His Butler: Punishment

[Claude Faustus]

Lau smiled."From their movements, I am guessing that they will target the manor very soon. This group is has done nothing major to attract the attention of the police, not yet anyways, but it is sure to do so once they find their target."
The man took a moment to stretch his arm over head. "From what I have seen and heard, members of this gang are all highly trained, even your servants may be hard pressed to hold them if they decide to attack you.....But of coarse, you have Sebastian."

--

The newest butler didn't respond to Sebastian right away, finishing up a cup of creamy hot chocolate for Finny. He responded, "My skills as a Trancy butler not only required perfection but to go above and beyond without compromising my position."
Finny brightened when he received his mug, Bardroy was seated sipping his own cup full of hot coffee.
Claude prepared the machine to make another cup, a cafe-mocha this time. " No, He does not, However many of his guests have preferred coffee over tea and so I have developed my skills in this craft." He answered as he began pouring the hot beverage into a cup.
One corner of his lips quirked, it was funny how the human guests and servants where so quick to accept him once he shared this little talent with them.
"This is also a hobby of mine, I quite enjoy the taste from time to time." Claude said, pouring touch of foaming hot milk into his cup. Demon's tastes where completely different, but that didn't mean that couldn't taste human food and drink. They where in human bodies after all.
In this cup, his deft movements formed an image of an beautiful rose complete with thorns. He held it out slightly to Sebastian offering, "Would you like to sample one Mr.Michaelis ?"

The golden eyes behind the glasses glimmered with amusement. Claude doubted that the other demon would even accept the offer of the drink. Considering their positions and the game being played between his new master and his butler. But beneath all that was...

"Oh that is absolutely gorgeous!" Beside Sebastian, Meyrin drooped the laundry basket full of clean folded bedsheets and peered into the cup. Momentarily caught by surprise, Claude broke eye contact and glanced at the maid, a slight flush coloring his cheeks.  

[Krithony]

"They're smarter than I would have originally given them credit for." The groups he had previously dealt with always had halfway developed plans that seemed to fall right into place until someone did something stupid to attract the attention of the authorities. This was obviously an issue that these men had under control. For now at least. That could change in an instant. even the best laid plans had their faults. Ciel was always adamant about finding those weak spots and taking advantage of them.

The young earl smirked at Lau's words. "I'm sure we'll manage just fine, especially since we know that they are on their way." he said with a somewhat arrogant wave of his hand. He was probably underestimating the true skill the members of this gang had, but he was so sure that his servants could take care of it. Not to mention he now had another demon in the household. Anyone who dared to mess with him was just asking for it.

"I suppose we should go see where everyone else has wandered off to." Ciel commented, quickly ending the conversation. When these men came, he would be more than ready.

--

"Your master must cater to a rather interesting crowd then." The company Ciel kept, save Prince Soma, were more fond of tea than the rich taste of coffee. From what Sebastian had seen of Alois Trancy, he figured that the boy kept up with a much more exotic crowd than his master did.

Finny and Bard seemed to be enjoying this treat as much as Prince Soma was. It was funny how humans could become so happy over something as simple as a good cup of coffee. It was also a wonderful way for the Trancy butler to win over the Phantomhive servants and guests. Claude certainly knew how to work all the angles. But could Sebastian expect anything less from him?

An interesting hobby indeed. Of course it was no different from anyone else's hobbies that could be considered interesting. even Sebastian had things he liked to do when ever he had a moment. It was always interesting to find which human tastes appealed to him the most. Many of them were rather bland while others were actually quite enjoyable.


Just as Sebastian was about to answer Claude's question, he was interrupted by an amazed Meyrin. She had dropped her basket of newly folded bed sheets and come over to see what Claude had in his hands. Once again it was the simple things that attracted humans.

"As much I would like to accept you offer, I believe Miss Meyrin would like a taste of that. If she can afford to ruin the artwork." he said, his sanguine eyes locked on the excited maid.  

