

Sebastian smiled as he bowed low. He'd wondered how long it would take his young master to make his move. "Yes, My Lord." He moved to a crouch, pulling the hidden silverware from his pockets, various knives and forks placed between his fingers.

Kyo and the demon, meanwhile, were exchanging blows again. It was quite clear that the demon had the upper hand as Kyo limped around, getting slower and slower. His vision was starting to get fuzzy but he was not going to let that demon live so long as he had the strength or ability to fight. His attention was diverted for a split second when Ciel called out, giving the demon the chance to throw him against the wall one more time. He slid to the ground, momentarily unable to move, the air knocked from his lungs. He saw stars before his eyes.

The demon moved towards him. He wasn't entirely sure what this creature was, something similar to himself but not. There was definitely something very human about him. And the rage in his soul would make it a wonderful snack while he finished things before getting back to his real meal. He moved towards Kyo, grinning in anticipation.

Seeing the demon move towards Kyo's unmoving body, Sebastian took his opportunity. Jumping into a flying leap, he sent several knives flashing through the air. They embedded into the demon's back, causing him to turn around with a furious growl of rage. "Sorry to interrupt, but I'll be your opponent now," he said politely to the enraged demon as he landed gracefully.

The demon scoffed. "You, a human's lapdog? Don't make me laugh." He grinned to display his sharp, pointed teeth. His black nails grew longer as he reached behind him and pulled out the knives, brandishing them.

Sebastian smiled politely, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "And why not? I hear laughter is good medicine. But preying on someone my master has under his protection is not allowed. As such, you must pay the penalty for it."

The demon began to laugh in earnest now. "Now I know you are a human's lapdog! Very well then, I will enjoy ripping you to shreds!" He ran towards Sebastian like a speeding train, his procured knives flashing in the light of the room. He sliced out with them as he curved around his opponent.

Sebastian easily sidestepped the attack, bringing his own knives to block. "You must be very young and inexperienced," he commented. "Or you have not yet felt the satisfaction of waiting for the perfect soul, cultivating it while you serve it and protect it. I must say I pity you." He lashed out with his other hand, his knife slashing across the other demon's chest.

The demon struck out, racking his claws across Sebastian's back. "I don't need to wait! I have the perfect soul here!"

Sebastian suppressed the urge to growl in pain. Instead, he whirled around, flinging forks, then quickly sped to find another weapon. But the other demon wasn't having any of that. He ran to beat him, crashing into him like a boulder.

Ciel looked around again. Lizzy was so close! But he felt the bite of the beads in his hand. Kyo was out for the count, still winded, and bleeding. Which should he go to? He debated, waiting, watching as the battle between the two demons continued. Lizzy might already be dead, but Kyo would die if he didn't do something.

Kyo panted. The room was slowly spinning around him. It hurt. He couldn't move. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see dark shapes darting around the room like black fireflies. What were they? His mind was too confused to understand what was going on and why he couldn't move.

Ciel made his way carefully along the wall, doing his best not to knock anything over or do anything else that might draw attention to him, though it was hard. Kyo had torn the room apart when he'd been fighting and now Sebastian and the demon were only adding to it. He ducked just in time to avoid a large piece of wood that was headed his way, but being small was a blessing and he used it to his advantage.

Kyo closed his eyes. He'd failed. He couldn't save her. The agony of that thought was far worse than his physical pain.

Ciel inched closer. He was almost there! He looked behind his shoulder and saw the two combatants still going on it. He looked back at his goal. Five more feet. Three. Two. Made it! "Kyo!"

Kyo shook his massive head. It was useless! Useless! He let out a terrifying sound of despair, much like the one he'd made when he'd sat out in the woods that fateful night, that night that Tohru had come after him.

"Kyo, stop it this instant!" Ciel grabbed at the clawed hand. It was too big to fit the bracelet around but he slid the beads over the first few fingers, not sure what it would do, but if taking them off had allowed his friend to transform into this shape, maybe putting it back on would change him back, if only he could get the beads back onto his wrist.

"You are most untidy," Sebastian said as he lunged at the other demon again, thrusting his hand deep into the chest cavity. "You should have listened to me at the beginning. Now you will pay the ultimate price." He glanced over at Ciel, a bit surprised by his movements, but understanding. "Young Master, close your eyes. You don't need to see this."

Ciel closed his eyes as he shoved the beads down as far as he could on Kyo's hand. He would not open them again until Sebastian told him it was safe to do so. Underneath his hands, he could feel Kyo shudder. The foul stench filled his nostrils and he tried to hide his nose in the folds of his coat.

Kyo's heart lurched. He could feel his eyes dilate behind his lids. What was happening? "G'YAH!" It hurt.

Ciel felt Kyo's hand shrinking in his, getting smaller and smaller, more smooth, less rough and hide-like. The stench, though still strong, was also changing. He was very tempted to open his eyes, but he'd promised not to, at least until Sebastian gave the all clear. The beads slid further onto the older boy's wrist at his insistent pressure, biting into both of them.

In the background, the two demons clashed. Occasionally screams of rage would come from the one, grunts from Sebastian. Shreds of darkness flew all around, felt as cold blasts of air. Then, with a final cry that nearly deafened, the noises ceased.

Ciel listened intently. Footsteps sounded on the hard floor. Had it ended? He leaned forward, eyes still closed, and felt a cold yet familiar hand touch his cheek.

"Young Master, it is over. You may open your eyes now."

Ciel opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was Sebastian's smiling face looking down at him. He looked to one side and saw Kyo returned to human form, shirtless but alive. Shifting again, he could see the ruined room, and Lizzy.

Sebastian held out his hand. "Allow me to help you, Young Master." He lifted his master to his feet, brushing off the dust from the rubble. "I believe Lady Elizabeth is waiting for you. I will attend to Kyo."

Ciel didn't need to be told twice. A little unsteadily, he walked over to where Lizzy lay and went down on his knees by her side. He caressed her cheek. It was still warm, that was good. She appeared to only be unconscious and was at least visibly unhurt.

Sebastian knelt by Kyo's side, his tattered coat trailing out behind him. "Master Kyo, you need to wake up." He put his cold hand against the boy's neck.

Kyo shuddered. "Ugh!" His eyes fluttered open and his body tried to bolt without his permission before her recognized the face over his. "Did we win?" He tried to sit up but it hurt, a lot.

"Please don't try to overdo things," Sebastian suggested. "It's over. You were wounded and have likely lost a lot of blood. You shouldn't move around too much." As he talked, he ripped segments from his own coat and began using them to bind the wound on Kyo's thigh.

"G'yah!" Kyo clenched his teeth against the pain as Sebastian pulled the bindings tight, securing them. His eyes closed from the fire he felt coursing down his leg. Behind his eyelids, a figure wavered in and out of focus. He sat bolt upright, breathing heavily. "Tohru!"

Sebastian moved to one side, his binding done. The worst injury was taken care of, at least for now. "She's over there," he said, pointing, then moved aside. He knew this was something was something the boy had to do on his own.

Kyo struggled to Tohru's side, something that took him three times as long as it would normally have. She lay limply on the floor, her eyes closed. "Tohru," he whispered, fear in his voice. "Tohru! Wake up! Come on! Stop fooling around. Wake up!" He wished he dared try and pick her up and cradle her, but he knew what would happen.

Ciel held Elizabeth in his arms. "Elizabeth," he breathed as she blinked up at him. "Thank goodness you're all right."

Lizzy smiled back up at him. "I knew you'd come for me, Ciel. It was scary. He... he said he was going to eat me." She shuddered at the memory.

Ciel smoothed her tousled hair. "Shh... You're all right now. It's all right now."

The girl suddenly sat up, remembering something. "Tohru!" She looked around frantically for her friend. "Ciel, Tohru..." She stopped, seeing Kyo kneeling over her. A small gasp escaped her lips. "Please no!"

Kyo nudged Tohru's shoulder. "Hey, come on. Tohru! Please!" He looked up at Sebastian who was picking his way across the rubble. "Sebastian! Hey! She's not moving! What do I do? She isn't...? I mean...?" His eyes pleaded with him for a favorable answer.

Ciel looked over as Sebastian moved towards Kyo and Tohru. "Sebastian, that demon... He didn't..?"

The butler knelt and took Tohru's hand in one of his. "Her hand is still warm," he noted. He moved his fingers to feel for a pulse and found it. "Her heart still beats, but weakly." He bent lower, breathing deeply of her scent as he opened his senses as wide as he could. "I believe her soul is still intact. I can still feel and smell it. I don't think he took more than a taste. However, the shock was probably too much for her."

Kyo looked up at him as the butler leaned back. "Hey! Can't you do something? I mean! You can do something, right? You're a... you're like that one, right?" He couldn't bring himself to say the name. Tears leaked from the corners of his eyes unheeded.

Sebastian sighed as he stood and brushed off his hands. "The only thing I can do is end it for her. If you had stopped him a moment later, it wouldn't have mattered either way. Unfortunately, most people don't recover from such an experience. Would you like me to finish it for you?"

Lizzy began sobbing. "Tohru! No!" She turned her face into Ciel's shoulder, her own shoulders shuddering.

Kyo didn't know what to say as he stared in shock. How could he want something like that for her? He wanted her to live!

Ciel looked up at his butler with serious eyes. "So there is nothing you can do, Sebastian? I thought I made it an order for you to save her."

Sebastian bowed, regret in his eyes. "So it was, Young Master. I have saved her physically as you requested. But there is only one person who can save her soul."

Ciel sighed, understanding exactly what his butler meant. "Of course. I should have realized that." He looked away.

Kyo looked up, angrily wiping away tears. "And who's that! Huh? Don't give me cheap answers!"

The butler looked down on the cat with pity. "You are." He turned, brushing off his clothes. "We should think about moving soon, Young Master. The authorities will be along soon, I'm sure."

