The Devil's Bride *Sebastian Love*

Her Butler, Hired

  "Go on Smile, say a few words." Chuckled Sebastian, as Ciel squeaked and began to twitch.
"P-p-pleased to meet you." He stammered, breaking a sweat
"Come on Smile, smile!"
***
"Now I'll give you a quick backstage tour. Follow me!" instructed a fervent Joker. Everyone followed and felt a bit uncomfortable in their new circus attire; all except Selima who was simply delighted by all the jewelry. "First the tents ye'll be sleeping in." Joker gestures with his walking stick. "This is where the" second stringers" live—stage hands and newcomers and such. They sleep about, two, three to a tent. Over there is where we eat and where we store the food. Cooking's a big part of the job when 'ee be new, so work hard." Selima sighs, she thought she'd get a break from cooking and cleaning while she was here; apparently not. "Furthest down the line is the infirmary, where Black was yesterday. And past here are the private tents for the main cast."
"Private tents?" asked Ciel.
"The big names get places to themselves, you could say. Oh and the first one is Snake's so best keep your distance." Selima was up and over in seconds and would have entered, if Sebastian hadn't snatched up her hand. "He lets lots of poisonous ones run loose. One bite and 'ee be stone dead. Snake and his serpents are cruel shy of strangers so ye newcomers best be extra careful. That reminds me, Smile, what happened to thy right eye?"
"Er there was an accident. Same accident that burned Al-I mean Siren's neck. We worked in the same neighborhood." Ciel touched his eye unconsciously.
"Oh...poor things, with 'ee so young." Joker touches both of their faces, clearly sympathetic. "Well we're all damaged here so let's all be friends!" He smiles widely, Alette smiles back while Ciel stands stiffly while Joker gives him a half hug like gesture.
"Sorry, what?"
"Friends, Smile. What we are."
"Did all the players join up during your travels like us?" asked Sebastian.
"Most yes, but us first stringer all come from the same place. We're childhood friends, like Siren and Smile."
"Childhood friends?"
"Yep!" Meanwhile all the circus performers prepared, doing makeup, practicing acts, dressing etc.
"Tom tom, the piper's son", Mother Goose...?" Asked Ciel.
"Oh Well Spotted Smile! Not too many know that song." Alette recognizes it as well, but knew to keep her mouth shut; it was mostly nobles that knew of it. Her father sang it to her when she was young. Ciel realizes his mistake. "It's nothing, just my last master quite liked it." Joker leans in, and Ciel curses himself.
"I must say, it surprises me all the first stringers are childhood friends." Interjects Sebastian.
"Oh? Snake's the exception though. His snake handling is tops, and we needed a snake man. So he took the shortest road to the top. First Stringers get to eat first, so they don't have to fight tooth and nail for food. And they get their own tents. So everyone else has a friendly rivalry, trying to be first string. See 'em all working? There's some time before we open, so the newcomers are all practicing " Alette sees people doing all kinds of crazy things, ad frowns, how could she compete? Selima was the one with talent. He was going to be left in the dust. "...taking every moment they can, looking to earn their public debut. Everything starts from the basics! You four get nice and ready before you--."
"Joker! Got a moment?" interrupts Beast.
"Sure." Beast sees Sebastian and huffs, still clearly irritated.
"Word hard!" advises Joker before he leaves.
"Isn't it kind of dangerous to have the entrance tent filled with poisonous snakes?" asked Alette. "Not guard dogs, but guard vipers, eh Ciel?" Sebastian stands behind Selima, massaging her shoulders.
"Your muscles are very tight." He comments. Selima groans as he kneads her back.
"I suppose we'll have to rise to the first string to access the private area."
"Selima should have no trouble. Snakes apparently love her." Acknowledges Alette.
"We need to know whether the children are--."
"They aren't here."
"What?" inquires Alette and Ciel.
"Neither of us could sense them in the circus tents."
"Not yesterday or during today's tour."
"We can't rule out that their involved with the kidnappings either."