[Claude Faustus]

"Yes a diverse crowd."

Claude's slight smile returned. "You may have this cup miss Meyrin. - After - you finish putting the laundry away."
The maid's eyes sparkled, "Yes, Mr Fautus. Right away!" She picked up the laundry basket and made her way to the door nearly crashing into Lau, Ranmao and Ciel who where just walking in.
"Oh I'm sorry mi'lord." Meyrin stepped back to allow them pass by her.

"Claude, This hot chocolate is very tasty! Thank you." Finny chimed from his place.  

[Krithony]

Claude had sure figured out how to motivate the rest of the Phantomhive servants. Bribing them seemed to be the only way to actually get things accomplished. They were all just lucky there were here for other purposes than just serving the young master.

Ciel narrowed his eyes at the maid as she almost ran straight into him. This was an all too common occurrence with Meyrin. No matter how many times Ciel or Sebastian reminded her to watch where she was going, it never seemed to sink in.

"Coffee?" Ciel asked in slight confusion as he walked into the kitchen. It was not a smell that often permeated the household.

Seeing that his other servants were currently occupied, he turned toward the two butlers. "Sebastian, Claude, I have a matter I would like to discuss with the both of you later on."

The demon cast a sidelong glance at Claude. From how things were going it seemed like Claude was going to be included in everything Sebastian normally did. Sebastian knew that what ever his master had to tell them, it had to do with what ever Lau had spoken to him about during their private conversation. Just what was the question.  

[Claude Faustus]

Once Ciel and his guests where in the kitchen, the maid disappeared to finish up her chores.
The new Phantomhive butler placed the cup aide and straightened when Ciel addressed them. "Yes young master."
"That smells wonderful, I don't normally trade in coffee products." Lau pointed to the tin canister that held the coffee grounds. "I assume that you get your beans from....??"
"South America." Claude confirmed. "I order them fresh, I bake and grind the beans myself, but...I do not confine my skills as a bartisa in simply coffee, My hot chocolate has received favorable comments too." Claude let his delight show in his apparent acceptance of the other members of the household servants.
Claude personally had very little contact with humans, other then to devour their souls, the humans that he encountered where either corrupt or held little interest to him. His acting as the Trancy butler did put him in closer contact, but the Trancy estate was run by other demons this was the first time he was to work alongside humans in this capacity, he found the notion quaint and a brake from his usual norm.
This month working along the humans was opportunity to see how different kinds of humans interacted, rather then becoming board of the criminals, corrupt business men and politicians.

When Lau politely refused the offer of coffee once again, Claude nodded to Ciel acknowledging his request, he set about cleaning the coffee equipment.  

[Krithony]

Ciel inched closer to Sebastian as Claude turned his attention to Lau. "He seems to be a big hit with them." the young Earl noted as his uncovered eye traveled across the room. Everyone was enjoying what the Trancy butler had made them. "By the end of the week they might be even more fond of him than they are of you." he said with a smirk, glancing at Sebastian out of the corner of his eye.

"Yes, they certainly seem to like him. Humans are so easily won over, just like dogs. Give them a bone and you'll be their best friend." the demon quietly replied, his eyes never leaving the congregation of delighted Phantomhive servants and guests.

The amused look on the Earl's face quickly turned to a glare. Sebastian really was right. Most of the pathetic human race were nothing more than dogs looking for a hand out, ready to lend their loyalty to the first person who came along offering them something. "Not all humans." he muttered.

"No, not all." Sebastian quietly responded. He allowed his gaze to travel to the boy who was now watching Soma with a blank expression.

Once Ciel saw Claude beginning to clean up, he turned to his guests. "Why don't we continue this in the parlor and let everyone get back to work?" he suggested. He had to compensate for the early arrival of his guests, finding anything to keep them busy and out of the way so their supper could be prepared.

"I trust things will be okay in here?" he said aside to Sebastian, clearly indicating that Claude and Sebastian were to stay behind.

"They always are." Sebastian answered.  

