Neko <-.->a Black Butler story<-.->

His Pet, Trapped

.

I sat in the cold cell, shivering, whispering to myself. “Paris this. Paris that. Oh, won’t it be lovely in Paris?” I scoffed and my tail wrapped tighter around me, “Like hell. It’s bloody freezing out here.”

The sky was clear and every star in the sky was shining. Off in the distance I could hear music. I quietly whispered a few lines of the familiar melody.

“Le temps d’un souffle coupé, par un soir tardif d’été. Les anges partirent avant, et leurs visages tachés de blanc.”  The length of a gasp, on a late summer evening. The angels went first, and their faces stained white.

My French was terrible but I loved the sound of French songs that seemed to flow through the air.

I had been in this horrible circus for as long as I could remember. Jared, the late owner of the circus had found my wandering the streets of Paris when I was less than five years old. Aperently I was shunned for being different. The church had called me demon spawn.

Jared had taken me in and raised me as his own, showing me even more love than Luca, his son. Sadly Jared died and Luca took over, forcing me to become a part of the circus, something Jared never would have done.

A tear rolled down my face and I used my tail to wipe it away. I shifted my weight and cried out in pain. I had put too much weight on the whip lashes I had gotten earlier today, punishment for going into my human form.

I just wanted the people to stop staring at me. My ears went back, flattening against my head.  It wasn’t my fault I was like this. I just was.

I tried to stand and tripped on the chain that hung around my ankle. I fell to the ground, all my weight on the shredded skin of my back. I screamed and, after a few tired sobs, I passed out from the pain.

I awoke slowly and in pain. It was at least midday now and there were lots of people outside the bars, staring at me with prying eyes. I yawned and sat up awarding several gasps from the crowd.  I twitched my ears back and forth before curling my tail around me.

I wasn’t a small girl; I was actually quite tall for my age, with long muscular limbs.  I used this to my advantage as I semi-stalked, semi- crawled over to a darker corner of my cage. I curled up in a ball and used my tail to cover myself.

I was nearly asleep when I heard something. Smelled something. Sensed something.  It was off. Not human although I couldn’t put my finger on what else it could be. All I knew was that there were two of them, both coming towards me. My ears twitches as the small thing spoke. He sounded just like a young boy.

“Sebastian. Let’s look over here.” His voice was stern and I fought the urge to look up. No, I told myself, if I pretend to be asleep they might just go away.

“What is it, my lord?” asked the bigger one.

“I believe it’s some type of animal. All it says on the sign is ‘Cat’.”

“Are you sure it’s an animal, master?”

“I see what you mean, master. But why do you ask?”

I felt someone staring at me. Observing me. Their gaze burned holes in my skin and I hissed at the things staring in on me.

I was about to yell at them when George walked up to them. God. I hated George. He was in charge of the animals in the circus and, because of Luca, that included me.

The small, boy-like thing turned to George, “What is in this cage, sir?”

George smirked and went to the door of my cage.

“This is something special. Would you like to see?”

The thing nodded and my breath caught. George opened my cage and took a step inside. I tried to press myself against the wall but he grabbed a fist full of my hair. I scrambled to keep my balance as he drug me to the bars so the two things could see me.

Both of their eyes widened as they looked at me. I didn’t care though I was too busy hissing and biting out cuss words at him to stop pulling my hair. He pulled on one of the silver rings that went through my ear and the thin soft skin tore a bit. I bit my lip to keep from screaming at him, afraid he might rip it out completely.

Instead I turned to the things. The small one looked like a boy around 13 with blue hair, blue eyes, and an eye patch. He looked wealthy and was studying me carefully. Beside him stood the other thing.  He looked like some sort of a servant, a butler maybe. His hair was black and his crimson eyes looked back at me in concern.

George leaned down and whispered into my ear, “Stay here or else I’ll have to come back and whip you again.”

I winced at his words. When he walked away, he made sure to take the time to stomp on my tail making me squeak and hiss at him.

I brought my tail into my hands and gently soother the ache and pet my soft fur.

“Sebastian,” said the little thing, still looking at me.

“Yes, my lord?”

The little thing whispered to the big thing, Sebastian, and he nodded walking away.

I sighed and the little thing looked up at me, “What is your name?”

I turned my head to the side and quickly glanced around. When I was sure George was out of site I whispered back, “I don’t have a name.” I looked around once more before adding, “although I have no name to give you, would you tell me yours?”

He smirked, “Ciel Phantomhive.”

I gasped, “Phantomhive? Like the Earl Phantomhive?”

He nodded and I used my tail to push my shortly cropped hair out of my face. I bowed my head leaning closer to him, “I hear tell that Sir Phantomhive passed away, not too long ago.”

His smirk remained and he whispered back, “I hear tell that girls don’t have tails. What do you say to that?”

I giggled and he leaned against the bars.

“To be quite honest, I don’t feel very alive right now.”

I leaned on my hand, “And why is that?”

He shrugged “I simply have nothing to do anymore.”

I sighed looking out over the crowd, “I wish I had something to do. Yet all i can do is sit in this cage and wait to die.”

There was silence for a few moments and then I heard Ciel sniff the air and he turned back to me. “Are you injured?”

I looked away from him and shook my head. I froze when I felt his hand reach between the bars and touch my ear. He pulled his hand away and looked at the red spot on his fingers.

“You’re bleeding.”

“It’s nothing,” I insisted.

I shot me a doubtful glance but then turned away in the direction the thing named Sebastian had gone.

“I shall see you again.”

With those simple words, he left. Walking away to disappear into the sea of people.