A Blind Seer

Chapter 14

Pluto whined the entire ride home, nuzzling up to me. I returned the gesture by hitting him over the head with my cane whenever he invaded my personal space. The beast has a serious case of Stockholm syndrome as he would always come back. When I became especially annoyed, I yanked his ear and tossed him out of the cart, making the other servants panic.

He came running back.

Reaching the manor is a breath of fresh air, allowing me time alone in my room. For the rest of the day, I sit, reprimanding myself and occasionally smacking my head against my cane. Dinner rolls around, but I skip the meal, finding myself at a loss of appetite. Within my state of perpetual boredom, I begin exploring Madame Red's medical knowledge. It's rather interesting, much easier than attending medical school. Instead, I have all the knowledge at my fingertips without even a minute of studying the subject myself.

Another thing I found is a longing to play a violin. It is the choice of instrument for many nobles, and with the countless minds I've infiltrated, I find myself retaining pieces of their personalities despite my own being set in stone. Madame Red was quite the genius with the bow and strings, though her choice of an instrument was a cello. A beautiful thing in its own right. I've incidentally memorized multiple pieces on many instruments, but I've never actually attempted to play. Curiosity envelopes me as I wonder if my memories would supply my muscles the movements they would need to preform. But being tired, I decide to save the question for the morning. I am rather lazy when I choose to be.

•   •   •

In the morning, Mey-Rin, Tanaka, Baldroy, Finny, and I are all called to visit Ciel's office. We travel together, the others whining about the Young Master having finally deciding to fire us all. A chuckle bubbles in my chest, and one escapes my lips. "He's not going to fire any of you." I state simply. Having explored that child's mind, I know well enough his strange attachment to these servants. The servants seem reassured, an instant sigh of relief coming for Mey-Rin.

Rather blind trust to place in someone you've known for only so long. I suppose I'm one to speak of blind trust, though.

The servants still fidget when Ciel sits silently for a few moments. "S-So, what did you want to speak with us about?" Mey-Rin stutters gingerly. "I have a job I want you to do." Ciel announces, making the others breathe out together and celebrate. Ciel interrupts the action and begins to explain, placing something upon his desk. As Ciel begins a one sided discussion about the origins of the camera, the other servants sink into audible confusion as they'll occasionally grunt. Real Tanaka arrives, going into careful details of the nature of the camera.

"William Henry Fox Talbot. He was an English scientist, and one of the inventors of photographic technology. There were queer rumors about the last camera he used. Legend has it that when you photograph someone with this camera, whomever he thinks most fondly of will appear in the picture.. perhaps." Real Tanaka explains before deflating. "Who he thinks most fondly of, yes!?" Mey-Rin exclaims, her voice clearly excited.

"Can such a clever camera really exist?" Baldroy inquires, his tone dumbfounded. "Shall we take a shot to test it out?" Ciel asks in response, his voice low. "Aylin, don't move. Exposure takes ten seconds." At the order my brows furrow, but I follow it nonetheless, still allowing myself to take in breaths as I normally would.

"Wh-What's exposure?" Mey-Rin presses, her tone more calm as she speaks to Baldroy. "To put it plainly, its copying an image of Aylin." Baldroy explains in response. "If you don't stay still for ten seconds, the image will blur and we won't get a good picture." Ciel suddenly adds. I feel the urge to roll my eyes, but I digress, deciding against it. "8, 9, 10. Done." Ciel tells me, so I allow my muscles to relax.

•   •   •

I sit back, listening as the others develop the photo of me. I would have argued against it, if I weren't quite curious myself. I've never thought quite fondly of anyone, and it interests me to see whom arrives in the photo.

"Who's that?" Baldroy pipes up. My brows furrow once again, "What do they look like?" I press, rising to my feet and carefully joining the group. "Curly red hair and green eyes." Baldroy describes. I grab Mey-Rin's hand and look at the image through her blurry eyes. My head tilts as I recognize the girl in the photo. She's younger than me, immortalized as a ten year old as she was found dead one morning, having passed away in her sleep.

"Harmony. She was a girl at my old orphanage, but she's long since been dead." I explicate, releasing Mey-Rin's hand.

"Ah, I forgot. The only loved ones the camera will show are otherworldly beings.. In other words, the dead." Real Tanaka finishes, once again deflating.

"Th-The dead?!" Baldroy falters. "Y-You mean?" Mey-Rin frets just after Baldroy. "The photo contains the otherworldly being you remember most fondly: in other words, someone dead." Ciel reiterates. Mey-Rin and Baldroy scream, though for different reasons, "Like anyone would believe such an occult story in the nineteenth century!" Baldroy blurts. "Amazing, yes! What an outstanding camera!" Mey-Rin jabbers happily.

"Take a picture of Sebastian with this camera. But don't let him notice." Ciel commands, sparking my interest and making a smirk break into my face.

"So you mean like, a candid photo?" Baldroy assumes, to which Ciel confirms. Mey-Rin's interest is also piqued, but with a different motive in mind. "Wh-Who does Sebastian-San think most fondly of, yes?!" Mey-Rin implores aloud. "I might like to see that." Finny remarks. "He's always gripin' about my artistic cookin'!" Baldroy barks, now confident in his words. "He's as human as any of us!"

I find humor in his words and can't help the laughs that break free of my lips. "He must have a weakness or two!" Baldroy continues, making me laugh harder. "If-If only you knew the half of it!" I force through my laughs, my laughter slowly dying as Mey-Rin continues gushing at the idea. "This is our chance!" Baldroy extolls, Mey-Rin cheering in agreement. "I trust you can do it?" Ciel queries.

The servants bunch together, apparent in their joining voices. "Yes, my Lord!" The three all chant in unison. The small group then gushes over finally having been able to speak those words.

"This will be worth seeing." I hear Ciel insists under his breath, a smirk ever so present in his voice.

• • •

Naturally, I sit out on the 'mission'. I don't believe I'd be much help taking a photo. When an idea pops to mind after the servants scrambling about, I sit in Ciel's office.

"Why do you not just order him to stand still? It's not as though it will make a difference. The dog will notice, no matter who you employ to take the photo." I point out. "I suppose you have a point." Ciel acknowledges. At his slight shift in tone, I raise a brow. "Don't tell me.. the Great Lord Phantomhive, praised for his strategic abilities and ability to corner criminals, couldn't think of telling his dog to sit and stay?" I implore, amusement seeping from my tone. I can tell Ciel scowls before scoffing in annoyance. My smile widens at Ciel's reaction.

• • •

With my suggestion, Sebastian's photo is taken by Baldroy. The servants cheer. "We did it, yes!" Mey-Rin exclaims, followed by encouragement from Finny. Thusly, I'm dragged along to be there when the photo develops. But I force them to let me wait outside the room. The last thing I trust is someone like Sebastian to not manage to sabotage the photos.

Suddenly, I hear footsteps pounding down the hall.

Four.. it's Pluto.

Before I can reprimand the mutt, I hear the crackling fire leap from its mouth. I then smirk, realizing who put him up to it as I hear the servants shriek and scramble about.

I chuckle escapes my curved lips and I shake my head, leaning against the wall.