You Can't Hide Forever

His Butler, Phantom Image (part 2)

~~Sebastian's POV~~

I was standing outside staring at an incomplete task.

I told those four to transfer that thing somewhere else before the guest arrives. I walk outside and what do I see? I see that thing laying there like it was never touched.

Pluto was laying on the ground, still in his demon hound form. I glared at the sleeping hound.

"Really, those four... Perhaps it would be better for them to just be eaten by a dog", I said to myself. Then I heard a meow. I looked to my left and saw a black cat and a smile spread across my face. "Well, now."

I picked up the cat and sat down with it. I held it up in front of me and then rested its back on my legs. I began petting it. "What a limber body...and such soft hands", I said. I pressed my thumb against the pad of the cat's paws. "Ah! Cats are lovely."

I heard flames close by and the cat was ripped out of my hands as a now human Pluto cried into my chest. I glared at him and sighed in annoyance. "Why must I always be interrupted like this?", I said.

~~Ciel's POV~~

I looked at the blurry pictures set out in front of me as Mey-Rin, Bard, Finny, and Claire stood close by.

"We're sorry, young master!", Finny said.

"B-But Bard thought of a good plan, yes!", Mey-Rin said.

"I thought of it when I saw the dog breathe fire...", Bard said. Bard and fire never went well.

"Absolutely no flamethrowers", I said, trying to avoid the accident before it had a chance to begin.

"Sadness...", one of them said. A picture on my desk quickly caught my eye. Amongst all the blurry photos was one clear shot of Claire and there was someone else in the picture with her. Before I could think too hard about it, Lau walked in. I put the picture away.

"Oh, my lord!", he said.

"M-Mr. Lau!", Mey-Rin said. I looked to my right slightly and saw Claire take a few steps away from Lau. Obviously she remembered his behavior last time.

"What are you doing here?", I asked.

"I heard you were up to something interesting", he said. I looked away.

"Go home", I said. He leaned on my desk.

"Don't be so cold. Why not try leaving this up to me?", he asked. I looked at him, my interest peaked. "I've already laid the spider's web. The more he struggles, the more impossible it will be to escape. Up against me, no prey could ever stand a chance."

"Very well. However, failure will not be tolerated- no matter what", I said.

"Naturally. After all, if the Phantomhive name is sullied, I'll be booted out of this country", he said and smiled. "So, what are you up to?"

This is like the funeral parlor all over again...

I heard a carage come to a stop outside and Lau dragged the others and I into the main room. Him, Claire, and I stood behind a pillar while Bard, Finny, and Mey-Rin stood on the right side of the stairs.

"Welcome", Sebastian said to the guest outside.

"I'm Paul Jones, the journalist from Brit Business", the guest said.

"We've been expecting you, Mr. Jones. Right this way, please", Sebastian said, leading the man into the manor and heading for the stairs. Lau, Claire, and I peeked out from behind the pillar to watch Lau's "brilliant" plan, or so he said on the way here.