Chapter Text
The fall was fast. Faster than it had been with Leona, and Ciel closed his eyes before he hit the ground as he and Azul plunged through the black inky darkness. After a while of laying on the cool sandy ground the young Earl blinked his eyes open and woke to find himself back in the black and white world he’d visited twice already. Sitting up he rubbed his eyes and glanced around.
“Where am I now?” It took him a moment before his mind was able to ascertain his location. He was underwater in a large rotunda of a room, with windows that opened up into the sea above, and on the frames prominently displayed, were different forms of coral, muscles, barnacles, and other sea life that clung to rocks. Along side this was plants that swayed in the water, undulating calmly in the current. Ciel stood up and gazed around, the walls seemed to curve up as tiered steps housed rock like platforms in the shape of tables and stools to seat two or three. It was sectioned off into rows and aisles, making Ciel think of a school. What sealed the deal was the large platform where a series of shells and carved rocks, had been transformed into a podium, and an enormous clam shell housed between its two parts, a long scroll looking chalk board.
“A school? Under the sea?” Ciel murmured. He looked around the room until he heard the sound of children laughing. It wasn’t the sweet kind, but a malicious and mocking sort of laughter that caused chills to run down his spine.
The young Earl peeked through a window in the classroom door and noticed Azul standing off to the side, dressed in his dorm uniform, looking sullen and sadden.
“Azul?!” Ciel shouted and pushed open the door made from the wood of a ship, and slipped through to join him in the hallway. When Azul didn’t respond he called him again. “Azul?”
No response and the laughter became louder as a scene began to ripple into existence and Azul spoke to him in a sad and lonely tone.
“The only place I ever belonged was inside an octopus pot.” Azul told the gray-haired boy who glanced at him, then the taller Housewarden began to walk and Ciel followed his form down the hallway, keeping a good pace behind the Octavinelle student.
As they strolled, Ciel started to get knots in his stomach, and wanted to retreat, but he forced himself forward. He knew this wasn’t going to be pleasant to witness. The mocking laughter got louder and louder the closer they drew to the scene, and Ciel gasped when he saw a group of five merchildren chasing after a chubby small octopus merchild, who was fleeing and crying. They taunted him, jeering his appearance, as they launched what looked like brownies at him with glee, pelting him with them, and covering him in chocolate. The boy could have only been about six, and was terrified as he tried to get away from them, but the other children were faster with their tails than he was with his eight legs. Ciel could see the brownies covering his hair, and the floor as he tried to move but they were getting closer and one was carrying a nice silver tray that held them, where the others were picking them off and throwing them at him.
“Hey, Frazzled Azul, ink-spewer!” shouted one boy with purple hair, who lobed a brownie spattering it all over little Azul’s back as he winced with the pain of the brownie hitting him in the back. “Get back here!”
“Aw, you gonna cry?” said the girl with a dark brown ponytail who managed to get a brownie on his head, “Why don't you use one of your eight legs to wipe those tears away? You loser!”
“Maybe you can exercise those fat legs, fatso!” said a second boy, who had spikey yellow hair, as he spattered a brownie on Azul’s legs.
“What a drip, he really thought we’d take his gross octo-touched brownies. They have all is dirty legs touching them!” the second girl with blue pig tails said as she hit him in the face. “Keep away from Rielle you weirdo!”
“Ha Ha! Look at him, he can barely get away from us! What a freak!” laughed the last boy with a pink bowl cut, and then, when they surrounded Azul, he dumped the rest of the brownies on him.
Ciel clenched his fist and tried to shoo the bratty children away, shouting. “Leave him alone you little wretches!”
Only his hands slipped through the shadows, and he realized there was nothing he could do but watch, and the young Earl bit his lip, feeling pain in his heart watching the scene unfold.
The trey clattered to the floor, and Azul started to cry, trembling and shaking, “C-cut it out... Why are you being so mean to me?”
He gets wacked in the face by the blue haired girl who sneered at him.
“Shut up you little sea pig!”
Tears ran down his face as the yellow haired boy sneered.
“Awww look he's crying!”
The first boy gasped when Azul turned to run again, and he put his hands up as if in fear. “Run for it, quick! He's gonna ink us!”
“Aha ha ha!” the first girl laughed as she swam around Azul, hitting him with her tail, taunting him, “He couldn't keep up with us if he tried.”
Azul could only sniffle and sob as the children taunted him for several more minutes before the blue haired girl got bored and wanted to go and do something else for fun. When they had swam off Azul began to pick up the brownies and put the crushed sweets on the tray as he sniffled and sobbed. Ciel could only look on, utterly disgusted by the children’s actions and wiped tears from his eyes.
“Why? Mommy said that if I gave them these brownies that they would like them and they would be nice to me.” Azul sniffled and sobbed as he placed the one lone safe brownie on the tray and looked at himself in the now smeared reflective surface. “She said this was a good way to make friends. Why? Why do people hate me.What did I ever do to them? I just said hello.”
Ciel bit his lip and tried to talk to the little Azul, and crouched down, reaching out to touch a brownie, but again found he couldn’t, and wiped his eye to calm himself down as he spoke softly to the small boy. “Because some people are just horrible.”
He glanced at Azul and then at the sad and lonely child, wondering aloud while looking down at his own distorted image in the silver tray, “Was I being like them as well?”
Looking up, hoping for an answer, Ciel saw older Azul walking away as the little boy faded and back towards the classroom. Ciel reached out to try to hug the small chubby octopus, but it slipped like sand through his fingers, and faded. Standing, and dusting off, while trying to keep his emotions in check, the young Earl hurriedly followed after the older Azul and listened as the boy spoke.
“Unlike other merfolk, I have lots of feet with suction cups.” He explained and shook his head, “I'm an introvert, and I never assert myself. I'm hopeless in both studies and athletics. I'm always alone. A silly little octo-twerp.”
“But you’re not hopeless Azul,” Ciel insisted and Azul stopped before the classroom, and silently looked through a window.
Ciel did the same at first, then, as he saw nothing, pushed the door open and went inside. The moment he did he was greeted by the sight of a slightly older Azul, possibly seven or eight, sitting alone in a closet as a girl with blonde hair was whispering to a blue haired boy and green haired girl who was near to where Azul sat so he could hear them.
“The water gets all cloudy when he's around. He spews ink every time he cries!” she said, shooting Azul disgusted looks, and the boy with her wrinkled his nose as he spoke and crossed his arms.
“He's always the first to get caught when we play tag.” The blue haired merboy said, “Playing with him is just boring.”
The second boy with green hair added with contempt, “He’s just so gross, and ugly and pudgy.”
“Yeah. I don't see why we should hang around with him.” The girl said affirming the other two boy’s views, and the blue haired boy added vehemently.
“We shouldn't let Prince Rielle around him either. He'll just ink him with all his tears.”
“Shouldn’t the prince have a right to decide who he wants to be around,” Ciel groused and glared at them. “You had no right acting as a barrier between them you spoiled brats!”
The green haired boy snickered. “Bet if he was on land, he'd be really smelly too.”
“Yeah,” the other two remarked and laughed loudly as Azul sniffled while hiding, and wrapping his legs around himself.
Ciel sneered and trembled with anger. He knew the feeling of being alone, and not feeling wanted. He knew that all too well, though he’d never been bullied directly himself other than his brother’s teasing, he couldn’t help but empthatize with Azul and wanted nothing more than to take the small octopus away from the school, and bring him to a better and safer place.
“You little monsters. Just like those boys in Weston.” Ciel said darkly, “Thinking you can get away with it by pretending to be so polite and nice, when you're nothing but cruel.”
As the scene faded Azul’s figure starts to walk again, looking hurt as he moved along, and Ciel saw the room fade, allowing him to hurry after the older boy, who was walking with slumped shoulders. Ciel noticed that he seemed to be changing some, his skin tone altering from the normal one he knew Azul to have, to the colors closer to the Overblott form, and it worried him.
“Ah, is that a fact?” Azul said to the children, “You despise my existence, as it bothers you, and you don’t want someone like the prince to be around someone so ugly and disgusting as me. In that case, leave me alone. Keep running around in your little circles.” Azul frowned as he began to get angry, “Enjoy your utterly unproductive games! I have no tailfin to let me swim quickly. What I DO have are ten limbs I can freely control.”
Ciel caught up with him and asked bluntly to the Housewarden, “Why would you even want to have friends like that?! They clearly don't care even about one another, and only want to rise in the rank of reputation. You shouldn't need to want anything to do with them.”