Kyo surged to his feet rather unsteadily and grabbed Sebastian's coat. "Hey! What's that supposed to mean! How am I supposed to save her! How can I save her! I couldn't even save her mom!" He sank back down to his knees as fresh tears came. "I couldn't... even... save her mom!"

Ciel helped Lizzy to stand. He looked at Kyo from over his shoulder with pity, but he didn't let that pity reach his voice. "Then don't let her die," he said coldly.

Kyo took Tohru's hand in his, still sobbing. "How can I save her when I don't know how to save anyone? Tell me that!"

The young earl turned towards Sebastian and the exit so that he didn't have to look at him. "You love her, don't you? Do something about that." He started walking away, supporting Lizzy as he walked. It was difficult, leaving his friend like that, but he knew he had to figure it out on his own. And he had Lizzy to deal with. "Sebastian, let's go."

Kyo reached out a hand towards them. "Wait! Don't leave us! Wait!" But they didn't wait, becoming hazy in his eyes as the tears continued to spill. "Wait. I can't do this alone. Tohru..."

Their footsteps echoed, fading away, slower, slower, until they stopped and he was alone in the silence.

Kyo... when things get tough... when you're scared, when you're weak... I want you to tell me. I want you to let me care about you. I want to be together. I want us to live... eat meals, study... share our troubles... like we did before... together. I want to stay together!

He shuddered as he remembered those words she'd said to him that night, that fateful night. How long ago had it been? And why had he forgotten them until now?

You love her, don't you? Do something about that.

He closed his eyes, fighting against the emotional agony, his fists clenched as he bent over her. "Tohru, I'm scared. I'm weak. I don't know what to do! I don't want to lose you! I can't live without you! Please! Don't make me live alone! Come back to me! I love you!"

Without thinking, without realizing he was doing it, he bent lower over her until his face was inches away from hers. "I want us to live together, like we did before. Together." His lips brushed her bruised ones ever so gently. "Together."

Before he knew what he was doing, he was kissing her, his body automatically moving to keep a safe enough distance so that he wouldn't transform, knowing instinctively that transforming would only ruin the moment. His hot tears spilled onto her face, wetting her cheeks, ignoring the physical pain to himself his actions caused.

A small gasp escaped Tohru's lips as Kyo pulled back. Her eyelids fluttered. Very weakly, she tried to move. "Kyo?"

His eyes went wide in surprise as he heard her calling him, even though her voice was barely above a whisper. "Tohru?"

She cringed, shuddering slightly. "It hurts."

"Shh," he comforted, caressing her cheek. "It's okay. It's all over. You're safe." He wished he dared hold her to his chest, but he didn't, not even knowing they were alone. Silence filled the air.

"I'm glad. Thank you, Kyo." She closed her eyes again. "So... tired..."

He started, almost falling back into panic, when he looked at her face and saw that her expression was a peaceful one. "Never leave me again," he whispered.

In the distance, footsteps echoed, becoming more audible as time picked back up. The various cuts and bruises began to stand out in Kyo's mind, especially his thigh with the tightly wound bits of Sebastian's coat against it.

"This way, Young Master," Sebastian was saying when he stopped suddenly. He turned to look back the half dozen meters to where they'd left Kyo and Tohru.

Ciel also stopped, Lizzy still sobbing in his arms. They'd only gone a dozen or so steps across the wide room, stepping around rubbish. Why had Sebastian stopped? He turned his head to look back as well.

"He's done it," Sebastian said to himself, a slight pleased smile on his lips.

"Hey," Kyo said, nudging Tohru's shoulder. "You can't sleep here. We gotta leave. Tohru, wake up. I can't carry you."

Tohru opened her eyes and looked up into his anxious ones, noticing the cuts along his face, the bruising on his exposed chest. "Kyo, what happened?"

Sebastian walked back over. "A story that will have to wait for another time, I'm afraid," he said in answer to her question. "Would you mind if I were to carry you? You see, we must leave quickly. The authorities will be arriving shortly and we dare not be seen here. Too many questions might arise. You understand." Before she could say yes or no, he had slid his arms underneath her and lifted her from the ground.

Tohru looked down at Kyo who was still kneeling on the ground. He really did look like he'd been through the mill. "What about Kyo," she asked, looking back up at Sebastian's face anxiously.

Kyo used a broken chair to stand. "Don't worry about me," he said. "I'd carry you if I could but we all know how that'd turn out."

Tohru bit her lip. "Are you sure?" She looked back at him over Sebastian's shoulder.

His face was lined with pain and the blood on his pants was starting to darken, but there was a lot of it there, soaking through the majority of the one side. "Yeah," he grunted as he took a step. "I'll manage, at least for a bit so don't worry. It's not as bad as it looks."

Realizing that they weren't moving, Lizzy peeked over Ciel's shoulder. Her eyes went wide in surprise to see Tohru conscious in Sebastian's arms, heading her way. "Tohru?" She blinked.

Tohru smiled. She still hurt, though she couldn't rightly say what hurt, her head, her heart? But she waved a little. "I'm okay," she said as she was carried smoothly towards the door.

"We need to go," Ciel reminded his charge as he tried to steer her in the desired direction. He glanced back to see Kyo limping towards them. They'd have to go slowly for his sake. He vaguely wondered what had happened to the other women but decided that was something for the Yard to deal with. He'd had enough of the business for now.

Sebastian moved smoothly forward, right behind Ciel. Kyo stumbled behind them, doing is best to walk upright and hurry without giving Tohru a reason to look back again.

[Zelman Clock]

Chapter 18 - Aftermath

It had taken a while but they finally made their way out of the maze of buildings. Their pace had been slow, partly because of Kyo, partly because they had to take a different route out because of Scotland Yard. And now they were out near the wharfs on the river.

"I'm sure we'll be hearing about this tomorrow in the papers," Ciel muttered as they halted to rest. "But at least that ends it."

Sebastian smiled in amusement. "Of course, and they will doubtless take all the credit." And, though the demon was not tired, he set Tohru down on a convenient crate.

"What a sight we make," Ciel observed as he leaned against a barrel. Lizzy had refused to leave his side, even after she'd learned that Tohru was okay. He supposed he could not blame her, not after having gone through what she had.

All of their clothes were mused up, though Sebastian and Kyo's clothes had suffered the most. Kyo was the only one actually missing articles of clothing though. Sebastian was only missing swatches from his coat from where he'd torn sections off to make bandages.

The ginger-haired boy breathed heavily as he leaned against the pile of crates Tohru sat on. His face was pale under his usually tan skin. Somewhere in the alleys, he'd found a stick long enough to use as a support. It had been enough to help him stay upright but he was dizzy.

Sebastian looked over at his charges. "Perhaps it would be best if I were to quickly bring the carriage around," he observed. "It would appear that master Kyo needs a doctor. Though I did my best, I am no surgeon and had no tools with which to suture his gash."

Tohru's eyes went wide in surprise as she looked at Kyo. "Why didn't you say something? I only thought you were really tired!"

Kyo looked up through his matted hair. "And said what," he asked. "There was nothing I could say that would change anything."

Tohru shook her head. "You're always so stubborn."

Ciel glanced at the two, then back at Sebastian. "You're right. But be quick about it." He didn't like the way Kyo seemed to be swaying, even leaning against the support.

Kyo tried to continue to pretend that he wasn't that bad off, but his vision was blurring again. He slid down to a sitting position and closed his eyes.

Sebastian looked at Kyo in particular. The boy had lost a lot of blood and still had come this far on his own power. It was a remarkable testament to his sheer willpower. "I will be but a moment," he said and was gone.

Tohru looked down at her companion. "Kyo?" She slid off the crate to stand by his side, her legs a bit shaky under her. "Kyo?"

Kyo blinked, trying to clear the haze from his eyes but he was so dizzy. The world was tilting out from under him and he felt like he was falling. "It's okay," he said in some effort. "I'm fine." He reached out his hands as if to grab something before he fell over, unconscious.

"Kyo!" Tohru dropped to her knees in shock. Though the memory of the pain she felt still lingered, it had pretty much subsided. "Wake up! Please!" She looked around frantically.

Ciel and Lizzy were sitting side by side, both unable to do anything to help. "We just have to wait," the earl said in answer to her questioning look. "Once Sebastian returns, we'll make sure he's taken care of. All we can do is wait."

It was dark, and warm. He felt something cool trickle down his forehead. What was it? Slowly, his eyes opened, unfocused at first, but everything eventually came into focus.

"How do you feel," Sebastian asked, the first face in his view.

Kyo groaned. "Like I've been through a meat grinder." He winced as he tried to sit up. The room looked familiar, dark green décor; more masculine than the one they'd put Tohru in. Where was he?

"Is he awake?" Tohru peered over Sebastian's shoulder, her eyes anxious.

Kyo looked up at her as he lay back down with a grunt. His body felt heavy. "Hey. Looks like you're back to normal," he commented. "I'm glad."

Tohru laughed, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Hey, none of that," Kyo admonished, feeling embarrassed. "I'm not dead yet so don't cry over me."

Sebastian moved back so that Tohru could sit on the edge of the bed. "It was a near thing," he commented as he poured a cup of some liquid. "Thankfully we managed to get you to the hospital in time. They were able to administer to your wounds properly and gave you a few blood transfusions. The Young Master thought it best, however, for you to recover back at the Manor where it was less likely for unfortunate incidents to occur, such as your transforming in front of the eyes of unsuspecting females."

Kyo shaded his eyes against the light overhead. He noticed the curtains were drawn and he had no idea of the time. "Hey, what time is it anyway?"

Sebastian pulled out his pocket watch as he moved over the filled cup. "It is precisely eleven fifteen at night."

Tohru leaned forward. "You were asleep for a really long time," she said. "A couple days actually. I was really worried. Ciel was here a while ago but went to bed."

Kyo blinked. Was Tohru wearing another one of those fancy dresses? "And what about Lizzy? Is she okay?"

Sebastian handed him the cup. "The Lady Elizabeth is doing well. We sent her back with her maid just this morning. Of course, some memories had to be altered through hypnotism, such as being held hostage by a demon, but I believe she will come through this ordeal without any mishap. It will be as though it were a bad dream."