[Claude Faustus]

Claude nodded in response, putting the small cups and spoons away along with the spotlessly clean machine.

As the guests trailed out of the kitchen, Bard suddenly remembered that he had an errand to run. Finny pouted a little, pulling weeds from the lawns wasn't exactly his favorite gardening activity. But he too, left.

Once everyone was gone, Claude turned around to face Ciel. "Young master, I find your other house servants to be quiet charming. I found that with humans, positive rewarding is a highly effective means of encouraging co-operation..." here he glanced at Sebastian, continuing with "...Much better then disciplinary actions. I look forwards to working with them." He smiled with genuine feeling. Claude had come to view the Phantomehive servants as "Pets" as silly as their antics where,it was amusing to watch them, it offered a refreshing difference from his norm at the Trancy Estate.
Besides, He was required to be better then the other demon, If that meant that he must be friendlier to the human servants, so be it.
Cluade could balance being warm and friendly with a cool professionalism. He was a Trancy- no, Phantomhive Butler, to expect anything less would be unthinkable.  

[Krithony]

So Claude found the other servants charming. Ciel wished he could say the same. They never seemed to get much done and when they did, Sebastian always had to fix what ever it was the did wrong. Of course they were there for other reasons than to help with the keep up. Ciel just could not see how they could be so good at one thing and manage to mess up simple things that people of their status should know how to do second nature.

"Just like dogs." Ciel said, eying Sebastian who was currently putting away some pots that Bard seemed to have forgotten. It was interested how intrigued Claude seemed to be with the other humans in the household.

"As charming as they are, the novelty starts to wear off after a while." Sebastian noted. He thought the same thing when he first started to serve his master. It did not take long for the amusement to turn into annoyance with their constant incompetence.

"Doesn't Alois have any human servants?" he asked, genuinely curious. He knew there to be several other servants at the Trancy household that were not of a human nature, but there had to be at least one, did there not?  

[Claude Faustus]

"Indeed." Claude said in response to Sebastian's comment. "However I will not be staying long." He gave Ciel his full attention.
"Earl Trancy does not have any human servants my lord. The estate is run solely by four demon servants, myself included." He bowed his head slightly.. "...Was there something you wanted to talk to us alone about? Young lord?" He asked, wanting to bring the conversation away from that particular topic.  

[Krithony]

Four demon servants? How had Alois managed that one? All the humans, excluding Tanaka, working in the Phantomhive household could be complete idiots. For the first time Ciel felt a small pang of jealously toward the Earl Trancy.

Claude then brought up that Ciel had something he had wanted to talk to the demons about. "Oh, yes. Thank you for reminding me." Ciel said. In the midst of the excitement in the kitchen, the young Earl had almost forgotten that he had told the two butlers he had wanted to speak to them in private.

Sebastian finished putting away the last of the dishes and came over, taking his place next to Claude. "Yes, what is this bbout young master?"

"Soma has informed me that there have been men watching the townhouse. They have been following him around for some time. Agni apprently was able to apprehend one of them and he appeared to have his vocal cords and part of his tongue removed." he told Sebastian, filling him in on what he had missed when Ciel had dismissed him before.

"I then asked Lau if he knew anything about these people and he said that it must be some new faction he had not heard of yet. Whether I should believe him or not, I never know. He also said that they have been spotted when nobles are out with their sons. Younger sons at that." he told them both with a slight frown.

"It won't be long before they make there way here. What would you like us to do young master?" Sebastian chimed in.

"I want you two to keep an eye out. Let them come here. Let them think that we don't know anything about their existence.All I ask is that one is left alive. I want to get to the bottom of this. I don't think the Queen is even aware of this yet, otherwise I'm sure I'd have already been asked. The authorities don't even believe that these things are going on."  

[Claude Faustus]

The bespectacled demon nodded. "Very well young master." His cool indifference covered his concern, If this group was targeting young boys of the nobility, then they could also target Alois Trancy.
Despite his temporary work contact with Ciel, he was still bound to Alois. Perhaps....Perhaps I could kill them all before they get to Trancy. Claude thought. ...if they haven't already.  