But Azul didn’t seem to notice him and instead kept talking to himself as he walked. “I'll just transcribe five times as many grimoires, as people with merely two arms. I can generate my own ink for inscribing magic circles.”
“Just you wait.” Azul was saying, “One of these days...I'll show every last one of you airheaded merfolk!”
The young Earl tried to reason with him, “You don't have to show them anything! You're far too smart for the likes of them.”
Even if he could hear him, the Housewarden wasn’t listening, and moved onto another location, going farther than before, and Ciel saw a new memory appearing, this time outside of the school, somewhere in a back alley like location, behind a building. He could faintly smell cooking happening near to where they were, but the focus seemed to be a cauldron like pot out in the dirt.
Here, two familiar forms had swam up to the pot. Floyd and Jade Leech, young, about eight or so, were staring at the large black pot, and Floyd, being Floyd, rapped on the side loudly, sending sound waves up out of the pot into the water, rippling them.
“Heya, Octy. Whatcha doin' all crammed in that teeny little octopus pot?” Floyd asked resting his elbows on the edge and looking down and in.
Ciel moved over to look and peered down with the twins to see a young Azul, hard at work, inside the pot, with books and scrolls, and other magical tools. The young Azul gasped and looked scared when he saw Floyd and Jade, and tried to hide what he was drawing.
“Shut up. Just leave me alone.” Azul said, clearly now intimidated at being around the boys.
Jade tilted his head and asked with his polite smile, “Wow. There are spells and magic circles drawn all over every shell here.” He pointed out each to his brother, “A spell to change species, a spell to steal someone's voice...” Floyd nodded eagerly, and Jade inquired. “Have you been doing grimoire research with all eight of your tentacles this whole time?”
Azul waved his hands around, trying to block them from reaching inside, and smacked Floyd’s away as the young moray merboy tried to pick one up.
“Don't touch any of it! You're asking for an inking!” Azul frowned trying to look intimidating. “I'm gonna study harder, and become as powerful as the Sea Witch herself! So go away and stop bothering me!”
Floyd looked at Jade and smiled his goofy smile, “Octy here's pretty funny, Jade.”
“I agree, Floyd. He's quite fascinating.” Jade smiled back and Azul stared at them, confused by their remarks.
Ciel moved closer to Azul trying to offer some sort of thoughts on the situation, reasoning with him again, hoping to break through. He couldn’t leave Azul down in the ink, even if he’d been a right bastard, his actions, while horrid in Ciel’s eyes, were not worth allowing him to die over.
“Can't you see, they cared enough about you to check to see what you were doing…” the young Earl told him, “I only wish...”
He looked down, clenching his fists.I only wish I had had friends back then that cared about me half as much as these two seem to care about you, Azul…
Azul though didn’t respond to his words, and stated plainly with a sorrowful expression, “Then, after spending years studying everything I could get my hands on...”
He turned his head as the pot scene faded and they were once again faced with the school classroom, only they were out in the hallway and Ciel could see a young girl mermaid waving bye to the trio, who returned the wave, as she swam off, as if she’d just finished talking with them. Ciel could have sworn he’d seen the dark-haired mermaid before, but he couldn’t rightly say in the moment. Once she was gone the three were talking again.
“I hear one merman in the class next door suddenly got a girlfriend!” Floyd smiled in a knowing way and Jade smirked nodding.
“Yes, and I hear that in return, his fine tenor voice now sounds more like a honking seal.”
Azul shrugged as they gathered their supplies from small cabinets in the hallway, “Is that right?”
Jade leaned a bit towards Azul, saying in a teasing tone. “I've also heard that someone got the silky-smooth, gorgeous locks they've always wanted.”
“But the tradeoff was that they lost the big tailfin they used to dart through the water.” Floyd said leaning on Azul’s shoulder with an arm.
Azul kept his eyes in his cabinet, minding his own business, acting nonchalant about it. “Uh-huh. I see.”
Jade looked at Floyd and then back at Azul saying coolly, “Fascinating work, Azul. Assuming that WAS your doing, I mean.”
Azul shut the cabinet and held his books in his arms, asking simply, “And why would you say that?”
“These foolish minnows couldn't hope to use such powerful magic.” Smirked Jade in a knowing way and Floyd grinned and chuckled.
“But you've been brushin' up since you were knee-high to a guppy, Octy!”
Azul couldn’t help it, he needed to tell someone, so why not his two trusted friends. Thus, he began to laugh and brag just a tad, “...Heh. Heh heh... Heh heh heh! HA HA HA! Yes, I see. I wasn't expecting the jig to be up quite so soon.”
“So, is this what we think it is?” Floyd asked and Azul nodded.
“Yes, that's right. I've finally perfected it.” He showed him his scroll. “See this magic-infused contract scroll? I can take any power from someone, so long as they sign it. I call it, "It's a Deal"! This is a spell I'll use to show them all who's boss! Your fortes will all belong to me! Aha ha ha... AAAH HA HA HA!”
The octopus laughed loudly, causing some of the other students to look at him oddly, and he flushed, realizing how loud he was being and seemed to shrink down again, and cleared his throat muttering to the other two, “Just don't mention this to Gabby, she wouldn't approve.”
“Our lips are zipped.” Jade said as he made a zipper motion on his mouth and Floyd beamed.
“Yup. Totally.”
The young Azul seemed to be genuinely happy at hearing his friends being happy for him, and the scene faded and Ciel couldn’t help but mumble more to himself than Azul.
“So, you decided to get even with them...but I wonder, did it really make you feel any better...and when the time comes,” he reached up and touched his eye patch, “will it make me feel any better?”
Again, Azul said nothing directly to him, and Ciel by now knew he’d get no response to his question, and instead the Housewarden turned and commented.
“I never forgot for a second. The sight of those who mocked me.” Azul moved on from the fading scene and Ciel followed him through the whiteness that surrounded them, “Those who bullied me. I've observed them for many moons. Now I have their weaknesses, their insecurities...” He seemed proud of himself, “I have it all! Once I know what foils him, I can take the tailfin of a fast swimmer.”
Ciel noticed once more Azul’s form altering and him getting farther and farther distant from him. Ciel started to jog as Azul moved on at a clipped pace, yet not at all walking fast.
“Once I know what troubles him, I can even take the voice of an adept singer.” Azul said, “As long as I have this contract scroll, I am invincible! I'm not the same silly, lonely little octopus I used to be.”
“With this power, I will rule over all.” The Housewarden declared, “I'll make everyone who ever mocked me quaver and beg for mercy.”
“But...is it...worth it...it has to be...” Azul began to tremble and shake, “I don't need them...I don't need...I don't want...”
Ciel blinked and in an instant he watched Azul vanish in a puff of ink.
“Azul!” the young Earl called out and wadded through the ink, only to find a small pot and the sound of someone crying from inside. The young Earl approached it and crouched, then knocked on the black pot gently asking, “Hello...is anyone in there?”
A sobbing child’s voice replied from inside, “Go away.”
“Why?” Ciel asked, trying to think back to how he felt not too many years ago, when he was alone in the house, and his brother was outside playing with Lizzie, and their dog. While his aunt happily hugged his twin, and it seemed like everyone wanted to be around the charming twin over the shy and lonely one.
“Because I wanna be alone.” The octopus merboy whimpered, “Because mommy will be mad at me and...”
Ciel blinked and leaned his head in, “Can I come in then?”
“Uh-uh!” said the small octopus, “You're too big.”
“I'm pretty small for my age. Floyd calls me a shrimp.” Ciel said seeing only bright blue eyes peering back at his. He moved back out and slowly the six-year-old Azul peeked out. He was a pudgy round octopus, with bit eyes, and a curious stare.
“Wouldn't you say I'm tiny?” Ciel smirked at him, hands on his hips, and the little boy shook his head.
“Uh-uh. You’re bigger than me.”
Ciel chuckled, “Well right now I am, but normally you’re the one that’s taller.”
“I am?” sniffled the little Azul and Ciel nodded then rested his hands on the edge of the pot.
“Yes. You are.” The gray-haired boy stared softly at Azul, and took a breath before speaking, saying in a quiet and sorrowful tone of voice, “You know, I saw what they did to you, and what they did was terrible.”
Azul sniffled and tears began to flow down his cheeks as he tried to wipe his nose with the back of his wrist. “They were so mean. I didn't do anything, and I came up to them and just said hi, then something spooked me and then...” he whimpered and ink spilled out of him, causing it to darken the water, and the boy sniffled as he realized what he did and nearly went back into the pot, crying, “and now they hate me.”
“Because you inked them?” Ciel asked him and Azul nodded.