Tohru smiled. "As for me, I'm keeping my memories, all of them. I made a promise with someone that I would never forget anything." She thought of Momiji as she spoke. She almost wished the boy were there. He was always so bright and cheerful. They could sure use it after what had happened.

Kyo took the cup but didn't look at its contents as he listened to everyone talking. He struggling a bit to sit up a little again. "If it's after eleven, isn't it pretty late? You should be in bed," he chided Tohru.

Tohru blinked. 'You're right! But I wanted to stay by your side, at least until you woke back up."

Kyo wasn't about to get all mushy or anything with Sebastian there so he coughed to cover his embarrassment. "Well, I'm awake now so you'd better go to bed. You don't need to catch another cold."

Tohru stood and almost saluted. "Right!" Her expression softened as she looked back. "I really am glad though, Kyo, that you came after me. Thank you." With that said, she turned and left the room.

Kyo felt warm inside after she left, pleasantly warm. It was a nice feeling. He unconsciously smiled.

"You might want to drink that before it grows cold," Sebastian reminded, indicating the cup he'd given him. "Don't worry that it contains anything harmful. However, it does grow more bitter as it cools."

Kyo looked up at the butler, feeling a bit wary of that last comment. He noticed the older man was arranging some bandages and other items on the night table. He sat up some more, careful not to spill his cup, which he set next to the water basin without tasting it. "What's with all that stuff?" He looked pointedly at the medical supplies.

Sebastian continued with his preparations. "It is time to change your bandages," he replied. "I am told that not doing so on a regular basis can cause greater infection in the wound, which, I believe is something you would rather avoid. Now, if you would please turn a little more to your left so that I may work unhindered by your blankets..."

Kyo blinked. He'd almost forgotten about his injury because of the warmth he'd felt when Tohru had thanked him. But now that he thought about it, he could feel it. It seemed to pulse slightly, but even with that, he didn't move.

The butler unbuttoned his shirt cuffs and folded up the white material to expose his wrists and lower arms, his gloves still on. This accomplished, he looked back at the boy in the bed. Realizing he hadn't moved, he smiled slightly. Always so stubborn. "Don't tell me that even after all we've been through, you still don't trust me?"

The man had a point. Did he trust him, though? The guy had fought alongside him, kept the demon from tearing him to shreds, and though he hadn't tried anything on Tohru, he still occasionally had looked at her with that look that he now understood. Demons liked specific types of souls, after all. The butler had admitted that himself. But did he trust the guy despite all of that?

Sebastian proceeded to move a chair he had set aside closer to the bed and sat down. "Perhaps I should proceed with the usual examination first," he mused and slid his hand onto Kyo's forehead. "Hmmm. That does seem to be an improvement. Your temperature appears to have gone down from earlier today."

Kyo moved away from his hand. "Hey, what're you talking about?" He batted the butler's hand away. "What temperature?"

Sebastian smiled a smile that could easily be mistaken for a fake, though there was definitely some sincerity in it. "I thought I already told you. We don't want any more infection than what already is present. You see, much to my dismay, when I bound your leg back at the warehouse, I did not have the cleanest materials to work with. And human bodies really are so fragile, not that the demon we dealt with was the cleanest either."

"Wha?" Kyo's eyes went large. "You mean to tell me I've been lying here in feverish delirium because you used dirty bandages?"

The door suddenly opened as Finni entered the room with a heavy basin of steaming water. He carried it like it weighed nothing though, water sloshing. "Mr. Sebastian! I brought it just as you asked!"

Sebastian looked up. "Very good. Place it here, please." He indicated the one free spot on the night table. "And after that, I think you may safely retire for the night."

Finni placed the basin where he was told and gave a sort of nervous bow before running back out of the room, closing the door behind him.

The butler sighed. "A good child but still that." He turned back to his patient. "I wish you wouldn't look at it like that. I used what I had at hand, though I do not believe one can safely blame that completely, as I said. Now, if you would be so kind as to oblige me, I really do insist that your current bandages be changed."

Kyo sulked but flung the covers off of his right side and turned enough for his leg to be easily reached by the dark-haired man. "That do?"

Sebastian laughed slightly to himself. "That will do." He moved closer so that he could easily undo the bandages already in place. He deftly but quickly removed them, setting them aside to expose the jagged gash underneath, with its odd amount of sutures. The flesh was a bit too red for healthily healing skin.

The butler turned back to the table and removed his gloves, revealing his long black nails and a mark on the back of his left hand. He would have preferred to keep the gloves on, as usual, but dipping both hands in water made wearing gloves bothersome, and he was not just bathing someone's forehead to bring a fever down. It also helped that the boy already knew what he was.

Kyo turned his head to watch what was going on and noticed Sebastian remove his gloves. The black nails did not surprise him, not after seeing the black claws of the other demon, but the mark caught his eye. "What's that?"

"Hmm?" Sebastian looked up almost absently as he placed his gloves to one side. "That mark? It is the mark of my contract with the Young Master. I believe you also saw a mark on his eye, the one he always keeps covered?"

Kyo had to nod. "Yeah. I noticed it." He'd thought it a rather odd thing, looking at Ciel back at that place. No wonder he always wore that eye patch. It definitely would make people wonder.

"That is his mark of the contract," Sebastian added as he poured some white powder into the hot water. "And in case you are wondering about what I have just added to this water, it is a chemical compound called magnesium sulfate. It's very good for drawing out infection, as well as helping heal bruises far quicker than they would normally."

He dropped several pieces of cloth into the water. "This treatment is most effective when the water is around ninety to one hundred degrees. The solution is applied through either soaking through immersion, where the area is small enough to allow, or through compresses directly applied to the affected area for no more than half hour increments, though it is always best to change the compress once it has cooled down to maintain the necessary heat for the process. It is also recommended that this process be repeated three times a day to draw out the infection and reduce swelling."

Kyo blinked in surprise. For some reason, he was suddenly reminded of Kazuma. Every time he'd gotten too carried away, sprained something, fallen too hard, his foster father had used something similar to help sooth the hurts. Of course, it had happened less as he grew older, but thinking about it brought him back to the days when he'd first started at the dojo. He'd refused to cry when a particularly nasty sprain or bruise had come, but the care had been the same.

"My apologizes if this stings a little." Sebastian picked up the first cloth and wrung out most of the water before placing it on Kyo's leg.

Kyo was pulled from this memory of his mentor by the sudden sting from the Epsom Salt soaked cloth being placed on his sensitive skin. "G'yah!" He clenched his fists.

Sebastian's expression was sympathetic. "Please bear with it," he requested. "It is preferable to losing a limb. And since you refuse to drink your tonic, you will have to try and ignore the pain."

"What is it," Kyo said through his clenched teeth. This hurt a lot worse than he thought it should.

Sebastian prodded the compress, checking the temperature. "The tonic? It is the same mixture that I gave Miss Tohru when she had a cold, an infusion of herbs against infection, with the side effects of putting one to sleep and alleviating pain. Though, how quickly it would work for you is another matter as you seem far more stubborn than she is."

Kyo growled, though more from pain than from anything else. "Fine! I'll take it! But not because I can't take the pain." He reached for the cup, knocking it accidentally instead of grabbing it, but before it could spill, Sebastian had rescued it and put it in his hand. The boy chugged the contents, gagging at the dregs.

Sebastian chuckled. "Remember, I never did say it would taste pleasant." He immersed his hands in the water basin again, swirling the cloth still inside, making sure all of the salts had dissolved.

Kyo's lips puckered as he made faces. He'd almost have rather had one of those shots from Hatori, almost. It was no secret that he didn't care for them. He put the cup back on the small table as soon as it was empty, his beads clinking against the ceramic. He already felt exhausted. By the time Sebastian moved to change the compresses, he was asleep.

[Zelman Clock]

Chapter 19 - Recovery and Decisions

Several more days had passed since the warehouse incident. Kyo slept through most of them, but on the fourth day, he woke feeling more like himself than he had in a long time. His room was light with natural sunshine. He almost felt blinded by it and had to shade his eyes until his eyes grew used to it.

Ciel smirked from his chair across from the bed. It was about time the older boy woke up. Sebastian had hinted that it would likely happen that morning, and, of course, the demon had been right. "Good morning."

Kyo sat up, surprised to see the young earl staring at him from across the room. "What're you doing here? Where's Tohru?"

Ciel uncrossed his legs and leaned forward slightly. "She's still asleep. I gather she was up fairly late last night, keeping an eye on you, no less." He hopped down from his chair and walked over. "I am told you are doing much better. I hear that Sebastian will likely even remove your sutures today."

Kyo's eyes went wide. "He'll what? He ain't no doctor!" He scrabbled at the bedding, trying to untangle himself from it.

Ciel laughed. "I thought you'd act this way to the news. But don't worry. He's quite competent. He won't hurt you unless I order him to. Though, I'm told that if the sutures aren't removed, they will eventually rot. But if that's what you'd prefer..." He headed towards the door.

Kyo felt the catgut pulling at his skin. If he got too excited, he'd rip the threads. "Hey! That's not funny! Play fair."

Ciel glanced over his shoulder. "Play fair? On my own chessboard? Now wouldn't that be something?" He chuckled as he continued out the door and closed it behind him.

Tohru yawned and stretched. She's almost gotten used to this lifestyle. It was still weird to have Mey-Rin come in and help her in the mornings, but it wasn't all that bad, not so long as she could stay near Kyo's side. She giggled to herself. Not bad at all.

At that moment, Mey-Rin opened the door and smiled shyly at her charge. "Morning, miss," she said as she went over to the wardrobe and pulled out one of the many dresses inside. "This one'll look really nice on you," she said as she brought it over.

Tohru smiled. It was weird wearing all the flounces and lace, but it was also somehow really nice too, like dressing up every day. She kind of missed Lizzy and her comments. Ah well. She slid out from under the blankets and down to the floor. She still didn't let the maid help her dress, mostly. It was hard to get the closes in back by herself, but that was okay. Mey-Rin didn't seem to mind.

