That Butler, New Face

That Butler, Skilled

{Two years later – The Phantomhive Manor}

A Short distance from London, just beyond the fog-cloaked forest, there stands a well-kept manor house. Its resident is the head of the Phantomhive family, a distinguished aristocrat. His day begins with a cup of early morning tea.

"Young Master, it is time to wake up," Sebastian Michaelis, the butler of the Phantomhive family said as he entered the room with a serving cart loaded with breakfast. He was followed into the room by the head maid, Chêne LeBeau. Their young master, the Earl Ciel Phantomhive, just mumbled something and rolled over back to sleep again. Chêne tsked at Ciel, and threw open the curtains of the room's sunniest window.

"Rise and shine, Ciel!" Chêne cheered loudly. She smiled brightly at the glare Ciel shot her for such a rude awakening. You would think he would be used to it by now. Sebastian gracefully poured the tea and served it to Ciel.

"For today's breakfast, I have prepared poached salmon and mint salad. Toast, scones, and pain de campagne, have been prepared by Chêne as an accompaniment," Sebastian informed Ciel. "Which would you prefer?" Ciel sat up and yawned lightly.

"... Scone," Ciel answered sleepily as he took the tea. "This aroma... Ceylon tea, hm?" Chêne selected Ciel's outfit for the day and laid it out on the bed. Ciel nodded in approval, and she left to start her other chores for the day and to give Ciel privacy while he dressed.

"Yes, and we will be using the Royal Doulton dishes," Sebastian replied as he buttoned Ciel's shirt. "The tea set is Wedgewood Blue and White."

"And the schedule for today?" Ciel asked. Sebastian began fixing Ciel's necktie.

"Professor Hughes, an authority in kingcraft, will arrive after breakfast," Sebastian said as he finished tying the bow. "After lunch..."

=†=†=†=†=

*BONG! *

Chêne hit the gong a hard as she could. Sebastian stood in the middle of the courtyard in a Mexican standoff with an Asian martial artist, who was in a stereotypical kung fu pose. It was silent except for the whooshing sound of the wind and the rustle of a random tumbleweed as it rolled by. Chêne wasn't quite sure what a plant that belonged in the American 'wild west' was doing in the English countryside, but it did add to the atmosphere. She and Mister Tanaka stood beside Ciel, who was lounging in a chair with a glass of ice-cold lemonade. Bard, Mei-Rin, and Finni stood off to the side, waiting in anticipation of Sebastian's latest duel. The kung fu hustle man decided to strike first.

"Huaaah~!" the man cried as he began waving his arms around. He struck a pose and shouted, "Take this! Secret technique! The beauties–of–Nature–Blooming–in–Glory–Fist!" Kung fu man lunged at Sebastian.

Sebastian calmly readjusted his gloves, and narrowed his eyes slightly at the man before striking faster than the blink of an eye. Chêne thought she heard a slicing sound, but she couldn't be sure. Interestingly enough, despite the fact that it looked like Sebastian barely even touched him, kung fu man now looked really roughed up, and his clothes were tattered.

'Just what did Sebastian do?' Chêne wondered.

"Gya–hah!" the kung fu man coughed, blood trickled down the corner of his mouth. "T–That was our school's ultimate secret hidden technique! When–the–Fierce–Tiger–and–Dragon–Roar–Ten–Thousand–Flowers–Scatter–and–Split–Fist...What in the world are you!"

Chêne raised an eyebrow. Didn't the guy know any techniques with names that weren't fifty syllables long? Sebastian clapped his hands together, removing any dust that might have gotten on them and looked back over his shoulder at kung fu man.