“I didn't mean to. I just got scared.” The little octopus said and Ciel reached out to touch his shoulder, surprising him and he trembled just a tad, until Ciel was able to touch him and the little child relaxed as the young Earl spoke kindly.
“You know, when I get scared. I always hide under the covers, because I'm always scared someone bigger than me is going to come and hurt me.”
Ciel swallowed, admitting it to Azul was terrifying, but if it could let him see that he wasn’t the only one easily scared of the world, then maybe he could get him to leave this place.
“Really?” Azul asked and Ciel nodded. “What are you scared of? You’re big and strong, and everyone likes you.”
Ciel looked at him and closed his eyes saying, “People. People that dislike my family, and hurt them. I’m scared of thunder and lighting. I cried a lot when I was little and was scared of different things. During bad storms here, I’ll hide under the covers. There’s still a lot of things that scare me. I’m scared that one day they’ll come back and hurt people I care about, and I won’t be able to stop them.”
Azul stared at him and slowly pulled out of the pot and patted Ciel on the cheek, as if trying to comfort the young Earl, surprising Ciel.
“Mama says it’s okay to be scared sometimes.” Ciel nodded as Azul played with his fingers, while he spoke, “I wanted to prove them wrong. I'm not an Octo-twerp. I'm not dumb, I'm not smelly. But every time I tried, they just...”
“Were mean to you, and tried to hurt you?” Ciel asked and Azul nodded, wiping his tears.
“They hurt Gabby too...It's not fair.” He sat on the ground and started to cry again. “Why? Why are they so mean to me. I thought I could be better than them but I'm just like them. I didn't wanna be like them, I just wanted friends.”
Ciel slid down and sat next to the small octopus, letting the boy’s lets curl up on his pants leg and said simply, “Some people are just mean like that. They don't have anything in their lives that makes them proud so they attack others that they see as beneath them. They hide behind thinks like tradition, or privilege, or even who they have connections to, to make themselves reach up in rank so they feel better, but truth be told, they're all losers.”
“What do I do?” Azul looked at him with wet eyes. “People hate me now. I'll never get any friends. I hurt Floyd and Jade too. And I don't think Gabby will every want to talk to me again if she found out what I did. I just couldn't stop. I didn't want it to go this far, but I just couldn't stop...”
Azul started to sniffle and cry and Ciel put an arm around him pulling the child in close and letting him cry on his chest. It was odd given how not that long ago he’d punched the boy he was now cradling.
The young Earl thought for a long moment before responding.
“Well, if it was me. I would start by not using your signature to extort powers from other people. Because I think, you have skills of your own.” Ciel told him firmly, “I mean...you didn't use anyone else magic to come up with the study guide, did you?” Azul shook his head. “And you built up the Monstro Lounge on your own right?” the small octopus nodded, as snot ran down his nose, “Mostly, I think you should focus on Jade and Floyd, and fixing that. Why would you want friends like those jerks that threw stuff at you anyway?”
“Well, they seemed nice.” Azul informed him and looked down sullenly, “They were nice to Rielle. I thought they would like me too.”
Ciel thought back to his history lessons, along with the image he saw of the young redhead prince, and recalled that the Prince was one of the few in the royal family from the Coral Sea that had attended public school. He stared at Azul, trying to explain to the child the truth of the matter about how others saw those in authority as meal tickets.
“Rielle's a prince, right?” the gray-haired boy asked and the tiny Azul nodded, confirming it. “Of course they'll be nice to him. He's going to have to deal with liars and conmen all his life. People don't befriend royals because they want to be liked by them. They want gifts and other things from them.”
Azul looked at him confused, “So they don't like him? I mean, not really like Floyd, Jade and Gabby like me?”
“Probably not.” Ciel said and Azul pouted.
“That's mean.”
“That's life. Real friends are hard to come by,” Ciel admitted to him and for a moment thought of Soma, Lizzie, Edward, and the Prefects of Weston, and Sullivan, and held on tighter to the little octopus, “They aren't always easy to keep either. Sometimes you hurt them, badly, because you feel like you need to be selfish, and put yourself first.” He swallowed, trying to not think of his past actions and how four years of lies had nearly cost him everything he loved, “And sometimes you have to...to survive in this world, but, if you get one person who likes you and see though your...lies...and fakeness that you mask yourself with so you won't be hurt...then...that's someone that you can really call a friend. And I think you have two of those...” he looked down at the ground trying to control his own emotions and again the little Octopus patted his cheek. “This isn't easy for me Azul, but...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pushed you so far.”
Azul shook his head tearfully, “No. I'm sorry. I was wrong. Daddy used to say, you should talk things out before you get really angry. He's really smart.”
“He sounds it.” Ciel sniffled, “I was being petty during Halloween. I was angry at you for helping Leona, because he hurt people that I saw as friends...”
Azul gave a small nod, feeling guilty for what he’d helped in seeing the reaction from the young Earl, “I was scared I was going to lose my friends, because your cool and smart.”
Ciel snorted and chuckled, “Cool and smart?”
The small octopus nodded, “You're really cool and smart. You did that whole store in the kiosk and for Halloween. You made people happy. I could never do that. I'm just a stupid little octo-twerp.”
Ciel pulled the smaller boy close to him and held him tightly, “You're not a silly little octo-twerp. You're smart, and very clever, and you have a whole lounge that you created. You're a Housewarden Azul, you have skills. I've seen them.”
“You're smart and clever too,” Azul told Ciel and folded his hands together, “I'm sorry.”
Ciel gave a nod and put a hand on the small octopus’s head, “I am too.”
“Floyd and Jade are worried about you,” the young Earl told Azul. “You know...they were scared when the anemones vanished. They thought something bad had happened to you.” He got up and Azul looked up at him, as the gray-haired boy fixed his uniform jacket, and offered his hand to Azul, “Do you want to come back with me, Azul?”
The small octopus looked down and away, “They won't want me back.”
“I think they will.” Ciel said and picked him up, the small octopus merboy wrapped his tentacles around the young Earl clinging to him, “Let's go together. Okay?”
Azul slowly and meekly nodded his head. “Okay.”
Carrying the little octopus, the young Earl began his walk away from the grayish world, carrying the small boy, and letting Azul rest against him as they walked. He stroked his back as they strolled.
“When we get back, we’ll have to do some clean up, but I’m sure your students will be happy to see you. They’re probably worried about you just as much.” Ciel said and looked around, “And the museum was very interesting, did you ever go there?”
“Sometimes, mostly on school trips.” The little octopus said as Ciel passed by the classroom and he started to grow bigger.
Nodding slightly the younger boy tried to think of what to say, “You know, I’d love to try those brownies you had. They looked delicious.”
“My mama made them; I know the recipe.” Azul said softly, “I could…make them for you, if you want?”
“I’d like that a lot,” Ciel said and Azul hugged onto him, his legs getting longer and he became leaner. “But I’m not sharing them with Grim.”
The little octopus laughed, and his voice became slightly older as they wandered past a memory of the museum, and Ciel saw a camera flashbulb go off.
“Just ignore it okay. It’s getting brighter,” Ciel said as Azul seemed to get even taller, leaner, and longer. Soon he was too big for the gray-haired boy to carry and Ciel had to stop walking as the younger octopus hugged him tightly. “Azul...”
“Mmmhmmm...” Azul said softly, nodding his head into Ciel’s shoulder and the young Earl tried to take a step, but found he couldn’t.
“Um...you're as tall as me right now.”
Azul looked up then down seeing where his legs hung, and found they were dragging on the floor.
“Oh sorry.” The young boy said, and shyly slid off, then pouted. Ciel reached over and took his hand in his and squeezed it, making the middle schooler squeeze back as Ciel urged him on.
“Let's keep going.”
“Yeah,” Azul lightly nodded and he walked or swam, along side Ciel as the two wandered through the white world for a while, the little octopus getting older and older until he eventually was the age of his teenage self in octopi form. Ciel glanced him over and noted that he’d assumed rightly that the Overblot form had been close to what he looked like under water and Azul covered his eyes with his hands, shaking.
“Damn it! I said I would stop cry...” he wept and Ciel reached into his pocket, not letting go of Azul’s hand, and pulled out his handkerchief, then gently nudged Azul’s hand away from his face, reached up to his eyes and wiped his tears away, much to the surprise of Azul, “Why? After everything I've done. Why?”