Mey-Rin's glasses reflected the light from the windows as she smiled. This one was so easy to take care of, and she hadn't been scolded by her either, which helped. "Hope you slept well," she said as she helped with the closes on the back of Tohru's dress. "The Young Master and Mr. Sebastian said to let you sleep as long as you liked today."

Tohru slipped her own shoes on, then twirled, letting her skirt flair out. "I slept pretty well," she said, letting her skirt settle back down. "Is Kyo awake?"

Mey-Rin nodded. "He's been up for a bit. I think Mr. Sebastian was actually just getting ready to go in and remove his stitches."

Tohru stopped. "Already?" She thought for a moment. "Well, I guess it has been a week. It usually is about a week, right?"

Mey-Rin shrugged. "I guess? I don't normally worry about them kind of things." She picked up the discarded nightgown. "Well, I'm off! Breakfast's downstairs as usual." She left Tohru, taking the nightgown with her.

Tohru blinked. She still wasn't used to the rush and bustle Mey-Rin seemed was necessary, but she shrugged it off. Her stomach rumbled slightly for food. But if Kyo was getting his stitches removed, maybe she should go there first?

Sebastian examined the sutures in Kyo's leg most carefully. He wanted to be sure there was not any chance of infection before removing them. He peered at them with intense concentration, being sure to look at all angles possible.

Kyo was inclined to sulk as he let his leg be exposed once again, forgetting that he'd had it exposed at random times during the past few days without him being conscious for it anyway. "Well? Are you gonna do it or what?" He'd finally resigned himself to the idea, especially when Ciel refused to send for a doctor just to remove the stitches when his butler would do just fine at the job.

Sebastian sniffed at the exposed flesh. A good sense of smell could, of course, tell the same thing as a well-seasoned eye. "I do not detect any hint of infection," he finally reported. He wondered if it would do to also inform the lad of the condition of his soul. It did have a rather nice scent to it, complicated and yet innocent as well.

Bard stood just behind the butler, holding up a light. He stared in fascination. It wasn't every day he was let out of the kitchen to observe such an interesting operation. His cigarette dangled from his lips, as usual, as he stared, fixated.

Kyo glanced up at the chef with some agitation. He couldn't completely understand why the guy was there instead of someone else. Of course, he didn't know that the chef had practically begged for the chance. HE also didn't know that he probably had a little experience in such matters from when he'd lived back in America. But he guessed Sebastian needed someone to hold the light.

Sebastian picked up a delicate pair of scissors and some tweezers with his gloved hands. "My apologies in advance if I accidentally hurt you, though I think it less than likely to occur as I will be very careful," he said. Very deftly and quickly, he began to lift each suture enough with the tweezers to slide the scissors in and snip the catgut, then remove each piece with the tweezers.

Kyo suppressed a slight shudder as the cold metal touched his skin, but the butler worked quickly and efficiently. It didn't take long for all of the stitches to be removed, without a single drop of blood spilled from being accidentally poked by a sharp object.

Sebastian put his instruments down once he'd removed the last suture and proceeded to disinfect the skin, just to be safe. "There we are," he said, leaning back. "I don't believe we will need to use any bandages this time around. However, you are likely to be stiff when moving about and should take things slowly so as not to inflict further injury." He began cleaning up his tools, dismissing Bard as he did so.

Bard saluted and took his little hand lamp with him as he left the room. He had a few other things to take care of that morning, aside from washing dishes.

Kyo glanced over at his skin. There were red marks where the threads had been pulled out, along with the jagged scars that remained. But that was all. He stretched his leg out, noting that Sebastian had been right about it being stiff. He wondered how well he'd be able to walk until it loosened up. One thing for sure, fighting was definitely out for a day or two.

Sebastian finished cleaning up his tools and closed his little bag with a snap. "When you're ready to join everyone for the day, I will send Tanaka to help you. I've also obtained a cane to help you for the next day or so as you will likely need it." He stood and headed to the door. "If you require anything else, please ring the bell."

Kyo blinked after the butler but was glad that he'd left. He didn't want anyone to see him flail around while he tried out his walking. He wanted to know just how bad the damage was.

A little self-consciously, he slid to the side of the bed and pulled the nightshirt down so that it covered more of his legs, then stepped off with his good leg, following with the other. His muscles protested all the way around, mostly because he hadn't used them in a while, but his recently repaired leg twinged a bit unpleasantly as he put weight on it.

He made to stand up fully and take a step, but his muscles weren't quite ready for him and he fell forward, catching himself with his hands, causing a somewhat loud thumping noise as he went down. "Damn!" He was just glad no one was there to see it. His leg smarted though, the skin stretching unpleasantly. He crawled back to the bed to try again.

Tohru felt like pacing the library. She'd wanted to be there when Kyo's stitches were removed but had been told it was better not to get in the way. It helped that Ciel decided to commandeer her time by trying to teach her chess on the hint that watching something like that was probably not the best for a lady, even if she'd wanted to be there for it.

She concentrated on the board, wondering which piece she should move. It was a lot different from Shogi, or what she remembered of the game, not that she was very good at it either. "Um..." She pushed a pawn forward at random.

Ciel glanced at her move. Not a bad one, but not the best either. He debated. Moving her pawn had left her queen open to his bishop. Should he take it or be nice for once?

He didn't have the chance to decide as Lau burst into the room. "Ah! Earl! There you are!" Behind him, or rather practically attached to his side, Ran Mao followed.

Ciel looked up in surprise. "Lau. What are you doing here? I didn't expect you or send for you."

Lau pulled up a chair and sat down. Ran Mao curled up on his lap. "I was bored so I figured I'd come over. You're always good enough to give some form of entertainment," he said.

Tohru smiled at the Chinese man. "Hello, Mr. Lau," she said. "Ciel was teaching me how to play chess. Do you play?"

Lau laughed. "Do I play chess? But of course! Though, I usually play pawn for the earl." He inclined his head, smiling at the inside joke.

Tohru blinked, not sure how to take that comment. "Oh. Well, I'm sure that's fun, right?"

Lau continued to laugh. "Always." He glanced at Ciel. "You really do have a lovely bird there, Ciel. If I were you, I wouldn't let her go."

Ciel rolled his eyes. "And what would you have me say to the Lady Elizabeth should I do so? Or to Kyo, for that matter."

"What about me," Kyo asked as he walked into the room, favoring his leg while using the cane Sebastian had promised him. He'd almost refused to use it, but after his repeated failures in his room, he'd decided he'd accept the offer.

"Kyo!" Tohru ran over to him but stopped before running into him. She had to resist the urge to hug him. "You're up!"

Kyo smiled slightly in his eyes, but his expression was rueful. "Yeah, yeah. That butler told me I'd be okay today, after he played Dracula on me."

Her eyes went wide. "What? But wasn't Dracula a vampire," she squeaked. "He didn't really... suck your blood, did he?"

Sebastian entered the room, pushing a tea cart. "Indeed, Miss Tohru, Dracula was a vampire." He smiled in amusement. "I believe, however, that was master Kyo's strange way of saying thank you for my attentions earlier. I'm sure you will be relieved to hear that no actual blood was spilled."

Lau raised his eyebrows towards the butler. "Ah, Mr. Sebastian, being your usual demonic self I see." He smiled.

Sebastian smiled evenly back. "But of course. I could be nothing less in the service of my master."

Tohru went over to Sebastian as he parked the cart near the fireplace. "Um, Mr. Sebastian," she whispered, "Does he know you're...?"

Sebastian glanced at her in surprise, raising the teapot to pour a cup. He changed his expression to an amused smile. "Of course not. It's a long-standing joke. You needn't worry."

She blinked. "Oh, okay." She returned to her seat at the chess table, wandering close to Kyo on her way back, making sure he really was okay.

Ciel looked back at the board and grumbled. "Now I can't decide on a move," he complained. "Lau, you've completely distracted me."

Ran Mao looked up and saw Kyo. She reached for him with her arms, causing Lau to laugh. "No, little one," he scolded gently as he tapped her nose. "I don't think he'd appreciate that just now." She pouted.

Kyo made sure to walk far away from the two Chinese as he made his way over to Tohru and Ciel. "Yeah, let's avoid that," he agreed and stationed himself next to Tohru, standing on the side furthest from the bodyguard, leaning lightly on his cane.

Sebastian walked around, handing out teacups on saucers. "Well, it would appear that everyone is here," he commented as he handed out the last cup. "Though I wonder if master Kyo might prefer to sit."

Kyo ignored his suggestion.

Ciel looked over. "Don't tell me you called Lau here."

The butler smiled. "Of course not, young master. But, for better or worse, he is a part of this. I'm sure you would agree with that much. After all, he is aware of our young friends' unique situation, at least so far as the Curse goes."

Ciel waved his hand. "Fine. I can see you have something in mind. You might as well get it out into the open."

Sebastian bowed. "Of course." He turned to the room in general. "I believe everyone here is aware that our young friends are not from England. However, there is something that several of you are likely not aware of. They are also not from this time."

Tohru blinked and raised her hand. "Um, excuse me, but what do you mean by that, Mr. Sebastian?"

Sebastian glanced at her with a bit of surprise. "I had assumed that master Kyo had informed you, but it would appear that he did not, though I'm sure you may have suspected this much already. You come from a different time than where you currently are. To be precise, you have traveled one hundred and ten years into your past."

Tohru's mouth fell open in shock. "What?" She turned to Kyo. "Um... Kyo, is that true? We really did travel back in time? I thought I was just dreaming!"

Kyo nodded rather uncomfortably. He'd rather hoped that she wouldn't have found out until he'd figured a way out of this mess, but he couldn't deny it now that it was out in the open.

"Ah," Lau commented. "I thought I sensed something unusual about you two. And to think it was that you are time travelers. Is this the first time you've visited or have you visited others? I recall a time when my ancestors were visited by travelers from other times..." He trailed off, reminiscing.

