14. The Truth Told

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Certain lines and events are from Black Butler: Book of Circus

"Master!"

Thorne turns, the group having just arrived at the manor. Noble and Alpha come sprinting out, running to hide behind the soul keeper.

"What did you do now?" Thorne asks.

"Nothing!" the twins chorus as an angry Claire comes stomping outside followed by an annoyed Ramsey, both of them soaking wet.

"Nothing my ass," Claire growls. "They've taken to dumping water on Ramsey and I. This is the fifth time and they are dead."

The two servants yelp and cling to Thorne, who only shakes his head.

"Now you two," he says to the twins. "If you've been naughty, you get punished. You know Claire doesn't give up, so you might as well go willingly."

"But Master!" Alpha whines.

"No buts," Raven says sternly.

Pouting, Noble and Alpha both follow a smirking Claire back into the manor, dragging their feet the whole way.

"What was that?" Doll asks, tilting her head. "Are they puppets too?"

"Yes," Raven replies. "Those are the four servants. The twins Noble and Alpha, Claire and Ramsey."

Ramsey gives a bow of his head as Raven says his name. "Master Raven speaks well of you."

When Joker and Doll look at him, Raven smiles. "Well, you're family."

"Aye, that we are," Joker says softly, smiling and putting his arm around Raven's shoulders.

"And there's the rest of the family," Thorne says, looking down the road to where his puppets are appearing, carrying the other first-stringers.

Raven and Joker both go running towards them, relief overtaking them.

"You're alright," Raven whispers.

"We would be dead if it weren't for Shadow," Dagger says, looking to the soul keeper as Thorne calls back the puppet replicas, destroying them. "You really aren't human?"

"No, I'm not," Thorne says softly.

"What is it?" Beast asks, seeing the way Joker is staring at her and Dagger's prosthetics with a sick look. "Where's your arm?"

"I... Doc..." Joker looks away, unable to say it.

"Doc used body parts from the children to make his prosthetics," Raven says quietly.

The eyes of everyone who didn't know all widen in shock, Beast and Dagger throwing their prosthetic legs off.

"What... What happened?" Jumbo asks. 

"I... Come inside," Raven says. "We can discuss it in the lounge. Though it is getting late, so maybe it's best to wait until morning."

"Let's wait," Thorne says with a yawn. "I'm exhausted and need sleep."

They all head into the manor, the first-stringers shown to their rooms prepared by the servants.

Joker sits on the bed, looking at the empty sleeve of his shirt where his prosthetic was. The day's events flash through his mind. Tears fill his eyes and he lies down, curling up in a ball.

"When did everything get so messed up?" he whispers, crying himself to sleep.


Joker wakes to a knock at his door.

"Joker?" Raven's voice says.

Blinking, Joker gets up, yawning and opening the door. "Morning, Sabre."

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