“Because,” Ciel said as he took the handkerchief away, “I think we're more alike than different. We share stubbornness and an eye for business. We can be horribly selfish, I think. But...I think, under it, we're both lonely people at times, Azul. So...” he held up the held set of hands, and let them go for the moment. Azul pouted as Ciel turned to face him and instead extended his hand offering a shake saying in a polite and kind voice as the Housewarden’s tears slipped silently down his cheeks. “Let's try to start over, okay? Housewarden Azul Ashengrotto, pleased to meet you. I'm Earl Ciel Phantomhive, Housewarden of the Ramshackle dorm. I hope to learn more about this school, so please guide me if you will.”
Azul stared at the hand reaching out to his, and, hesitating but a moment, clasped Ciel’s and shook gently, morphing back into the human form Ciel knew well, but he was still crying and sniffling as he spoke shyly and softly through shaky breath, and shook Ciel’s outstretched hand.
“Hello H-Housewarden Ciel Phantomhive. I- I'm Housewarden Azul Ashengrotto of Octavinelle. I'm pleased to meet you, and will strive to help you understand this school.I- I'll do my best to guide you as one Housewarden to another, and show you what I can as a second year to a first. P-Please let me guide you.”
He gave Ciel a shy and anxious smile and Ciel returned it with a warm small genuine grin, “Then would you like to be friends?”
“Yes...I would.” Azul said and Azul sniffled and then suddenly hugged onto Ciel, crying and holding the younger boy, who hugged him back cautiously and held him as the world faded to a dazzling white, as they heard voices calling out to them.
Outside Octavinelle’s dorm the blot pool had receded and laying on the ground was Azul and Ciel, close to each other, both unconscious. The Heartslaybul group, along with Leona and Ruggie, was calling out, shaking and trying to wake Ciel up, while Jade and Floyd, were keeping watch and trying to wake up Azul. It took several minutes, but Azul finally opened his eyes first, waking up to seeing a worried Floyd and Jade hovering over him.
“Ngh...” Azul touched his head, his vision blurred due to his glasses being off. “Floyd? Jade?”
Floyd smiled happily, tears in the corner of his eyes, and he wiped them away quickly, “Oh, hey, you're awake.”
“Azul, how many fingers am I holding up?” Jade asked as he held up two of his hands to Azul who squinted, trying to make them out.
“Er... Eight?”
Jade sighed pleased to know he got that right, but the clearly Azul was still trembling lightly from the whole experience. He put his hand to his chin, stroking it, “Still in shock, it seems. But your blot-induced rampage has subsided at last. However...”
Jade turned to glance where Ciel was and Azul sat up, touching his forehead and Floyd gave him his glasses, allowing the boy to put them on.
“What's wrong?” the silver haired boy asked and Jade motioned to where the others were.
“Phantomhive isn't waking up.”
There was a worried expression on the Vice Housewarden’s face and Azul furrowed his brows concerned.
“What?”
Floyd crossed his arms and looked over, pouting, “Shrimpy isn't waking up.”
Azul gasped and turned to look over at the gray-haired boy who appeared to be laying silent, breathing, barely, but like he was in a deep sleep. A cold tremble ran up his back and he gasped. “No...no that can't be. He was...I was...”
“Come on!” Ace was demanding of Ciel, waving his pen under the boy’s nose to make it smell like the sweets that Ciel liked. “Wake up...damn it!”
“Ciel...” pleaded Deuce, as he felt his pulse. “You can’t do this to us again…”
“Don't do this...please...” Riddle said as tears pooled in his eyes and he angrily cast a waking spell to try to wake the young Earl up. When Ciel had no reaction, he gritted his teeth, “it's not working…”
Jack reached over and tried shaking Ciel some, “Come one Ciel. You need to open your eyes.”
Still no response from the younger boy and Epel looked over at the older third years hoping for some sort of solution, he bit his lip asking, “What can we do? We gotta get him up?!”
“Does anyone have smelling salts?” Cater asked furrowing his brows and firmly moved Ace’s pen away, “That ain’t gonna cut it Acey, we need something stronger.”
“Come on brat. Wake up...” Leona growled as he nervously looked down at the younger boy that had been in his care for the past three days, and dug his nails into his palms, unsure what he could do to force him awake. Riddle was slightly stronger in certain spells than he was, and if he couldn’t wake him, there was a snowballs chance in hell that his magic could do it.
Trey frowned and thought, then looked at Riddle, “I don't have any, Riddle do you know a spell that mimics smelling salt. Did your mom teach you any?”
“I haven't learned that one yet...” Riddle sorrowfully admitted and looked to Leona. Hoping the older boy knew one, “Leona?”
The prince shook his head, and scowled, “No. I never needed to know a spell like that.”
“Spells of smelling salts aren’t going to cut it in this case.” Cater said, and looked around to see how far it would take to summon a medical or first aid kit from the Octavinelle dorm, “We need the real thing!”
Ruggie leaned over Ciel, trembling and shaking, pleading, as he started to cry, “Come on Ciel...get up...Damn it.”
“Minion...Ciel...” Grim shook the sleeping boy looking terrified. “Get up!”
Azul bit his lip seeing the group pleading and terrified that that inert young Earl wouldn’t wake up.
“Damn it...move...” he whispered and then turned to Floyd ordering, “Floyd in the lounge, get the medical kit. Now!”
Jade glanced at Floyd who used a spell on his leg, and got up again nodding sternly, “On it!”
The long-limbed Leech raced off to the dorm while Azul motioned for Jade to help him up and the two hurried over to the group by the sleeping Ciel. Kneeling down beside Deuce Azul looked him over and frowned.
“Phantomhive, you idiot,” Azul wiped his eyes, and took a breath, trying to think. “What have you tried?”
“Waking spells, smells, cold water, and other sorts of things to get him to wake up,” Trey informed Azul bluntly with Leona adding.
“Nothings been working, and none of us have a signature that can jolt him awake.”
“Perhaps a shock?” Jack offered and, Riddle nodded, getting ready to attempt the spell, when Azul put his hand out blocking him.
“Don’t. You don’t know what range can be used, and how often have you attempted it before?” he asked Riddle seriously.
“I…” stumbled the crimson haired Housewarden.
“Not frequently, I surmise. I did one just the other day on them, and tested it multiple times before figuring out the voltage that would shock but not harm them.” Azul told Riddle who frowned but nodded listening. “Allow me to do it. I put Phantomhive in this state. The least I can do is bring him out of it.”
“Alright, but if you hurt him Azul, it will be more than just Off With Your Head. Understand,” Riddle warned and Leona growled showing him that he wasn’t afraid of using King’s Roar against him either.
Azul pushed up his glasses and let out a long sigh, but nodded. “Fine…”
Focusing on Ciel, he put his fingers on his temples, and listened to the boy’s breathing and pulse, setting Ciel’s head on his lap, before moving down the sides of his face and neck to his shoulders. Then after taking a deep breath he spoke in a commanding voice.
“Wake...Wake up damn it...you said...you wanted us to get to know one another...so wake UP!” Azul ordered and hit Ciel with the same lighting spell he’d enchanted the scroll with, sending a jolt through the young Earl’s body, causing him to jump and shudder awake.
Ciel yelped as he gasped awake, and winced from the sudden pain from the jolt of lighting. Azul drew his fingers away from Ciel’s shoulders as the younger boy moaned.
“Uhg....what...Ow...” Ciel winced as Riddle suddenly dove down and hugged him, “Riddle...?”
“You’re alright!” sobbed the crimson haired boy as he pulled the slightly shorter gray-haired one upright, and Grim joined in the hug from the side crying, knocking the boy sideways with the hit.
“You're okay...don't do that you dumb minion!”
Ace and Deuce joined in the pile of hugs a second later with the red head shouting, “God damn it Ciel! Stop scaring us like this.”
“Yeah. We thought you were...” Deuce wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and then wrapped his arm around the small boy as Ciel flayed under the pile, waving his hand around.
“Guys move he needs air.” Trey said and they finally pulled back some as Cater took off his jacket and put it over Ciel like a blanket.
“Here...this should keep you warm.” The orange haired boy smiled through tears, “My mom says I seem to radiate heat.”
“Thank…you,” Ciel was saying softly, trying to get his bearings, and sitting up when Floyd came over with the Medical Kit and blinked seeing the young Earl upright. He sighed and put a hand on his hip.
“Well, this is useless.” He was about to toss it aside when Azul shouted to him.
“We still need that, Floyd. Hand it over.” He beckoned with his fingers in a ‘come here’ gesture, and Floyd shrugged and walked over carrying it with a simple.
“'kay.”
Azul looked weak and exhausted but took the kit from Floyd with a “Thank you,” then opened it and looked though, rooting around for something to use and help the younger Housewarden. “Let’s see…”
“Do you happen to have something with caffeine?” Riddle asked, hoping to get something to wake Ciel fully up and keep him awake.
