That Butler, New Face

That Butler, Omnipotent 2

≈Dream Mode≈

Chêne was wandering through the halls of the manor. Everything was dark and hazy. It felt surreal. She was searching for something... She wasn't sure what it was, but she knew she had to find it. Whatever it was—it was important to her. She could smell the faint aroma of apples and cinnamon, like an apple pie, floating in the background. She saw a door and pushed it open. It was the Study, and it was empty. The windows had been thrown open, and the curtains fluttered as the wind blew. Papers and various documents that Ciel had just finished organizing last night were scattered about the room. Strange. Although it was true that finding the Study in such disarray was unusual, Chêne could not explain the feeling of fear and dread that suddenly overtook her at the sight of the room.

"They took him!" Chêne heard herself cry. Wait, who did 'they' take? Why would she say something like that?

The scene shifted before her eyes, and Chêne now found herself in an unfamiliar room. In the middle of the room, was a dark-haired man. He had a scar across his face, and piercings in one of his eyebrows and both his ears. His hair was slicked back, and he was wearing a pinstriped suit. The man was holding a gun to Ciel's head. Ciel was bruised and bleeding a little. He had clearly been beaten. Chêne gasped in surprise.

'Please, don't let this be one of those dreams!' she thought. 'Don't let this one come true!'

Sebastian entered the room. Chêne knew she should feel relived, but that feeling of dread just wouldn't leave her. Sebastian and the man were talking to each other now, but their words were muffled, like something was preventing Chêne from hearing their conversation. Sebastian pulled something out of his coat and held it out to the man. It was the 'game' Chlaus had brought with him to give to Ciel when he visited. A bang was heard as a bullet went straight through Sebastian's head, and he was riddled with a shower of bullets. The man laughed.

≈End Dream Mode≈

Sebastian had completed his tasks and was now in the process of making his way to the kitchen so he could check on the dessert he had Chêne watching for him while it was baking. He entered the kitchen to find a sleeping Chêne. The girl was resting her head on the kitchen counter she had seated herself in front of, a few inches away from the timer for the oven. She looked so peaceful; it was almost a shame to wake her. Almost. As Sebastian reached out to shake her shoulder, Chêne's eyes suddenly snapped open, wild with panic. It was quite startling. Chêne jumped back from Sebastian like she had seen a ghost. She was breathing quick, shallow breaths, as though she were having a panic attack. Sebastian was puzzled. He had wanted to startle her since he found her reactions amusing, but this was not what he had in mind...

"... Chêne?" Sebastian said softly, so as not to startle the girl more. Chêne froze, and she slowly brought her eye up to meet his. For a moment she just stared at Sebastian as though she could not believe it was him. There was a desperate hope in her eyes as she suddenly flung herself at the demon butler.

"Oh, thank God! You're alright!" Chêne cried in relief as she hugged Sebastian. Sebastian blinked. He was slightly stunned. Chêne had never thrown herself at him before, and it was the first time he heard anyone thank God for saving a demon. "That dream felt so real! I thought you'd really been shot!"

'I see... so it was a nightmare,' Sebastian thought. 'I wonder if it could be one of those dreams, one of Chêne's visions...'

Chêne was still clinging to him, like he was her lifeline, and sobbing uncontrollably. Sebastian frowned slightly. While he did not really mind the close contact, it would not do to stand there all day. It would throw off the entire schedule, and the pie would be ready to come out of the oven in not long from now. Besides, seeing Chêne like this—a girl who had not even cried like this after being branded and whipped—unnerved him slightly. He was not sure why he felt that way, but the carefree and childish smile or the petulant pout she normally sported when he was teasing her definitely suited her much better. So, he wrapped his arms around her, embracing her, and smirked.