Black Butler- Circus of Deceit

Chapter Two

Sebastian walked into the large circus tent, gazing around to scope out his surroundings. There was a high tightrope set up above him, and the tiger cages were set up a ways to the left. To his right, there were a tall case of knives set up, along with a basket full of multicolor balls in various sizes. The trapeze were also set up, and a familiar figure with a glittering gold jacket and pink-purple pants was swinging around with incredible ease. He seemed to have noticed Sebastian, because he flipped off the

bar and landed perfectly on the platform, pushing up his glasses to his nose.

"What are you doing here?" William T. Spears asked irritatedly, glaring down at Sebastian with his yellow-green eyes. "I thought you'd be sucking the souls out of children or doing something else similar."

Sebastian smiled, which only seemed to make Will even more annoyed. "I thought we already discussed this. I'm not interested in the cheap souls you're perusing."

"Humph," Will said, his eyes narrowed. "I don't trust your verminous kind."

"Hey!" Dagger called, running from another entrance to greet Sebastian and Will. Ciel was just entering the tent (being dragged by the same red-haired boy), looking annoyed and sickly. Sebastian could easily tell he was nervous, probably because he knew Sebastian was going to be too busy to help him out and make him look somewhat competent, like how he did as he auditioned. "Are you guys ready to begin your training?"

"Of course." Sebastian eyed the trapeze, where Will was glaring at him with a burning hatred. "Why don't I start on that?"

"I don't think that's a good idea," Dagger said, frowning at him and running a hand though his light blond hair. "We don't have the safety net set up, and we don't want you to splat on the floor. Suit's just doing it because he knows how."

"Not to worry," Sebastian said, jumping up with ease in the platform. "I'm a fast learner." He held onto the bar and swung out, then triple flipped and grabbed the other bar with one hand, as if it came naturally to him.

Dagger's eyes were as wide as unicycle wheels as he watched Sebastian swing back and forth, back and forth, his tricks getting more and more impossible (and Will's scowl became deeper and deeper). "Whoa. I didn't know he was that good!!" He roughly elbowed Ciel in an affectionate manner. "Maybe you're better than they said too, huh?"

"Eh heh heh..." Ciel gave him a weak smile. "Yeah. Maybe."

Freckles was going to have a riot, seeing Ciel miserably fail over and over again.

Now that Ciel thought of it, where was Freckles? He was here just a second ago. Then again... Ciel's thoughts went back to breakfast. If he could eat that fast, maybe he could walk even faster.

"Hello," said a soft, breathy voice behind Ciel, making him cautiously turn around. It was that girl, Puppet or Dolly or something like that. Her pale face had a calm, almost bored expression on it, and her long white eyelashes framed her deep-blue eyes. She was carrying her frilly parasol, and she was wearing her elegant white costume with ballet flats and stockings; her white flower headdress rather distracting.

"Oh, um, hello," Ciel said, feeling slightly uncomfortable. He honestly didn't know what this girl was doing, talking to him. She was a first-stringer, after all. Then it hit him. Maybe it was his chance to try and get her to like him. He just needed to act friendly, right?

He quickly put on his cutest smile. "Can you help me? I don't know what to do." Then, stupidly, he added, "I'm new."

Doll paused, her eye scanning over him, then nodded and gestured for him to follow her. Ciel glanced back up at Sebastian (who was now not even using his hands but only one foot), then followed her to the tightrope.

"We can do this." Ciel barely heard her, partially because she was so soft-spoken, partially because he felt so sick. Now everyone's going to see what a failure I am, he thought bitterly, tightening his grip on the scarf.

Doll's eye traveled over to it. "Take it off," she said, reaching for it. "You don't want to trip."

"Um, okay," he said slowly, unraveling the massive scarf and putting it on top of a small table. His neck felt pained in the cold, crisp air, but after a few seconds it adjusted. "Um, I'm not very good. At this."

Doll tilted her head, her expression not changing much. "You are in the circus, because you are good."

"Ummm... Yeeeesssss, but-"

"Are you in the circus?"

Well, yes, but-"

"Then you are good." Doll made it clear that they were done with the discussion, and she also made it clear she wanted him to follow her as she began to nimbly climb up the ladder. Ciel sighed, then cursed and climbed after her, his legs beginning to weaken each rung he climbed higher. As soon as he reached the top, he was wishing he never asked Doll for help to begin with. It was unbearably high,

"Here," Doll said quietly, typing a thick cord rope around his waist with a tight knot. "A lifeline."

Ciel was pretty sure a lifeline would be no help to him now. "Um, I don't think-"

Doll didn't seem to hear him. "Go," she said, giving him a push to the tightrope, making him almost fall off.

Ciel swallowed his nervousness, and slowly put his foot on the rope. It wobbled dangerously, and Ciel let out a yelp as he jumped back, almost tripping over the platform to the ground. "Um, I don't think-"

The world seemed to have slowed down. Ciel was cut off as he watched in helpless horror as his foot slowly slipped off the platform. He saw Doll's eye widen in alarm, and her legs slowly raise as she jumped up, trying and failing to reach him as he reached out to her. Their fingers brushed, but only for a second, before Ciel began falling down from the top of the tent towards the hard dirt floor, his untied lifeline falling down with him.