“Yes. Here…” Azul said as he pulled out a tall energy drink and handed it over to Riddle, “This should help him a little bit.”
The crimson haired sophom*ore nodded as he cracked it open and put it in Ciel’s hands, who looked utterly confused as Riddle tipped it against the smaller boy’s lips, forcing him to drink, “Here....drink it slowly.”
Ciel sipped, and cringed, he wasn’t a fan of the taste, but it seemed Riddle was not about to let the drink be un drunk, so he reluctantly sipped as Azul sighed and looked around the grounds of his dormitory.
“The dorm looks a mess.” He put his hands on his hips as the other students whom he’d stolen talent, magic, and skills from were slowly waking up and getting to their feet, muttering about being hit by a wave of some dark energy. Azul looked at the group and bluntly asked, “What happened?”
Leona stared at him stunned for a moment, then remembered, after his blotting he had been confused as well, and crossed his arms, “You did. That little tantrum you threw really put us through the wringer, y'know.”
“Uh, Leona, I'm not sure you get to say that.” Ruggie sarcastically remarked, and Epel agreed adding harshly, crossing his arms.
“Yeah, given what happened at Savanaclaw's Spelldrive field.”
Leona scowled at the two of them as Azul rubbed his forehead trying to remember, “Tantrum? What did I...do?”
“You overused your magic and Overblotted.” Jade said with a surprised expression and seriously inquired, “You don't remember it?”
“You were sucking everybody's magic dry left and right, bawlin', "Give me your poweeerrr!"” Floyd scowled some, now worried about Azul’s memory, “It was the cringiest thing I've ever seen. I'm still not over it.”
“What?!” Azul flushed feeling utterly humiliated by such actions, “Oh, no... Me, going berserk? I don't believe this...”
Ruggie shrugged after glancing at Ciel who rolled his eyes slightly at Riddle who was making him drink more. “Hey, I can't exactly blame a guy for gettin' bent outta shape when something you've been building up for years gets ruined. I mean, if someone broke the coin bank, I've been saving my money in, I'd hold a grudge for life.”
“You own a coin bank?” Ciel asked softly as he pulled back the can and Ruggie pouted, hands on hips, reminding him.
“You saw it...the little warthog guy.”
“That’s a piggy bank,” the young Earl teased, grinned, and sipped the drink, and scowled, “This tastes terrible.”
Ace crossed his arms, “Yeah, well, you're gonna drink all of it.”
“Bottoms up, Ciel.” Deuce said and tipped the can back against the young Earl’s mouth, making him drink the energy drink.
Grim turned to Azul and scolded him in place of his minion, saying sternly, “But all those shady business dealings have gotta stop. You oughta learn from this.”
“How about you guys learn not to coast through exams using someone else's notes?!” Jack told Grim, who sheepishly backed up behind Ciel, as the young Earl managed to get Deuce to let him take a moment from drinking.
“To be frank, and I think Riddle would agree with me on this,” Ciel said and looked at Riddle for confirmation, which the crimson haired boy nodded giving him validation to continue, and Ciel did, looking at Azul, “I don't think anyone else could have made those notes in such a way that could be so helpful to so many students. It was tailored so that a student, no matter how good or bad, they were at studying could get the concepts and actually understand them.”
Riddle glanced at the silver haired boy, “Yes. I would say your assessment is correct, Ciel.”
“I'm still amazed Grim got an 85, actually,” Epel chuckled and Jack nodded, remarking as he folded his arms.
“Yeah. I mean...that is a shock.”
“Hey!” Grim pouted and let out an annoyed growl, which Ciel flicked his ear.
“Knock it off, and take the compliment and the scolding like a good student.” The young Earl ordered the cat monster.
Azul stared at the group and blinked, confused. Were they actually complimenting him? “...What?”
Ace smiled slightly as he looked at Azul and made Ciel drink again, to the irritation of the young Prefect, saying, “Y'know, it's true. One all-nighter reading that study guide you wrote was enough to bag me over a 90 on my exams. With a little extra help from the study group.”
“Yeah. It was seriously on point.” Deuce praised him, “It was good supplemental from what we already had.”
Jack rubbed the back of his ear adding, “I heard from the Headmage that you wrote that guide yourself, analyzing a whole century's worth of test question trends. I'm still not okay with your shady practices, but your work took serious guts. That much I'll admit.”
Cater’s eyes went wide hearing this new information. “Wait a sec! You did this guide by hand?”
“That is really impressive Azul,” Trey smiled, “I don't know if I know anyone who would take that much time to craft something like that.”
Azul crossed his arms and closed his eyes, trying to keep up his arrogance. “Hmph. Your clumsy attempts at consolation aren't helping me in the least.”
“Who says we're trying to console you.” Ciel said, managing to push the drink back from Ace for a second, “I'm not one to do that.”
Floyd nudged Azul who was flustered, “Awww, what's the matter? Are you gettin' teary-eyed, Azul?”
“Dear me. You've gone back to that ink-spewing crybaby again.” Jade teased him with a coy smirk, and to both boy’s surprises, Ciel spat back coldly to them.
“Watch your language, and don’t go calling him that.”
Floyd rubbed the back of his neck, blinking, “It's just a joke Shrimpy.”
“It isn’t a funny one,” Ciel rebuked him and Jade smiled, sensing a change or understanding between the young Earl and his old friend.
“We mean nothing of it. No harm,” Jade assured him and then looked at Azul, asking genuinely, “Unless you wish us to not say that?”
Azul crossed his arms, to him, those words coming from Jade and Floyd were indeed meant in jest and not to be mean, but at the moment, he wasn’t in the mood to be called it, so he simply said, “Hey! You two signed an NDA covering that exact topic!”
“Right you are. My mistake.” Smiled Jade and nodded to Floyd who locked an imaginary lock and threw the key away.
Jack swished his tail and looked at the young Earl, asking, “Oh yeah, that reminds me...Ciel...you still have it?”
Ciel reached into his jacket and took out the framed phot, handing it to Jack as he is forced to drink more of the energy drink by Deuce, and he makes a face. “Blah…”
“No Blahs! Drink it all!” ordered Ace as Jack took the photo and handed it to Azul.
“Here's that photo of Prince Rielle you asked for. We got ahold of it.” The wolf said, “The sun hasn't set yet. I think that seals our victory.”
He smiled at Ciel who tried to return it as Deuce tipped the drink into his mouth and he sighed.
“What's this?” Leona had gotten up to look over Jack’s shoulder, and snorted, “It’s just some picture of a buncha mermen fingerlings huddled in front of a camera.”
Deuce glanced over at it and pointed, as Riddle took over making Ciel drink. “I think the red head in the center is the prince? He's kinda adorable in a little kid way.”
Leona nodded and put his hands on his hips, “Yeah that's him. I met him once a few years ago. Hasn't really changed much.”
“Is it some kinda group photo of an elementary school class?” Ruggie asked Azul, “What'd you want it for, anyway?”
Floyd leaned over smiling as he looked at the image, and laughed, “Aha ha, that takes me back! This is a picture from our school field trip. Me 'n Jade are right here. Aaand...” he pointed to a small figure in the back corner, “See the kid sulking way off in the corner? That's baby Azul!”
The others, sans Riddle, had moved over to look and they all gasped. “What?!”
Ciel though had no reaction and kept drinking the drink.
“AAAH!!! No!” Azul begged, “Don't look! Please don't look!”
The young Earl managed to wiggle free for a moment and said, “Azul, you're not ugly if that's what you're worried about.”
“That's not the point Ci...” Azul started and stopped correcting himself, “Phantomhive.”
“Well, well, Azul.” Jade smirked, “You sure are spirited all of a sudden. Shouldn't you get a little more sleep? Considering how far things have already gone, it would be easier for you to let this one go.”
Azul groaned and covered his face, “Why…? Ugh...this is embarrassing.”
“Let's see here.” Ace said leaned over to look more closely as Leona pointed.
“What's in the corner...?”
Ruggie peered and raised a brow, as he saw a black and silver kid octopus “Are you talkin' about the octopus who's more rounded than any of the mer-kids, even holding the pic at an angle?”
“Whoa, Azul! I never knew you used to look like that!” Grim shouted and Epel smiled at the cute small Azul.
“Awwww. He's so cute and round. Like a pear.”
Cater giggled, and teased gently, “You'd soooo get the grannies to want to pinch your cheeks.”
Trey smirked and chuckled, “I gotta admit you're adorable Azul.”
“So that's what this was about...?” Jack asked raising his eyebrows and Riddle sighed, looking disappointed.