Ciel smirked. Lau was probably making it up to sound more important, though the idea wasn't entirely impossible, all things considered, less than likely but not impossible.

Sebastian gently cleared his throat to recall their attention. "I investigated the area wherein Miss Tohru and master Kyo first entered our time and found that what was confessed to me late one night by master Kyo was quite true, at least in so far as their having been mysteriously transported from Japan to England. Further investigation these past few days have added to the confirmation of their claims to come from this other time as well."

Ciel leaned forward with interest. "You did not mention that this morning," he accused. "Nor earlier, for that matter."

The butler turned to his master. "That is because you did not ask and I had other matters on my mind at the time," he answered. It was true enough. He'd rather thought Kyo would be difficult that morning when he came to remove the sutures.

Ciel sighed. "Fine. Continue then."

Sebastian inclined his head. "Very well. I found some evidence to support their claim." He brought out a textbook. "I found this some ways from the original sight, as though it had either been thrown or expelled from at some other point."

Tohru almost stood. "That's one of mine!" She reached for the math book, which Sebastian gave her.

"That book has the publication date inscribed," Sebastian explained, "as most books do. And its date is the year of our lord, 1999. That alone, should be proof of its coming from another time. And the admission that this book belongs to you," he glanced at Tohru, "tells me you are also from the time this book came from."

"Amazing," Lau commented. "To think we actually have time travelers in our midst. I never thought I'd live to see the day where it was possible."

Ciel glared at Lau. Hadn't he just been going on about his ancestors being visited by time travelers? He was such a liar sometimes.

"To continue," Sebastian interrupted their various thoughts, "though I did not find any other physical evidence, I did find what appears to be a tear in the very fabric of time. I did not see it the first time I visited the area because it had moved, but it has since returned to that location. I have been observing it most carefully these past two nights and it seems to have stabilized, at least for now."

Ciel sighed. "Am I to guess correctly that you believe this 'tear' to be temporary in nature? And that there is only a small window of opportunity if they are to return to their own time?"

Sebastian inclined his head in the affirmative. "It would appear to be so, young master. In which case, I would suggest, despite not everyone being fully recovered from recent events, that we set them back to their time within the next twenty-four hours. I do not know how long this tear will be stable and believe it would be wiser to send them through sometime during the course of tomorrow morning."

Tohru looked at Kyo. "Will you be okay?" Thousands of thoughts drifted through her mind, but they'd have to wait until later, when she could talk to him in private.

Kyo scoffed. "Of course I'll be okay! Don't let the cane fool you." He thumped it on the floor. "I'm just using it because Mr. Sebastian said I had to."

Sebastian smiled at the comment but his eyes were on Ciel. "Young master, I would like to hear your thoughts on the matter."

Ciel stared at the chessboard. "What choice do we have but to follow your plan? If the tear is not as stable as you say, we do not have much time. You will, of course, see that their original clothes are ready for tomorrow?" He looked up pointedly.

"Of course," Sebastian bowed. "I will have Mey-Rin make sure they are freshly laundered and ready for the occasion."

The earl looked towards Lau and Ran Mao. "And I suppose you'll want to stay around until after they've left, am I correct?"

Lau smiled behind his closed eyes. "But of course, Earl. I would not want to miss this for anything."

Ciel sighed. "All right then." He glanced at the clock. It was only two hours from dinner. "We will carry on as usual tonight, but should be ready for tomorrow. I believe we will all be going for a rather long walk, won't we Sebastian?"

Sebastian smiled. "Yes, it is a bit of a walk," he confirmed. "I hope the young master will be up for it, but if not, you know all too well that I will carry you."

Ciel smiled as he leaned back in his chair with a nod. He planned on taking advantage of that. "Now, if you don't mind, I have to finish teaching Miss Tohru how to play chess."

[Zelman Clock]

Chapter Twenty - The End, For Now

Dinner was over. After dinner tea was also finished, though everyone was reluctant to leave the drawing room, yet not willing to say what was on their minds.

Ciel idly played with the handle of his cane. He refused to look up, not knowing what to say. It felt rather sad, knowing another fun game had come to an end, one that hadn't played quite the way he'd thought it would, but one that had been meaningful and entertaining despite that. He wasn't about to admit it, but he was going to miss the strange pair who sat across from him.

Kyo sat with his legs crossed, arms folded, a slight scowl on his face. He was ready to be gone, or so he told himself. But it was kind of nice being treated like someone important, though he did miss his contests with his cousins. However, there were some things he wasn't looking forward to going back to back home.

Tohru looked down at her hands, folded neatly in her lap. She was wearing one of Nina's creations, a light yellow dress with a lot of frills. She didn't often get to wear stuff like it, and though she usually kept things simple, it had been nice, in a way, to have some dress up clothes. She was going to miss Sebastian, Mey-Rin, Ciel, and Lizzy, but she was trying to be brave. There were a lot of things to talk to Kyo about first.

Lau and Ran Mao sat at ease; the younger girl curled up next to the Chinese man. He smiled, his eyes closed as usual. "Ah, but what a gloomy feeling, don't you agree, Earl?"

Ciel sighed. It reminded him of that stormy night that had started it all, except this time there was no rain and the time travelers were already there. "I suppose," he agreed.

Sebastian stood by the hearth as if waiting. He glanced around the room, making sure no one needed anything. "Perhaps it would not be a bad idea to liven the evening," he suggested. "Goodbyes can wait until the morrow. Why leave on a sour note?" He smiled.

Tohru looked up and slowly smiled as the idea took hold. "Oh! You're right, Mr. Sebastian! It's not good to be too gloomy! And we have had a wonderful time even after everything, haven't we, Kyo?" She turned to her companion.

Kyo looked up from his thoughts in surprise. "Wha? Oh, yeah. It was fun." Of course, rescuing Tohru from a demon that wanted to eat her hadn't been fun, but if she chose to forget that part, he guessed it was her right.

Ciel just shook his head. It had definitely been an interesting past week, and not overly boring. He supposed he could call it entertaining. "What did you have in mind?"

Sebastian brought out Ciel's violin. "Perhaps some music?"

Tohru clapped her hands. "That would be amazing! Please play, Ciel!"

Ciel glanced at the violin with a bit of a scowl. He didn't like playing in public, and though the group was small, it was still public enough. "You must be joking."

Sebastian smiled somewhat mischievously as he handed the case to the earl. "I only thought that since Miss Tohru enjoyed your playing so much the other day, that you might care to grace her with the privilege of hearing you play one last time before she has to leave."

The boy felt a lot of eyes on his as he fingered the case. "I wouldn't even know what to play," he said in a disinterested voice, though he was caving slightly.

The butler moved a music stand with some sheet music already placed on it into view. "I took the liberty of choosing a piece earlier," he confessed as he indicated the music.

Ciel gave him an exasperated look, but when he saw Tohru's expression, he stopped. It reminded him of Lizzy, for some reason. He blinked. "Very well," he sighed as he stood and place the case in his vacated seat to open it.

Tohru's eyes lit up. "This should be amazing!" She turned to Kyo. "He's almost as good as Momiji! Just wait until you hear it!"

Lau was smiling as he observed through half closed eyes. He hadn't heard the earl play before and was decidedly curious.

The door to the room opened slightly and three pairs of noses pressed into the crack, one right above the other as Finni, Mey-Rin, and Bard peaked in. Behind them, Tanaka stood quietly, drinking his green tea. He was smaller than usual, having shrunken. The others would have said he'd lost his steam.

Ciel tuned his violin. It had been a few days since he'd last played, then he looked at the music Sebastian had chosen. His eyes went wide. Ode to Joy? Was Sebastian trying to be funny? He grit his teeth, then smoothed his expression.

Sebastian moved over to the door and opened it, causing the three servants to fall on top of each other. He smiled knowingly at them. "If you care to join that badly, you might as well come in all the way," he admonished them.

They each gave a rueful smile as they untangled themselves and entered the room. Behind them, Tanaka just smiled. "Ho. Ho. Ho."

Ciel closed his eyes as he held the instrument, then opened them and looked down at the music. His bow moved across the strings and the sweet music of Beethoven began to fill the air.

The rest of the evening was spent with Ciel playing, Tohru trying to play, and Sebastian taking over so that there could be some light dancing. Kyo, of course, refused to dance, but Tohru danced with Lau and Ciel. The servants danced among themselves, taking turns partnering with Mey-Rin or dancing alone.

Time passed quickly and soon Sebastian had to remind the earl that it was time to sleep. He excused himself and the young master, leaving the others to decide on their own bedtime. Lau decided to go to the billiards room. Ran Mao followed him. Tohru and Kyo went upstairs.

Ciel sighed as he walked beside his butler. "I do wish you hadn't put me in that situation, Sebastian," he said a bit crossly, though he'd been pleased with the way things had turned out.

Sebastian opened the door to the boy's sitting room. "I rather thought it a success, young master," he contradicted. "The time passed freely and the events of tomorrow were at least momentarily forgotten. It also gave the servants a chance to be carefree after such a long and trying week. I saw no harm in the matter."

Ciel shook his head slightly as they entered his actual bedroom and Sebastian began to help him undress. "Be that as it may, you know I don't like performing in public. Don't make me do it again."

Sebastian placed the boy's nightshirt over his shoulders and began buttoning it. "Of course, young master. If it is what you desire."

"It's an order," Ciel confirmed.

Sebastian stepped back after finishing the last button. "Yes, my lord." He turned the covers back for the earl. He was silent as he worked, then looked up with a blank expression. "Do you have any specific plans for tomorrow, or instructions, rather?"

Ciel climbed into bed and turned to one side. "I don't want to think about it just yet. Let it wait until the morning."

The butler tucked in the corners of the blankets and turned to retrieve his candelabra. "Very good. I will, however, remind the young master that the area of the tear is quite a walk into the woods. Should I have horses prepared for tomorrow?"