[Krithony]

"I will leave you two to handle it then." Ciel said, his eyes flicking between the two demons. "I suspect that working together to solve this little issue cannot be too excruciating for you both." he continued with a smirk. He could practically feel the tension in the air when both demons were in close proximity with one another. Every time Claude's cold eyes rested on the boy, Ciel could tell that Sebastian wanted nothing more than to show him who the young earl belonged to. Even when dealing with a serious matter such as this one, it was hard to not find something like this slightly amusing.

"Perhaps you should let the others know that we might have some unsavoury visitors coming within the next few days. As inefficient as they are at their jobs, I know they are quite skilled in other areas that may prove to benefit our cause." Ciel said before exiting the room to join his company.

Sebastian watched the boy go, only turning to Claude after he was out of sight. "Are you concerned about these men coming after your young master?" he asked. If it were Sebastian who had been sent to the Trancy estate instead of Claude coming here, he would be worrying about Ciel, even if he did have other capable hands around. Demons were very protective of their prey. It did not matter if another demon was after their soul or if it was the work of humans. A soul as delectable as Ciel Phantomhive's was to be protected at all times. It was not something that Sebastian would easily let go.

"I suppose we should go find the rest of the Phantomhive servants and, after making sure nothing has been blown up, let them know about this situation."  

[Claude Faustus]

He put hand on his chin thinking. "Mr. Michaelis where is the telephone?"

Claude huffed placing the handset back on it's cradle. There wasn't any activity at the Trancy Estate, Hanna had undoubtly reported everything that had gone on since his departure. Nothing out of the ordinary. never the less, Claude had told her to keep on guard for intruders.
Not sure if he should be feeling relieved, Claude straightened his necktie and left the butlers room. There was a dinner that needed to get done and guests to be fed.

A scant few hours later, after Ciel's dinner guests had left. Claude was helping with putting away the last of the dishes. Meyrin was in a panic after she had forgotten where she placed a barrel of gunpoweder for her rifles.
"I said that I'd help you, now please Miss Meyrin.....the task at hand-" His words where cut off as Finnian ran by then carrying a massive boulder under each arm, the boy heading to rooftop to make his preparations for the night.
The demon had noted that all of the forks and knives from the silver drawer where gone once they where all cleaned, polished and put away. He wondered if Sebastian had already gone to see to the grounds surrounding the manor.

The sun had already set and it looked like it was going to be a clear night.  

[JuuzousJason XIII]

Sebastian had indeed stolen all of the good silverware because they would always be his weapon of choice for protecting his precious master. Even though he didn't like the idea of working with Claude on this case he knew that it would be in everyone's best interests if he placed their differences aside and work with the other demon butler. He had to protect Ciel Phantomhive, no matter what the costs...

Ciel in the end had gone back into his study. That's where he felt the most safe because he knew that both demons were both more then willing to protect the soul that was most precious to them. As long as the pawns played their part him, the King Piece, would never need to move an inch. On top of it off there was an added bonus where both demons would be forced to work together. He couldn't possibly see how Sebastian could turn this game against him. He smug smirk grazed his lips as he turned to look out the window at the darkness of the night. "Let the game begin..."  

[Claude Faustus]

"Young lord, Is there anything else you will be needing?" Claude asked he came in with a tray of a herbal evening tea and a small portion of thin potato slices that after being fried, drained, lightly seasoned placed in a shallow bowl. 'crips' or 'chips' where a relatively new invention and were gaining popularity as a light side dish in America, Claude saw no reason why in they could be offered for light snacking.
Placing the tray down on the desk, He noticed the iron poker beside the fire place. 'Perhaps that can be of use'

A clear gibbous moon a field of bright twinkling stars showed the way for a group of men stalking thorough the underbrush, they had come in from the back of the grounds. favoring the sheltering dark of the trees.