“Were you so embarrassed by a small image like this?” He asked and then caught Ciel trying to avoid drinking again and tipped the drink back once more.
Azul let out a long cry of embarrassment as he face palmed. “AAAaaaAAAaaaAAAaaah!!!!”
“I... I get it. I totally get what you're feeling. Everybody's got a past they wish they could erase!” Deuce said trying to empathize with the Housewarden. “I saw nothing! Neither did the rest of you, okay?! Never speak of this again!”
Jack nodded and looked away sheepishly, “Never pegged you as this, uh...passionate.”
“I did...” Ciel smirked slightly and Ace nudged him with a smirk back.
Azul groaned, “Aaargh...I was going to expand the Mostro Lounge with a branch cafe and simultaneously erase the shame of my boyhood...” he put his hands on his hips, “It was supposed to be the perfect plan! Two birds with one stone! And now everyone here has seen it. Including my rivals. Great.”
Riddle looked at him confused, “Rivals? I don't understand.”
Azul shook his head and muttered, “Of course you wouldn't.”
Ciel could only just smirk and Azul huffed slightly at the smirk.
“Enjoy the blackmail while you have it.”
Ciel stopped drinking as Riddle passed it over to Cater, and before the young Earl could retort, the third year made him drink yet again.
“Diiiiiinnnnkkk.” Insisted Cater, “Or I'm call Kalim and have him beg you too.”
Ciel reluctantly kept drinking as Ruggie complimented Azul.
“Hey, you know what they say: a rabbit in hand is worth two in the bush. So how did you do it?”
Azul crossed his arms and explained as the jig was up, “I got my schoolmates' yearbooks and the negatives from the photographer... I succeeded in laying claim to every single old photo of me through a whole web of deals...Except that one stupid newspaper photo I had no clue of...and this one...But there just wasn't any legal way to dispose of that one last photo.”
“How long have you been doing this?” Ciel finally managed to get Cater to hold off on making him drink to ask and Azul thought for a second before answering.
“Since last year? Just before I entered Night Raven.”
“That's uh...dedication...” Epel remarked with wide eyes and Grim pouted.
“That doesn't mean it's cool to make other people do your dirty work for you!”
Ciel gave a firm nod, “For once I agree with Grim.”
“You do?” Grim asked and when Ciel nodded again, he smirked, “Heh! Of course my minion agrees with me. I'm smart.”
Cater laughed, “Don't let that compliment go to your head Grimmy. He'll just pop that bubble right quick.”
As Grim crossed his arms, trying to look confident the other boys chuckled and Floyd glanced at Azul rubbing his shoulder happy to be sitting at the moment.
“I don't see the big deal, really. I like the old Azul.” The injured twin said with a shrug. “He'd make a better meal than the one we've got now.”
Ciel rounded on Floyd asking, slightly shocked, “Are you threaten to eat him?”
Floyd just smirked and Jade reassured the young Earl once more.
“It was a joke. Please don't worry yourself. My brother would not actually eat Azul.” He smiled at Floyd, in a slightly threatening way indicating he’d brook no dumbness from Floyd, “He would have to go through me first.”
Azul sighed and moaned, “That's not the point at all!”
“So, you did all this, took all that talent to change yourself. That's a lot of work...” Ciel muttered softly as Trey took the drink from Cater, “I should know.”
“Please finish drinking.” Trey said and tipped it again making Ciel drink the energy drink.
Grim looked at Azul with a puzzled expression, “Hey, Azul. You don't have to be that hung up on hiding it.”
Azul sniffled and whimpered, “This is the worst. I could crawl into an octopus pot right now.”
Jack sighed, unsure about how he felt about the whole situation at the moment and rubbed the back of his neck, feeling a bit uncomfortable, “Anyway. We held up our end of the deal and brought the photo to you within the deadline you gave us. We've completely fulfilled your terms.”
“Yeah. Real shame about the contracts gettin' sanded before we did.” Grim said and Jack crossed his arms.
“But stealing just doesn't sit right with me.” He looked at Azul saying, “Azul, you're a law-abiding sorta guy, right? Take some responsibility and return the picture back to where it belongs.”
Ciel pushed the drink away, and looked at the anxious sophom*ore, saying “If you really want, we can return it together, and I can go with you, in case you get caught putting it back.”
Leona took the drink from Trey and shoved the drink back against Ciel’s lips and ordered. “Just finish it up Brat.”
“I...” he saw the others watching him, and realized that even though the NRC students were seen as villains, thieves and dangerous sorts, they really weren’t like that. Egotistical, selfish, cunning, and self-serving at times, certainly, but not the sort to be evil for the sake of it, and he didn’t want to be seen as such either. Sighing he nodded, “Fine... But at least let me switch it out for a version where I've been edited out of the picture.”
Epel stared at him impressed, “How did you do that so quickly?”
“I didn't do it yet, Felmier.” Azul said and Epel blushed realizing his mistake.
“But you...wait...Oh...oh...my bad.”
Deuce patted Epel’s shoulder and smiled, “It’s okay Epel. I thought the same thing too.”
Leona was staring down at Azul with a slightly mocking smirk, “Hah. You just don't know when to let something go.”
“When has he ever?” Ruggie teased, and Jade looked at Azul smiling.
“He's right, you know. Records are a valuable treasure.”
Floyd rested his chin on Azul’s shoulder as he peered over it. “Ooh, field trip! When do we go? We're goin' as a group, right? I haven't been to the Atlantica Memorial Museum since our elementary school field trip. This is gonna rule!”
He stretched his leg and winced, “Ow…”
Jade stood, dusted his pants off, and looked at his brother sternly, “And with that. I'm taking you to the infirmary.”
Azul glanced over as Jade lifted Floyd to his feet and finally noticed the blood oozing down his leg, then asked, slightly horrified, “Why are you bleeding?”
“Long story. Don't worry,” Floyd brushed off his concern. Azul already had enough to deal with without his little accident.
Riddle though wasn’t so easily swept away by the comment and folded his arms as he stood as well, insisting, “You can explain it on the way to the infirmary.”
“Azul, you're going as well.” The crimson haired boy said to the silver one, and then offered his hand to help Azul up while issuing a request to Trey and Cater. “Trey, Cater, please help Jade to escort Floyd. I'll walk Azul.”
Azul firmly pushed the hand aside as he pushed himself off the ground, and stood, a bit woozily but said directly, “I can walk myself.”
“You shouldn't, you look like you're going to fall over.” Riddle told him, scowling, and Azul crossed his arms scoffing in turn.
“I don't want YOUR help.”
Trey held up his hands trying to mediate between them, offing a suggestion. “Okay, how about this. I walk Azul, Cater, you help Jade walk Floyd. Fair?”
Azul thought about it for a moment. While he would have rather have made it there on his own weight, he did feel dizzy and Trey wasn’t Riddle at least, and older than him, so he nodded, agreeing. “Yes.”
The younger Housewarden took his arm to keep himself upright, while Cater went over to Jade offering.
“I'll take one side, and you take the other?” he motioned to Floyd, who was leaning on Jade, and nodded to his brother. Jade smiled affirming the request as Cater went over to the non-bleeding side and Jade took the injured leg side of his brother as Floyd put his arms over their shoulders.
“Yes. That would be very helpful.” Jade said thanking Cater and then looked over at Trey, “Thank you Vice Housewarden Clover, and thank you Diamond. Floyd, are you ready to go?”
Floyd gave a grin, “Sure. You too Azul.”
The silver haired merman sighed to Trey, “I'm going to get a lecture from McNamara. I know it.”
“Yes, and you rightly deserve one.” Riddle said to him and looked to the others, “As for all of you. Leona, when Ciel is finished with his drink, I'll bring him to the infirmary as well.”
“Uh-huh sure...” Leona said nearly rolling his eyes and holding the drink to ensure Ciel drank it, while Cater and Trey walked the twins and Azul down the path and out the mirror.
As soon as they were gone Riddle crossed his arms and frowned looking at the group. “Leona mentioned smelling blood, I think we're owed an answer to his question from earlier.”
The freshmen cringed, and glanced at one another, thinking of ways to avoid it.
“Question from earlier?” Ace tried gas lighting the crimson haired boy, “What question from earlier?”
Riddle scowled irritated, “You know exactly what I'm talking about Ace. This isn't funny.”
“Don’t try to weasel out of talking,” Leona warned them. “I know what I smelled, and I smelled blood. So spill, what the f*ck happened down there?Floyd smelled of blood, and Jade had some on him.”
All the freshmen looked at one another, anxiously, trying to avoid explaining, and then Deuce spoke up first.