Ciel grumbled. "And have several to take back rider-less? No. We'll walk." He stubbornly folded his arms and pretended to sleep.

Sebastian smiled wryly as he blew out the candles and made sure the other lights were out. "Good night, young master."

Kyo and Tohru met in Kyo's room by mutual agreement. Even though it was getting late, Tohru had a few things she wanted to talk about and didn't feel like they could wait.

She sat on one of the chairs while Kyo sat on the edge of the bed. "Kyo," she looked up at him. "We've got a few things to decide. I don't really understand everything that's happened or how we managed to go back in time, but I guess it's true. So, what are we going to do?"

Kyo folded his arms in thought. She was right. There were a lot of things to decide. Should they tell the others about what had happened when they got back? How would they explain things like his slight limp? They had to have their stories straight or something bad might happen.

Tohru idly played with the armrest as she waited for Kyo to sort things out. "Should we tell them what happened? Do you think they'd believe us if we did?"

The last question grabbed his attention and he looked up. "Who'd believe em if we did tell em? We'd better just stay quiet about it. We don't need Shigure and Hatori thinking we're nut jobs. And we really don't need Yuki making fun of us." He was thinking more of what Yuki would do to him, but it still applied.

Tohru looked down at the ruffled on her skirt. "You're probably right. But what about the other things? Wouldn't it be bad if everyone hear told about us after we left?"

Kyo snorted. "Who would believe em?" But then they had dealt with demons, so it was possible. "We can always make sure they promise or something." After they were gone, it probably wouldn't matter much either way, but she did have a point.

There were a lot of other questions on her mind but she was getting tired. Perhaps they could wait, she thought as she yawned.

"Hey," Kyo looked up. "Go to bed. We can talk about it later. I mean, it's always possible that this tear will be closed and we won't have to worry about it. Or it could send us to another time or place. Who knows what will happen? But I think it can wait until tomorrow."

She wished he hadn't mentioned those possibilities, but agreed that it was probably better to sleep while she could. "Good night," she called as she left his room and stumbled to her own. The possibilities swirled in her mind all night long so that she didn't get much sleep.

Ciel groaned as the curtains were opened, bringing in the early morning light. He covered his eyes with one hand, blinking. "Sebastian, it's too early," he complained as he rolled over.

The butler smiled in amusement. "Has the young master forgotten what today is?"

Ciel pulled the covers over his head. "I don't care and I don't want to know. Now let me go back to sleep!"

Sebastian sighed. He knew Ciel wouldn't like it, but it had to be done. He took firm hold of the bedding and pulled, exposing the young earl to the somewhat cooler air of the room.

Ciel stubbornly hid his face in his pillow. "I'm not getting up," he said, somewhat muffled by the fluffy encased feathers beneath him.

Sebastian rolled his eyes. "Young master, have you forgotten that today is the day your guests will be leaving us? It would not do to be the last of the party assembled for this expedition. And I thought you were eager to see this unusual phenomenon. But, if you would rather sleep…."

Ciel grumbled but rolled over and sat up. "Very well, since you put it that way." He slid to the side of his bed and held out his arms so that his butler could help him dress for the day, though he'd rather have stayed in bed and avoided the whole ordeal. He rather felt that once they were gone, things would become more boring than usual, and he definitely did not like that idea.

It didn't take too long for Sebastian to have his master ready for the day, and the young boy soon had a cup of tea in hand, along with the morning paper. He sighed as he sipped the brew, inclined to feel more gloomy than usual, and definitely not looking forward to today's events. "What time were we to leave," he inquired.

Sebastian checked his timepiece. He'd kept watch on the temporal tear most of the night, trying to judge how long it would remain somewhat stable. "I would advise not waiting any longer than eleven to reach our intended location. As such, I will be packing a light picnic that may be enjoyed before we return to the manor. This, of course, means that we must leave within the next two hours, at the latest if we are to reach our destination in time. Beyond that, I cannot guarantee any success in their returning to their original time and place."

He did not mention that he couldn't guarantee it at all, but he supposed that went without saying as he finished tidying up the bedroom. "Breakfast is already prepared and will grow cold if you wait too long to come down," he added as he swept out of the room.

Ciel sighed. Well, it didn't leave much time. He just hoped that Kyo and Tohru were already up and about. He didn't want to have to wait for them.

Kyo groaned. He hadn't slept as well as he'd have liked, but at least he hadn't been up all night, which was a plus. He slid out from under the covers and found his school uniform neatly folded on a chair, waiting for him. It almost felt weird to put them on, but relaxing and nice at the same time. There were no fancy frills and buttons, and he didn't need to worry about whether or not the collar was too tight or not.

Having dressed himself, and idly wondering why Tanaka or Finni hadn't been there to help out, he made his way into the hallway where he ran into Tohru, also dressed in her school uniform. "Hey," he greeted.

Tohru yawned. "Good morning, Kyo," she smiled, though there were circles under her eyes. She looked like she hadn't slept much. She self-consciously smoothed her short skirt, almost missing the longer length of the skirts Miss Nina had made for her. She sort of wished she could take them with her but knew it would raise too many questions that neither wanted to answer.

Kyo paused, not exactly sure how to proceed. "So, I guess today's the day." He felt a little unsteady on his feet without the cane. He was tempted to go back into his room and grab it from its perch, leaning next to the dresser.

Tohru looked down at her shoes. "I suppose so. I'm going to miss it here, though," she admitted. "It's been nice."

Kyo chuckled slightly. "Yeah." He edged a bit uncomfortably. "Um, maybe we should go down and have some breakfast. I think we're not going to be sticking around the house much longer and you need to keep up your strength."

Tohru looked up with a smile. "You too, Kyo. Don't you think you should use that cane still though?"

Kyo waved it off. "Nah. It'd only get in the way. I'm good without it."

"If you're sure," Tohru paused, wondering. Well, he did know his limitations, she supposed so she shrugged it off. "We'd better go down before they send someone looking for us."

Kyo snorted. "That's the last thing we need." He took her hand in his and walked with her down the hall and stairs to the dining room.

Lau was probably the only one smiling at the breakfast table. He grinned behind half closed eyes as he ate Sebastian's delicious cooking, thoroughly enjoying himself while Ran Mao sat as close to him as physically possible. "Your hospitality is exceptional, as always," he complimented.

"Thank you," Ciel said as he patted his lips with his napkin.

Sebastian glanced around the table to make sure everyone had what they needed to enjoy the meal, mindful of the passing time. He would remind the young master if it became necessary, knowing he was dragging his feet.

The sound of utensils clacking against stoneware filled the silence as everyone ate, though Lau and Ran Mau seemed to be the only ones with any sense of an appetite. After pretending to eat for about five minutes, Ciel threw his napkin down. "Enough of this. If we are all to be this gloomy, we might as well leave now and be on our way."

Lau laughed lightly. "I didn't think I was being gloomy, but if you insist, I won't complain."

Ciel rolled his eyes. "You're not the only person here," he reminded. "I wasn't just referring to you. But no one is really eating and we're all dancing around like shadows. We all know today is going to be a hard day and going on in this stupid manner is only going to make it harder."

Sebastian smiled. It was about time the young master showed a little more fire. "Does the young master still wish to forgo the use of horses?"

Ciel glared at him. "We've been through this already, Sebastian. Don't ask again."

The butler bowed slightly. "Very well. I will not ask again. Would anyone care for more tea?"

Less than half an hour later, everyone was assembled in the front hall, ready to head out. Finni, Mey-Rin, and Bard stood to one side, as they were not coming. Someone had to look after the manor while the master was out, after all.

"I'm going to miss you," Mey-Rin cried as Tohru hugged her. "You've been the nicest person I've ever waited on!"

Finni stood uncomfortably and Bard's eyes glistened slightly. The young boy's cheeks were red as he tried not to look at Tohru's long, slender legs, once again visible in her school uniform.

Tanaka stood to one side of the servants, sipping his tea, still in his somewhat chibi state. "Ho. Ho. Ho." He smiled behind his mug of tea.

Sebastian clapped his hands. He held a picnic basket slung over one elbow. "Everyone, please pay attention. The young master will be going out for the majority of the morning and part of the afternoon. Please make sure to keep the manor spotless while we are gone."

Ciel tipped his hat to one side, his cane in one hand. "Are we ready then?" He looked around at those going, Lau, Ran Mao, Tohru, Kyo, Sebastian and himself.

Sebastian moved to one side and pulled something out from the vestibule, a walking stick. He presented it to Kyo. "Though it would be unseemly for you to bring this with you to your own time, I very strongly encourage you use it while making your way through the undergrowth as it is likely there will be times when you may want it."

Kyo looked at the stick but took it. The butler was right. His leg already felt a bit strained from going up and down the stairs that morning. "Fine. Why don't we get started already?"

Tohru clutched her math book and nodded a bit grimly to Ciel. "I'm ready."

Lau grinned. "We're ready," he confirmed as Ran Mao snuggled up against him. "Let's see this interesting phenomenon."

"Very well," Ciel said as he pointed is cane towards the door. "Sebastian, let's go."

The butler smiled as he opened the door for them and they all walked outside, down to the front lawn. "We will be traversing towards the left," he instructed. "Into the forest. Though the path is not too rugged, it may prove challenging. I admit to wondering how Miss Tohru was able to navigate it while in the pouring rain and fatigued as she was."

Tohru blushed. "I wasn't thinking about that," she stammered. "I just wanted to find a place to get out of the storm."

Ciel smiled. "I do not blame you for that. And it has indeed been a most interesting week because of it." He walked forward towards where Sebastian had pointed out, where the forest met the grounds.

Kyo sighed as he followed, not bothering to use the cane just yet. The grass was pretty smooth, after all. He had to give the gardener credit for that, even if the kid had been pretty annoying when he'd tried to help him out. Well, whatever worked, he supposed.

The forests dark trees did not take long to engulf them once they'd left the usual path. Birds and other animals moved about, making noises. But the sun still shown down through the branches, giving plenty of light to the travelers.

