Aristocrats of Evil

3

"The Queen has requested we set sail on a voyage," Ciel explained, taking a sip of his tea. "If you would do me the honor, I would like you to accompany Sebastian, Snake, and myself on the Campania." 

Moriarty stared for a moment. He looked past Ciel and outside the window behind him. There was something traveling through his head but he couldn't place what the feeling was. Perhaps the nostalgia of going on a voyage. Although, the last time he'd been on one was to stage a grandiose murder with his own team. 

"William?" 

"It would bring me great pleasure to accompany you," William smiled slightly. "I am not sure how well I will be able to assist, however." 

"Your brain is more than enough of an assistance," Ciel chuckled, placing the teacup back in its saucer. "You can notice things that the untrained eye cannot. Human or otherwise. It's a very useful skill to have." Ciel brought his hand up to his covered eye. "I'm half blind, in a sense, and it looks like you have your own vision problems," he pointed to William's eye covered by his hair. "So, what do you say we become each other's eyes, hm?" 

Ciel stood up and turned around. He folded his hands behind his back and looked out the window in the same direction Moriarty just had. "I must admit that although I would've liked to hold up a persona around you," Ciel looked over his shoulder and grinned slightly. "It's ever so difficult since I am quite fond of the stories." 

"The stories..." Moriarty held his chin for a moment. "Do you have them? The stories?" 

"But of course." Ciel stared. "Are you interested in reading about yourself, Professor?" 

"I believe it may do me some good," Moriarty smiled a bit. If nothing else, it would give him peace of mind and perhaps distract him from thinking of the Sherlock he knew so well. 

...

"The young lord requested that I inform you we are to depart on the Campania in less than a week," Sebastian stated, walking into the room Moriarty had cooped himself up in. The various copies of The Strand were placed all around him. Single stories. Sometimes connected. Not enough to make a full novel, except for perhaps the first short story. 

"These are quite remarkable and rather foolish," Moriarty turned the page. 

"Interested in yourself?" Sebastian glanced over the various copies and picked up the one Moriarty had been looking for. 

"The Final Problem?" 

"Yes," Sebastian held it out for Moriarty to grab. "Unfortunately, you do not appear frequently in these stories and yet you made such an impression on the audience as Holmes' greatest nemesis." 

"I have a feeling the real 'Irene Adler' would be quite disappointed with the portrayal," Moriarty leaned his elbow up against the side of his chair. 

"Are you?" 

"Am I what?" 

"Disappointed with your portrayal." 

"I'm fascinated, I suppose," Moriarty leaned back in the chair and stared at Sebastian. The gears in his brain churned once again and his eyes widened slightly. "Have you met him?" 

"Met who, Mr. Moriarty?" Sebastian smiled without revealing anything. 

"This author," Moriarty placed his hand flat on the papers in front of him. "Have you interacted with this man in any way?" 

"Whatever do you mean?" Sebastian smiled still. "Why would you think we had ever met?" 

"There are things," Moriarty pointed to the papers, "specific phrases that remind me distinctly of you." 

"Fascinating," Sebastian's eyes glimmered with amusement. 

"Will you answer my question?" Moriarty leaned forward, resting his chin on his folded hands. 

"You're a smart man," Sebastian leaned forward himself, placing his hands on the table and staring into Moriarty's eyes as his lips curved upward into a hideous smirk. "Deduce it." 

Moriarty let out a long sigh and sat up in his chair. He closed his eyes and folded his hands onto his lap. What did he know about Ciel and Sebastian? Out of all of their interactions? What did he have to go off of? Opening his eyes, Moriarty blinked a few times and returned Sebastian's expression with a smile. "There is a gap." 

"Hm?" Sebastian stood up and crossed his arms. 

"A gap in time..." Moriarty raised his finger. "I know not what happened in your relationship with Ciel but I do know this. Snake did not join you directly after the events of the circus. From what little I know based off of interacting with that 'Joker' fellow...it's likely Snake is unaware of what happened. Between the end of the circus," Moriarty held up his hand on one side of him, "and Snake joining you as a footman," he held up his other hand on the other side of himself and looked at it. "Something happened. Doyle is a relatively new author but he started hastily publishing stories after his debut work," Moriarty picked up the works and began to organize them by date. "Considering today's date, the recent hiring of Snake, and my estimated time of you parting with the circus..." Moriarty pointed at the stack he created. "You meeting Doyle about a week before this was sent to the press directly aligns with his hasty continued publishing." 

"What reason would I have for inspiring a young author?" Sebastian tilted his head slightly. 

"What reason do you have for doing anything?" Moriarty chuckled. "My hypothesis is this: Ciel was fond of A Study in Scarlet and you noticed but knew at the rate he was going, he would likely not feel motivated to publish again. And so, when the cards aligned, you gave him inspiration." 

"My, my," Sebastian grinned. "I wonder what it would've been like..." darkness filled the room with only Sebastian's eyes to light it. "If I had made a contract with you. I'm sure..." Moriarty could feel an intense coldness on his shoulders as two hand-like objects grabbed him. The warm breath on his neck of something inhuman. "That your soul is quite delectable." 

"I can assure you," Moriarty replied, "that it is far from that."