“When we went down to the Coral Sea, intending to get the picture, and we knew there was a chance the Leech brothers might come after us, so we set up some traps...” Deuce said and Ace continued rubbing his neck.
“And well Ciel's kind of backfired.”
“Ace!” Epel hissed, worried that he was going to throw Ciel under the bus to save himself, but Ace shot him a warning look and the lavender haired boy went quiet, but fumed, glaring at the red head.
“Okay, backfired in what way?” Ruggie asked curiously, he’d seen the blood and smelled it too, and was a bit worried how it was going to bite the freshmen in the asses. Jack, ever the moral compass, raised his voice then saying.
“We don't know. He wouldn't explain.”
Ace shot him a look that yelled, ‘What are you doing you dolt!’ but Jack didn’t meet his gaze. He knew Ciel was the only one that could rightly explain what happened, and he wasn’t about to lie for the gray-haired boy if that meant breaking his own set of codes. Leona, Riddle and Ruggie turned their gaze from Jack and the other freshmen to Ciel, who tried to keep his calm.
Are they actually ratting me out?Ciel thought as he looked away from the older students, and Epel quickly cut in.
“But, whatever Jade did, it healed whatever cut Floyd had.”
Riddle raised his brows, “Floyd got cut? How?”
Ace sighed and folded his arms, and narrowed his brows, “I...don't know? But, look, the point is, they attacked us first when we went down there the first time so...”
“That is NOT the point Ace. He was injured,” Riddle raised his voice and turned to look at Ciel with disappointment in his gray eyes, “I'd like to know what happened. Please.”
Ciel stared at Riddle and couldn’t help but see some of his younger self in Riddle at the moment. The innocence and the shock of doing something so horrible to someone else, especially done by someone you saw as a caring person. He looked at the drink in his hand and couldn’t quiet meet the Housewarden’s pained look as he spoke. “I…”
“Don't bullsh*t us Brat.” Leona ordered, surprising Ciel, “We want the truth, and I'll know if you're lying.”
“How?” Ciel furrowed his brows and Leona stared at him coolly as he tapped Ciel’s forehead with his nail.
“I got at least six years on you, and I've been bullsh*tting people for a long time, so I know tells when I see it.”
Ruggie chuckled, “And you know me, I can smell a con a mile away.”
Ciel could see the smirks on the two Savanaclaw students’ faces, and slumped his shoulders, letting out an annoyed sigh.
“Fine…” the young Earl sipped the drink, and explained, “I went to shipwreck, set up a spring hook, lured Floyd over there, and when came out of the porthole after me, I released it, and it hooked on his tail.”
That had not been what anyone had expected and the group stared in surprise at his admission as Ciel kept his eyes on the ground rather than face their judgment at the moment. When the shock had worn off Ruggie cleared his throat.
“Hooked him. Like really hooked him?” the hyena asked and he winced when Ciel nodded, “Ow. Okay yeah that's a cut.”
“Hooking ain't get that amount of blood.” Leona said and could smell some omissions, “What happened after he got hooked?”
Ciel clenched the can, Jade’s angry eyes still dogged him and he didn’t want to think of the scream that Floyd made as it rang in his ears. The same scream Doll made right before Sebastian killed her.
“When he got outside...” He hesitated, and clenched the drink, feeling the guilt rise up in the pit of his stomach as he described what followed, “he got stuck, but, he started to thrash and move, and then suddenly he just...lunged towards me and the hook ran down his side and got stuck near the end of his tail.”
Epel big eyes go bigger as he whispered, “Oh god...”
“No wonder he was bleeding that badly,” Jack scowled and stared at Ciel with caution while Ace just let his jaw drop some and said softly.
“Dude…”
Ciel could feel the eyes on him from the freshmen and he gritted his teeth before shouting at them with a tone of hurt, and felt angry at himself for feeling that way. “Don't look at me like that! I didn't expect him to pull like that! I didn't intend for it to...”
He stopped when Leona put a hand on his head, and rubbed it gently, causing Ciel to look up at the older third year with a, “Huh?”
“It's okay Brat. What was your intent?” The lion asked him not moving his hand and forcing Ciel to look at him over the others. The young Earl calmed some and said plainly.
“To catch him on a hook, that was all. I didn't want him to essentially cut himself like that.”
“Why did you do that in the first place?” Ridddle asked him firmly, a sad look was on his face, and Ciel looked down at his hands as he couldn’t look at Riddle.
“Because, I was angry with Floyd, after what he did to Ruggie...I just...” he closed his eyes, then opened them with near tears as he spoke towards Ruggie, “I couldn't stand that he was going to get away with harming you that badly. So I wanted him to...I wanted to get some justice for you, that was all. You didn't deserve that beating, and I wanted him to know that he couldn't just hurt one of my club members like that and get away with it. I won't let anyone harm my...”
Friends…the words couldn’t come out, but the thought was there and it was scaring him so much at the moment.
Ruggie reached over and put a hand on the young Earl’s shoulder and smiled at him, warmly, “Thanks kid. That was really sweet of ya. Though it wasn't the result you wanted, but uh…ya didn’t need to go that far for me, you know.”
Ciel felt flustered by the kind words from the boy, as Riddle thought quietly for a long time and finally spoke with a curious look in his eyes.
“So when you hooked him, were you near him?”
Ciel shook his head, “No. I did taunt him, but...I was already swimming away when he lunged at me.”
“I understand.” Nodded Riddle to the surprise of the freshmen.
“What?” Jack, Ace and Epel cried out, while Deuce and Grim just listened.
Ruggie grinned and put his hands on his hips.
“Yeah, I gotcha Riddle,” he glanced at the four freshmen, explaining, “You guys don't have him in your classes, Floyd can be a bit...impulsive and dumb when he wants to.”
“Wait. You understand why he did it?” Jack asked and Riddled gave another firm nod.
“Yes.” The crimson haired boy said and turned to Jack, glancing once in a while towards Ciel, “I'm not going to judge Ciel. I'm not happy about what he did, but, given the circ*mstances, and how some of you were livid when you came back yesterday,” he glanced over at Ace and Deuce who both looked at one another recalling their own moments of ranting about Azul and the twins, “I wouldn't have put it past anyone to try to get some form of retribution against Floyd after what he did to Ruggie.”
“However,” the Housewarden faced Ciel as he spoke, “I am disappointed in the fact that Ciel felt the need to do this to him in the first place, since, I would have thought that as Housewarden, he would have known to come and talk with the rest of us and we as group would have deal a swift and severe punishment against him.” He crossed his arms and then looked at Leona crossly, “Furthermore, due to this, I think the next time Ciel needs a place to stay, he will be staying at Heartslabyul, away from your bad influence.”
Leona snorted and glared, “You're putting this on me?”
“Yes,” Riddle poked him in the chest. “YOU should have talked with him about how he felt and helped him to deal with this situation rather than allow him to...lash out.”
The prince rubbed his ear, “Sittin' around with my students doing a sing-a-long and toasting marshmallows talkin' 'bout their damn issues is not part of my job description. We don't do that in Savanaclaw.”
“And perhaps if you took the lead more strongly to help him learn to be a better Housewarden and follow the school guide lines, perhaps...” Riddle told him, with Ciel quickly becoming annoyed how they were arguing over who was at fault for his actions.
“This isn't on Leona.” The young Earl suddenly proclaimed, “This was my choice, my decision, my actions. Not his. Not the clubs. Mine, and mine alone. If Jade and Floyd want to come and strike me back, that's fine. I'll live with it. Though...Jade did seem to put a healing spell on Floyd, at least it looked like that before I left.” He licked his lips, as he thought,Even if I feel like I made a mistake in doing it now that everything is settled.
Leona quirked his brow, nodded and then turned to Riddle, “Okay there, he admits it’s on him. Happy?”
Riddle scowled and looked at Ciel, with a concerned gaze, “Ciel, I...I want you to know I'm not mad at you, disappointed, but not mad. Clearly you did this out of desperation, and if Azul hadn't have pushed so hard, I don't think you would have done something like this.”
“Also the Brat didn't intend for him to rip his tail open.” Leona said, “That's on his stupid ass.”
“I was going to say that Floyd's actions in his own injury are on him,” Riddle dryly retorted, “however, Ciel hooking him, started the chain, so he is partly at fault.” He considered his next move, then said, “Since he's under your supervision, I expect some sort of punishment for Ciel, given his actions.”
Leona sighed and shrugged, “Yeah...sure. Shouldn't you go check on your Vice and his pal? Find out what's goin' on with Ashengrotto and the two enforcers.”