Ciel stumbled on a root but caught himself with his cane. "Unpleasant place, isn't it," he commented "Much easier to navigate on horseback." He thought about the times he'd gone into the forest to hunt, mostly for sport when Lizzy's mother dropped by. She was a very competitive woman, after all.

Lau walked smoothly, even though his eyes were closed. "I thought it rather charming," he commented.

Ciel rolled his eyes, though he supposed he shouldn't have been surprised. "Sebastian, how much further?"

Sebastian smiled in amusement. "Is the Young Master tired already? We have barely entered the forest and still have some miles to walk, though not as the crow flies. We cannot make a straight path due to the terrain."

Tohru blinked at the butler's comment. Had she really wandered that long before finding the mansion that night? It didn't seem possible. She glanced over at Kyo, who had decided to use the walking stick after all. She hoped his leg wasn't hurting.

Ciel resisted groaning. It would do no good if he did, and only give Sebastian more reason to tease him. He thrust forward with determination, though he knew that, before too long, he'd have to allow himself to be carried because it would likely prove too much for him.

Lau continued to smile, strolling as though this were merely a good morning walk among flowers. Ran Mao clutched at him like a frightened child but made no sounds. "Ah! What a beautiful thing nature is," he commented, breathing in deeply.

Kyo glanced at him like he was crazy but didn't comment as they continued all to walk in a group, more or less. He had to duck under a branch that unexpectedly flew towards him. "Hey! Watch it, will you?" Unfortunately, he wasn't sure who'd let the branch fly because he'd been paying more attention to the ground than the area right in front of his nose.

Tohru smiled slightly. He was back to his usual self. "Come on, Kyo!" She strode ahead, catching up with everyone else as they'd both fallen behind.

Half an hour later found Ciel panting. He leaned against a stout tree trunk as he tried to catch his breath. "I didn't know… that… walking in the woods… could be so… exhausting."

Tohru blinked. She wasn't tired, but then she was used to walking in the woods. She did it practically every day coming and going to and from school. But she supposed Ciel wasn't overly used to such activities. "Maybe we should take a break," she suggested.

Kyo was more than willing to sit down on a tree stump. He wasn't necessarily exhausted, but he hadn't thought about how much work it would be with a still somewhat injured leg and using a cane. He was definitely glad for the cane at this point.

Sebastian pulled out his pocket watch and looked at it. "I suppose we may permit a five minute rest," he said after looking at the numbers. "If it is not unbecoming, I would suggest that I go ahead to see if our tear is still intact. I will return in time for the break to be over as I can travel faster alone."

Lau lifted his head up a bit at the butler's comment. "Ah, a fast runner, yes?"

Sebastian gave a secretive smile. "One might say that."

Ciel waved him off. "Fine. Just don't be late."

The butler nodded. "I shall return shortly." He sprinted off into the trees, picking up speed once he was out of sight. Lau didn't know he was a demon yet, after all.

"Quite the amazing butler you have there, Earl," Lau commented.

Ciel ignored the comment as he found a stump to sit on as well, and pulled at his aching feet. "If I'd known this was going to be such a tiresome journey, I would have used the horses," he commented with a bit of a groan.

Tohru looked his way. "If you need me to, I could try and carry you on my back, you know, like giving you a piggy back ride."

The boy blinked at her, then rolled his eyes. "No, that won't be necessary. If it comes down to it, Sebastian will carry me. I wouldn't want to burden a lady no matter how exceptional." He didn't add that the butler wouldn't care for the idea either. He had to remind himself, however, that Tohru came from a different time and therefore, different ways of thinking and living. Perhaps it wasn't out of character for her to offer.

Kyo snorted at the idea of Tohru carrying the earl on her back. It was a very ludicrous one and he was glad the boy had refused. Besides, it wasn't something she should be doing anyway.

Lau turned his face towards the sky to let the filtered light play across it. "Doubtless it would be amusing to see her try," he commented quietly, thinking of seeing the young girl trying to carry anyone on her slender shoulders. It really was a pity that she had to go back. And he knew the ever-silent Ran Mao would definitely miss Kyo as well.

Ciel sighed heavily and tapped his cane. Five minutes sure were a long time when one didn't want to be in the situation they were in, he decided. Though he wasn't sure if he wanted this to be done and over with or wished that it didn't need to be done at all. He had grown rather accustomed to having those two around, even if they were troublesome, and he wondered if he'd ever see them again.

There was some rustling of the undergrowth and Sebastian reappeared. "It would appear that we are right on schedule," he said before anyone could ask. "The tear is still fairly stable and I hazard to guess that it will be another hour at most before we have to worry."

Ciel stood, scowling. His feet were still sore but he decided it didn't matter. "What are we waiting for then? Let us continue." He strode forward in the direction Sebastian had come from, causing the demon to smile.

"Young master, though that is the direction I just came from, it is not entirely the direction we should be heading." He strode ahead to correct his master, turning him slightly more to the right. "If you continued that way, you would eventually run into a pack of wild animals that might be glad to invite you to dinner. Whether or not you'd be glad for the invitation, of course, is up to you, though I doubt you would like it as you would be the main course."

The boy scowled even more and snorted as he turned in the direction the butler had indicated as the right direction. "You might have said that sooner."

Sebastian didn't respond, as he knew it wasn't necessary, but he did move to take the lead as the others began to follow after the pair through the trees.

About half an hour later, the somewhat weary and worn out group entered a small clearing where a large branch crossed right down the middle, like it had been flung there by some unseen hand.

Sebastian stopped just inside the small clearing. "We have arrived," he announced and the others stopped a few steps behind him to look around.

Lau scanned the area behind closed lids. "I do not see the 'tear' we are looking for. You are sure it is here, Mr. Sebastian?" He turned to face the butler.

Sebastian nodded. "Oh, believe me. It is here, and still intact, I might add." He moved forward and pointed one white-gloved hand towards the fallen branch. "It is located directly above the middle of that fallen limb. If you look closely, you can see a slight shiver of the air, like the visible signature of heat rising."

Ciel strode towards the branch and squinted. The air did shimmer ever so slightly, as the demon had said. "I see. So it does. Sebastian, how much time do we have left?"

The butler pulled out his pocket watch and gazed at its face before snapping it closed and looking at the rippling air. "I would say no more than ten minutes," he answered.

Kyo heaved a sigh as he rubbed at his thigh. It burned a little from the exercise. How were they going to explain that one away? Well, at least they had a few minutes to rest and recuperate before they had to leave. And maybe, just maybe, they'd have a few more once they got back to their own time, supposing it didn't send them to some other time and place instead, which he hoped didn't happen.

Tohru bit her lip. "I guess it's really time," she said sadly. "I mean, it's a good thing to be able to go back and everything, and I miss everyone horribly, but I'm going to miss all of you a lot too." Tears pricked at her eyes.

Kyo's eyes opened in alarm at the sight of the water in her eyes. " Hey! None of that now! Don't cry! It's not like it's a big deal! Come on!"

Sebastian raised his eyebrows, somewhat amused. Apparently the boy was the type who couldn't stand to see a girl cry. He'd have to keep that in mind should they meet again.

Ciel found himself suddenly caught up in a tight hug as Tohru reached down and wrapped her arms around him. Once the initial shock had worn off, he gave a slight hug in return. "I admit it will be less fun with you gone," he said, his voice a bit more husky than usual. "I've rather enjoyed the time we've had. I almost wish it wouldn't end, but I suppose all good games come to an end one way or another."

Tohru finally let Ciel go. "I won't ever forget you," she promised him, then moved on to Lau and Ran Mao, though she didn't hug them, but offered her hand.

Lau shook her hand, though he was a bit confused by the gesture. He'd hoped for a hug. "Try to not miss us too much," he said lightly.

Tohru sniffed and nodded, then turned to Sebastian. "Thank you, Mr. Sebastian, for everything, for looking after us and for saving everyone. I know you helped out a lot. It was nice being treated like someone a little more than ordinary for a while."

Sebastian blinked in surprise as she hugged him around the middle. He had to take a second to regain his composure as he placed a hand on her back like one comforting a small child. "Think nothing of it. I was only doing my duty as a servant to the Phantomhive Family. The young master is the one whom you should give thanks to, not I."

Tohru let go of Sebastian and nodded, swallowing hard. "Thank you," she said again, looking at Ciel.

Kyo felt unnerved by all the tears and farewells. "Hey," he limped over to Ciel and shook his hand. "It's been fun, but I can't say that I want to do it again, okay?"

Ciel smiled at the older boy. "I doubt such a thing will," he said as he shook Kyo's hand.

Kyo went around, shaking everyone else's hands, pausing at Sebastian. "Hey, thanks for, you know, helping out and letting me do my thing."

Sebastian smiled and bowed slightly to the boy. "It has been an honor."

Ciel let out his breath. "There is one more thing that must be taken care of before you go." He turned to Lau and Ran Mao. "As stated before, you are not allowed to mention a word about our friend's curse. You are also not allowed to tell anyone of their origins. Should anyone ask, they were merely here visiting a friend. Is that clear?"

Lau smiled and Ran Mao clung to him. "Of course," he replied.

Ciel turned to the demon. "Sebastian, this is an order. If anyone in this party breaks the promise they have just made, you will take care of it. Immediately."

Sebastian's eyes went wide in surprise, but he bowed, more lowly this time. "Yes, My Lord." He glanced sideways at the two Chinese, wondering what they thought of this exchange. He then straightened up and looked at the area of the special tear. "It might now be wise to cut our goodbyes and send our guests on their way," he advised. "I believe the rift will soon close."

Ciel nodded. "Very well." He walked towards the branch, gesturing for the two time travelers to follow. "It has been enjoyable. If we ever meet again, however unlikely that may be, I hope you will remember us and our friendship."

Tohru bowed, the tears dashed from her eyes. "It's been a pleasure," she said. "And we won't forget. If we ever meet again, I'll treat you to more of my cooking."