"She's right. Guilty until proven innocent. We can't leave here until we're thoroughly investigated them."
"Indeed, after all, it's possible they aren't in a fit state for me to sense them."
"Anything is possible." Added Selima.
"Don't say such awful things!" gasped Alette.
"The queen does wish for their safe return." Admits Ciel.
"Very good, my lord. Ah, although I don't sense the children at all..."
"What is it?"
"Hey, get to work" scolded Dagger.
"Mr. Dagger! Sorry, right away." Ciel bowed and cringed a bit, he hated to show subservient behavior.
"It's your first day, right? I'll coach you through practice. First we need to know what your acts will be. We know Lady of Pyre here will work with Jumbo, and Siren can be paired with her."
"I'd prefer something less physically demanding than the tight rope. Greatly prefer." Asserted Ciel.
"Yeah, you do seem pretty frail. Right then, I'll teach Smile all about knife throwing." Smiles Dagger, whipping out a few knives between his fingers.
"What about you, Black?"
"I have no particular preference."
"Yeah, you're a real athlete! Try whatever you think you can manage, I'll watch! " Sebastian takes off and Selima sighs.
"He always loves showing off."
"First the trapeze." Sebastian swings for one platform to the next with ease, doing all kinds of flips, hanging upside down standing on the little piece of wood. "Next, juggling." He yanks up someone's bottles and begins ardently juggling, "Pole climbing!" He runs up the pole and swings around it several times. "Rings of Fire." Selima watches as he backflips and flips through rings of flame. "Aerial Acrobatics." The whole crowd watches in awe, mouths agape at him, eyes widened. "The trampoline. Skipping Rope. Contortions!" Selima laughs and Ciel frowns, clearly irritated by his butlers nonsense. "Next ill swallow this sword."
"Enough enough!" chuckled a blown away Dagger. Everyone hoards around Sebastian, and Ciel sneaks behind him to scold him.
"Hey, you're getting carried away! Act more like a new--."
"Well I'll be darned! Another bright new star? I better keep sharp."
"Another?" solicited Ciel.
"There's one more lad who just joined up. Look over there!" Everyone turns around, to see a man with glasses and a serious facial expression walking the tight rope. Selima's heart sinks.
"Not this guy again..." she mutters.
"He's a formal civil servant or something and he's strangely serious I say! Come down, Suit!"
"That's..." started Ciel.
"A reaper." Finished Sebastian.
"Ah yes, I thought I sensed something foul. For goodness' sake." Will extends his death scythe and shoots it right in between Selima and Sebastian. He hops off the rope ever so gracefully and descends upon them. "I didn't think I'd see you two again. What prey are you hunting for this time, you vile demons?" In one swift movement Will brings up his scythe and brigs it to Selima's face. Sebastian smacks it away.
"Demon?"
"What does he mean?" the crowd murmurs.
"It's no good!" whispers Alette.
"They're going to find out who they really are!" realizes Ciel.
"I say, what are you on about?" asks Ciel, trying to play it cool.
"As if it weren't bad enough that reapers are in such short supply, demons have to pop up everywhere, too? I'll have to work yet another late night!"
"Reaper?"
"Well, you see..."
"Look, you." Dagger strides forward and knocks Will on the side on of the head. "Cut it out ,you plonker. You say your gags with such a straight face people can't tell their gags! This guy's been cracking jokes since the day he got here. Going on about souls and stuff. He's an incurable occult freak."
"I'm not actually joking." Declares Will.
"Let me introduce you to the rookies, the little man here is Smile, while the little woman here is Siren. This lady right over here is Lady Of Pyre and this gent Is Black! You're our rising stars, so play nice!" Dagger advised, patting both the hostile men on the shoulder. Will, disgusted, walks away.
"I flatly refuse to play nice with vermin."
"Flatly refuse? Circuses run on teamwork, you know!"
"What is a grim reaper doing here, Selima?" asked Alette.
"For reapers to involve themselves in this type of work is not unheard of, but it's extremely infrequent. But it Is certain, something is going on at this circus. There is no coincidence."