Riddle flinched recalling he’d left Cater and Trey alone with the Leeches.
“Yes. I should. And I expect you to send Ciel to the infirmary to get checked up on.” He said and crouched down to Ciel, “You know if you need to talk...I'll be here to listen.”
The crimson haired boy smiled at the gray-haired one who nodded somberly.
“Yes...thank you Riddle.” Ciel said and Riddle stood, facing Ace and Deuce, “I expect you two to be back and getting some rest too.”
“Yessir.” Both Heartslabyul boys agreed and Riddle, satisfied for the moment, bid them farewell as he hurried to the mirror muttering to himself on the way out.
“I can't believe there was another Overblotting.”
Leona waited till Riddle was out of the area then looked at Ciel saying, “Okay punishment, you're gonna sit here on the wet ground and finish that damn energy drink, Got it.”
“Yes...got it.” Ciel said weakly and Epel tipped the drink into his mouth as Jack folded his arms looking a bit annoyed at his Housewarden.
“That's it?” he asked, worried that the younger boy wouldn’t see that what he did was wrong.
Leona raised an eye brow at the wolf asking, “What? He knows he screwed up, I doubt he's going to do something this stupid again, and if he does. I'll deal with him myself, the old fashioned way.”
“Yeesh, tossing him off a cliff isn't the best of ideas.” Ruggie said with a concerned expression and Leona smirked.
“I'm not gonna do THAT! I'll just do what my mom used to do with me and my brother.”
“I don't even want to know what that was. Alright then...” the hyena sighed and switched places with Epel and took the drink to make Ciel drink it. “Drink up, Kid.”
After a few minutes of Ciel glugging the remainder of the energy drink Leona tilted his head asking, “Hey, Brat. Can you stand?”
“I think so,” The young Earl gave a nod and got up slowly with Ace’s help.
“Fine. You're good.” Leona said and Ruggie marched over to Ciel frowning.
“Hey finish that up!” he tipped the drink so Ciel finished it. “There I think it's empty.” The hyena looked at the can while Ciel coughed after chugging the last of the drink and his eyes went wide, realizing the amount of caffeine and sugar as part of it, “Oh...Ohhhh...I don't think this is supposed to be in the emergency kit.”
“Why?” Ace glanced over and the freshmen crowded around Ruggie as Leona steadied Ciel. They peered at the information and their eyebrows raised with Ace letting out a long, “Ohhhh...”
Epel gulped, “This is...”
“Ciel...do you drink coffee?” Jack bluntly asked and the young Earl gave him a puzzled look.
“Sometimes...not frequently...”
Ruggie cringed, “Ah, crap…”
“Uh...” Deuce nervously said, and looked at Epel who ranted.
“Why is that sort of energy drink in a medical kit?!”
Leona sighed getting the picture without seeing the label, “Given it came from Floyd. I say he probably switched it at some point.”
Ciel looked around anxiously at the others, and his words came out a bit faster, “What is going to happen to me? I'm not going to turn into a fish person am I?”
“No...But um...this has a looooooot of caffeine, so...” Ruggie said with a nervous smile, and Ace smirked teasing.
“You're going to be bouncing off the walls for a bit. If you need someone to talk to late at night...”
“We'll be available.” Deuce promise and Grim started to sniff the ground as the toxic blotting had fully dissipated.
“Hm? Yo, Grim.” Ace raised his voice at the cat monster, “What are you sniffing at the ground for?”
Grim looked around and then back at Ace explaining to them.
“My gourmet hunting instincts are tellin' me...” he said beaming, “...that there's a pitch-black treat as delectable as a truffle around here!”
Ciel frowned, “Grim! Remember your promise...”
“But...” Grim said and saw the stone, then picked it up, and showed it to the others. The same stone had been on the crown of the Sea Witch, and Ciel frowned seeing it. “Myah! There it is—a black stone! There's no foolin' gourmet hunter Grim's nose!”
“A...black stone?” Leona asked, a hint of concern in his voice as Grim declared.
“Time to chow down! HOMPH!” he ate it before Ciel could directly command him not to, and Grim licked his lips, then rubbed his stomach happily, “Mmm... It's rich, with a briny punch like salted squid guts...” Ciel wrinkled his nose at the description. “This would drive any discerning gourmand wild! Seriously top-tier stuff!”
Ciel stared in shock as Grim scarfed the whole thing down, against the very order he’d given him just weeks before. He scowled and shouted, “GRIM!!!!”
“What?” Grim shouted back, “It's tasty?”
Epel winced and made a disgusted face, “Ugh! Grim!”
“Don't go eating stuff off the floor!” Jack shouted and grabbed Grim, then turned him over and tried to shake it out of the cat monster, patting him on the back and fails.
Deuce sighed, “Really? You're eating off the ground AGAIN?”
“Feels like a waste of breath to even tell him to stop at this point.” Ace shook his head, “There's just no accounting for a monster's palate.”
“But he promised me he wouldn't...” Ciel stated and thought.Something over road my command. There's...something else going on with Grim...but what?
Leona stared for a long time at the quartet, as if calculating something then asked, “Hey. Does the furball always pick up black stones off the ground and eat them?”
Ciel glanced over at Leona after glaring heatedly at Grim, “I've only seen him do it twice but, he may have eaten more....”
“Grim can be such a glutton sometimes.” Ruggie said, “I mean he eats Lilia's cooking that should tell you everything right there.”
Jack looked over at the silent Housewarden, and furrowed his brow, “Something wrong, Leona?”
Leona shook his head and smirked at them.
“Nah. Don't mind me.” He motioned to the others and gestured to the mirror, “We should get out of here before the Headmage and McNamara comes. The students are waking up, and I don't wanna be the one to explain all of this.”
Epel sighed and agreed, “Yeah. Let's get going while the goin’s good.”
Hurriedly the group left the dorm, with Ciel walking faster than normal and Ace picking up his pace to keep up with him asking.
“Uh...Ciel...are you okay?”
The young Earl glanced at him curiously, “I'm perfectly fine.”
“You're speeding Minion.” Grim pointed out and Ciel looked flustered.
“Well, I can't help it. My body is just wants to move.” Thinking it over the gray-haired boy touched his chest,I feel weird. My heart is going fast, I don't like this...
As they approached the mirror Leona sighed, “Seems the caffeine is starting to kick in. Great.”
Heading through the mirror, the team made it into the Mirror Hall, and figured it was best to split up. Ace let out a yawn before stretching some and commenting.
“Don't know about you guys but I'm beat.”
Deuce nodded as he cricked his neck, “Yeah that was exhausting.”
“Best thing to do is head back to the dorm and get a good night sleep.” Jack admitted and Ruggie nodded agreeing.
“Yeah.” The sophom*ore glanced over at Ciel, “Hey kid. After you finish packing up in Leona's room, I'll walk you back over to Ramshackle okay?”
Grim pleaded as he tugged on Leona’s pant leg, “Can't we stay one more night?”
“Hell no.” Leona growled shaking him off, and Ciel picked the cat monster up.
“That's fine. I don't want to spend another night in that messy place you call a room.” The young Earl smirked, trying to sound okay. He wasn’t, not in the least. His mind was running a million miles a minute, and the same scene played over and over again, Jade’s look of horror, Floyd screaming in pain, and all the blood in the water, making him reel internally.
“Whatever.” Leona scoffed and headed through the Savanaclaw mirror, too tired at the moment to deal with Ciel’s antics.
Epel smiled as he walked for the Pomefiore mirror saying, “I'll let Rook know what happened so he can fill Lilia in.”
“Yes...thank you Epel.” Ciel said and tried to get his body from jittering. Epel looked at him concerned.
“You sure you're going to be okay?”
Ciel nodded and said softly, “I'm tried but not tired. I don't know what to do...so packing and keeping myself busy might stop this...I hope.”
“Usually when I have one of those it takes an hour or two to calm down.” Ace patted his shoulder, “So might be good by then...I hope.”
Epel gave a nod before heading through the Pomefiore mirror.
“Yeah but if he's not used to that much caffeine…” Deuce said with a worried glance, and Ace patted Ciel on the back saying.
“Best of luck Ciel,” the red head winked before he passed through the Heartslabyul mirror, and Deuce followed after him, but not before patting Ciel on the shoulder.
“Hey...Like I said Ciel, send Grim or a ghost if you want to talk. Or something. Later.”
“Thank you Deuce.” Ciel smiled slightly before heading with Ruggie and Jack back through the Savanaclaw mirror, intending to pack up in Leona’s dorm and get out of there as quickly as he could.