Kyo scowled, his arms folded. He'd propped his cane against a tree. "Yeah, yeah," he said crossly. "Let's go already. How do we make this work?"

Sebastian moved forward a few paces. "You should be able to simply walk forward through the rift and be transported back to where you came from."

Kyo nodded. "Fine." He grabbed Tohru's hand. "Come on."

Hand in hand, they walked towards the rift. The air shimmered around them as they neared the fallen branch, almost like the very air was throwing rainbows out into the world. A few more steps and they were suddenly gone.

Lau blinked, opening his eyes halfway. "My, but I didn't think it would actually work," he commented. "Most interesting indeed. Perhaps it is time for us to go back now as I doubt the earl will care to see us for a while." He tucked Ran Mao more firmly under one arm and they walked off.

Ciel watched them leave. He wondered if they knew the way back but didn't care. He wasn't sure how he felt at the moment. And if it was necessary, he could always have Sebastian find them and send them in the right direction to return home later. Right now, he wanted to just do nothing but wait.

He turned to his butler. "Sebastian, do you really think that rift took them back to their time? Might it be possible that it sent them somewhere else?"

Sebastian turned to his master, his expression schooled to a more solemn but thoughtful expression. "I suppose it is entirely possible for it to take them to another time and place, though I do not believe such is the case. I believe I caught a glimpse of another forest beyond, one that didn't quite look like our own. I would like to believe that it was a slight reflection of their home."

Ciel sighed. "It does leave a somewhat comforting feeling to hear that." He found a stump and sat down. His feet hurt and he didn't want to stand any longer. His stomach grumbled ever so slightly, reminding him of the absence of having had elevensies, something he knew Sebastian had brought with him, but he didn't call for the refreshment. Instead, he played with the dirt in front of him with his cane, digging little holes that he swept back to non-existence, much like the past few minutes seemed to have done to his life.

Sebastian stood politely to one side, waiting, the picnic basket laid to one side. "Might one inquire what is on the Young Master's mind," he asked.

Ciel looked up. "Sebastian, is it possible that you might chance upon them sometime in the future? Will you live that long?"

The demon tilted his head in thought, one hand cupped around his chin. "I suppose it is entirely possible that such an event could occur," he admitted, "as demons do live for quite some amount of time, as far as humans measure such things. Why do you ask?"

Ciel glanced back down at the holes he was making. "No reason." He continued to poke at the dirt for several minutes, thinking. Then looked back up to see his butler patiently waiting. The demon knew him all too well, he sighed. "Sebastian, this is an order. Should the chance present itself for you to see them in their own time, you are to make sure that Kyo doesn't do anything stupid to hurt Tohru so that they can be happy together. Don't do anything drastic, but do make sure things turn out well for them."

Sebastian smiled. Chances were possible, as he'd said, that he would run into those two again, but Ciel would be long dead by that point. However, since it was an order given now, it would still hold, one way or another. Not to mention he was curious about how those two would turn out himself. "Yes, My Lord."

Ciel sniffed at the air like he smelled a bad odor. "Now, take me home at once."

The butler glanced questioningly at the boy. "Without partaking of your little snack?" He was a bit surprised by that. He could hear the rumble of the boy's stomach.

Ciel stood. "I have no stomach for this place any longer. Let us return to the Manor at once and with all haste. I would dine back at the place and then sit to myself in the study."

Sebastian gave a knowing smile. The young earl would likely sulk in thought for the rest of the day, not that he could blame him for it, but it was amusing. "Very well, young master." He swept up the picnic basket in one hand and Ciel in the other. "Please do hold tight," he requested. "I would hate to have you fall from my arms as I run."

And with that, he set out towards the mansion, his master in his arms.

The air rippled around the two time travelers as they walked through what almost felt like some kind of tunnel. It definitely had not felt this way coming over, Tohru thought. It had been more like a thump after being dropped, but this was more like walking uphill. She supposed it shouldn't be surprising as they were going forward in time instead of back.

Suddenly, Tohru found herself face down in the dirt. "Oof!"

Kyo, who was just behind her, didn't notice that she'd gone down until it was too late and tripped over the same thing she had, falling on top of her. "AH!" A cloud of smoke heralded his transformation to a cat and the rift closed behind them.

Tohru rapidly rolled over to see Kyo stretched out near her legs, his clothes scattered. "Kyo! Are you all right?" She hesitated to touch him.

Kyo shook his fur and slowly got to his feet, wincing as he put weight on one back leg. "Ugh. Let's not do that again."

Tohru looked around. The trees were familiar. In fact, she rather thought that she saw where her tent had been all those months ago. Then she stopped in shock. "Kyo, I don't think it worked," she said in a frightened voice.

Kyo ranged around a bit, working on his sore leg. It was a little hard to do as a cat though. "What? Why not?"

Tohru looked up at the mostly clear sky. "It's not raining. It was raining when we left. Remember?"

Kyo looked up. She was right. "Don't tell me! That means we're stuck somewhere else in time! No!"

Somewhere in the trees, someone was whistling. The sound came closer and closer. Both Tohru and Kyo turned anxiously towards the sound. Who would they run across this time? Would it be friend or foe?

"I can't take much more of this," Tohru declared and scrunched up her eyes so that she didn't have to see.

The sounds came closer, along with the crunch of brush and twigs underfoot. With a final push of swinging branches, the mysterious whistler entered the small area and stopped in surprise. "My, my. Now what do we have here?"

Tohru opened her eyes in surprise. She recognized that voice! She looked up to see Shigure staring down at them. "Shigure?"

Shigure blinked in surprise at them. "It looks like you two were being naughty," he said in a slightly snide voice. "What have you two been up to? I wondered why it was taking you longer than usual to walk home." His expression turned to a mischievous smile.

Kyo growled at Shigure, but before he could spring on the pervert with his claws out, there was a loud pop, then smoke as he transformed back to human form.

"Ah!" Tohru ducked her head down, blushing as usual. "Just let me know when it's safe to look again!" The transformation got her every time, possibly partly because it was never predictable on when they would transform back to human form, and that they were always naked. After all, she was a modest girl.

"I see, so you just had an unfortunate incident. How disappointing." He didn't look disappointed, however, as he fanned himself with his long sleeve while Kyo quickly redressed himself, keeping his scarred leg out of sight of the older Sohma.

"I'm decent," Kyo announced as he finished pushing one arm through his shirtsleeve. He sat with his legs crossed, scowling to hide his discomfiture.

Tohru opened her eyes and looked at her companion, then at Shigure. "Yes, an unfortunate accident," she said in response to Shigure's comments. She glanced at Kyo, not sure how to account for the obvious limp that would show the moment he stood up. "We both tripped."

Kyo growled. "Speak for yourself will ya? I was doing fine until you fell over! Sheesh!"

Shigure glanced at the two and burst out laughing.

"It isn't funny!" Kyo would have surged to his feet if his leg hadn't been so sore.

But, despite the younger boy's words, Shigure didn't stop laughing. "That's got to be the funniest thing I've heard all day! Wouldn't it be a real shame if you actually got hurt because of it?"

Kyo clenched a fist. "You're really starting to piss me off!"

Tohru saw Kyo getting ready to charge. "Kyo! Don't!"

Kyo was halfway into launching himself forward when his foot caught on a root, sending him face down in the dirt. He let out a yell of rage and pain.

Tohru wrung her hands. "Oh! I told you not to do that!"

Shigure stopped laughing enough to blink in surprise, realizing that the boy really was in pain. "Well now, you should have listened, shouldn't you? I suppose this means I need to go call Hari." He put a hand dramatically to his forehead.

"Like hell you will!" Kyo snarled and struggled back to his feet. That was the last thing they needed, Hatori discovering the scars, which would lead to questions and uncomfortable situations. "I'm fine." He limped rapidly away, heading in the direction of the house.

Shigure stared after him. "Well, I guess it's not all that bad after all." He shrugged and turned to Tohru. "And what about you, young lady?"

Tohru's eyes went wide. "Oh! No! I'm fine! I'll just be going on!" She sprinted after Kyo, occasionally stumbling over roots as she went.

Shigure put a hand to his chin in thought. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say those two were up to something." He thought about that for a moment, and then shrugged. "Of course, that would never happen! What was I thinking? Back to work then, I suppose." He ambled after them at a way more leisurely pace.

Several weeks had passed since the incident of time travel and things had settled back down to some semblance of normal. Tohru and Kyo occasionally exchanged glances with each other when mysterious things were brought up, like how their books were missing, but nothing came of it. The books had turned up a few days later.

The two were walking home from school on a bright sunshine filled afternoon. Yuki had again stayed behind for student council reasons so they were alone once more.

Tohru paused as they reached the same section of road where they'd first veered off course all those weeks ago. "Kyo," she turned to her companion. "Do you ever wonder what they're all doing? What kind of adventures they might be having?"

Kyo snorted. "Tohru, they're long gone by now. Well, except maybe that butler guy. I don't think he'll ever die. But don't worry about them. We're probably never going to see them again so it's not worth thinking about."

Tohru blinked but nodded. "You're right. I'll try not to worry about it." She smiled brightly. "So, I was thinking of making teriyaki for dinner. Does that sound good?" She stepped brightly back onto the road.

Kyo scratched at his head as he fell into step behind her. "Teriyaki? I don't mind, so long as there's no onions or leeks involved! And no liver!"

Tohru laughed, knowing him all too well. It was finally back like usual. They were both happy, healthy, and strong. And the nightmares of adventures shared had ended, leaving behind only happy memories.

High above them, in the tops of the tree branches, a dark crow watched them as they walked home together, hand in hand.

[Deleted]

This all looks very interesting! I'll have to try and read it as soon as I find time :3 Thanks for posting it! It's interesting, we have a slightly different perception, I think, of Lau and Ranmao's relationship, but it's all good! Thanks again!

[nadoka]

*loved it*
I think it would have been funny if Kyo and Tohru ended up reading about the Phantomhives in a text book. lol