Serena walked back into the Phantomhive manor feeling like she was 90 and riddled with arthritis. This morning, she had made the decision to just ride this dream out. It had to have been brought on by her fall. She probably cracked her head open and was in the hospital. Maybe she was even a vegetable right now and living out the rest of her life in a fantasy world.
No reason to spoil that. She loved this series. Why not live it up? She now had pretty clothes and seemed to have made friends with Lizzy. But, going by the series, that wasn't hard to do. It would be even harder to make friends with Ciel.
Well if it was a dream, might as well go for it.
"Would you like some help, my lady?" She looked up to see Sebastian right beside her. "You seem to be having a hard time. And master would like to see you in his office."
"Of course he wants to see me now. After I just spent the day as his fiancee's distraction." The redhead fumed and Sebastian wondered if the old saying was true about a red head's temper.
"Lizzy really, you need to get back home before Aunt Frances starts to worry." Both looked up to see Ciel walking toward the stairs with Elizabeth hanging off his side. The blond was bravely trying to snuggle the cold Earl as he tried to push her away. Serena and Sebastian started to snicker, but a glare from Ciel got them to shut up. Not to stop smiling, but to stop outright laughing.
"Oh, Serena!" The blond moved to her instead and Ciel sighed in relief. The butler reached out a hand to steady Serena so she didn't fall down the stairs as she was hugged. "Today was just lovely. We simply must do it again."
"Of course, my lady. This is one of the most enjoyable days I have ever spent." The older girl returned the hug before Elizabeth flounced down the remaining stairs.
"I will have Sebastian call the estate and tell them you are on your way. Please, be careful Elizabeth and I look forward to your next visit." Ciel's voice was soft as he gently pushed his fiancee out the door the butler was holding. She still managed to sneak in one more crushing hug before getting into the carriage with Paula.
Elizabeth leaned out the window to wave once more as the carriage made its way down the drive to the road. Ciel walked back into the mansion and slammed the door shut before the butler had the chance. A large sigh came out as he leaned against the heavy wood.
"Yeah, I wish you luck, Earl Phantomhive. You got a live wire there." Serena had sat on the stairs where the others had left her. "I think that girl had more energy in one finger than normal people have in their entire body. Either that or she is on one hell of a permanent sugar rush."
Ciel nodded and pushed away from the door. "Sebastian. Call the Midford estate and tell them Lizzy is on her way home."
"Yes, master." The butler strode across the entryway toward the kitchen to carry out his orders.
After he left, Ciel started up the stairs. "Now that Lizzy is on her way home, I would like to speak to you."
"Unfortunately, I think this is as far as I'm going to get. You can glare at me all you want, but I've been dragged through half of London on foot." She looked up with a grimace. "Let me give you a girl lesson that you seriously need if you're going to marry her. Never give a shopaholic free reign with the money."
The Earl sighed as he rubbed his forehead. "She went through a small fortune, didn't she?"
"I'm not an expert on nineteenth-century money, but I wouldn't call that small. I now have an entire wardrobe with all the trimmings on order as well as two gowns that can be worn now with matching slippers. There is also a vanity set, a set of soaps and lotions, hair ribbons, and some small pieces of jewelry for day wear."
"Master, Lady Frances was very appreciative of the phone call." Sebastian appeared at the bottom of the stairs.
"Maybe she should instruct Lizzy on the proper way to call on people," Ciel snapped.
"I doubt that would help. You're her fiancee, so she doesn't have to give you a warning." Serena laughed a little before looking at Sebastian. "I think that I'll take that help now. It's obvious that he's not going to let me spend the night here."
"Of course." The demon swept up the stairs and lifted Serena into his arms.
"Well, that's not quite what I had in mind."
"Come," Ciel waved them to follow. "I still wish to discuss what we found today."
"Did you find some way to send me back home?" The redhead couldn't keep the excitement out of her voice. Unknown to her, Sebastian glared at her anticipation to leave him.
'Never.' The butler sighed at his own possessiveness. 'This could become a problem.'
"No."
In the study, Sebastian set the redhead in the chair directly in front of the Earl's desk and moved to stand behind his master. Ciel pulled her purse from one of the drawers and set it on the large surface.
"I would like you to explain the things we found. I do not recognize most of them."
"You went through my purse?" Serena stared at them both dumbfounded for a moment. The moment was short before anger overtook her. The glare she shot at them was pure female fury and Ciel stopped himself from flinching back. "You went through my purse!?"
The redhead stood from the chair, the fireplace giving a perfect backdrop for her rage.
"I think I need to give you both a girl lesson." She strode forward and the Earl sunk a little further in his chair. The butler moved a little closer to his master. "NEVER touch a girl's purse! It's damn near sacred. Do I make myself clear?"
Both men stared in silence at the wrath before them.
"I'm waiting for an answer!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
Serena swiped her purse from the desktop. Going back to her chair, she rifled through the small bag to make sure that everything was still there. She even opened her wallet to make sure all her money and cards were still there. All the while she mumbled under her breath about nosy little boys and thieving demons.
"My lady, I would implore you to understand that you are a guest in the Earl's home that he didn't have to take in and care for. Being a stranger, of course, we needed to know what kind of person was currently living with the Earl. It is for the master's protection as well as your own." Sebastian easily interrupted her mumbling and Ciel nodded at his explanation.
The redhead glared back. "I would also like you to understand that you could have just asked before rifling through someone's personal possessions. Aren't the nobles in this time supposed to be all about the illusion of courtesy?"
The Earl sighed and stood to come around his desk. "Of course. I do apologize for my behaviour. My questions could have been answered by yourself and I ask your forgiveness for my impatience."
Ciel bowed with his apology, which surprised both girl and demon. Serena's anger started to wane and she shook her head.
"Thank you. I admit I may have over-reacted. But, I stand by the girl lesson." She sighed. "What did you want to know?"
"If you could explain what those things are and their use. As I said before, there was not much that I recognized and I would like to know more about this time that you come from."
"Meaning," Serena smirked. "You would like to know if you can market some of the things from my time period in the Funtom Company?"
"Perhaps."
"I don't think there is much that will be of use to you. It's not just the idea or explanation that is needed for things from the future, this time is decades away from the technology needed to produce and use these."
The Earl steepled his hands and nodded. "Each thing is built from something else, that was further built from something even simpler."
"Exactly." Still, the girl from the future started to pull things from her purse until they were lined up on the desk again. The last piece she pulled out was her cell phone. Remembering the cover, she put it back.
"We have already seen it, my lady. It is one of the things my master would like explained."
Serena sighed and set the phone out, back cover-up.
"Alright, I'm sure that you already know what a tube of lipstick is." At their nod, she moved on. "This is a wallet. Most countries have gone to paper money as it is easier for people to carry and easier for governments to print."
She spread out the bills and waited for Ciel's nod before pulling out her cards.
"These are called credit cards. Like today, when Lizzy and I were shopping, she told the merchants to send the bills to the Phantomhive manor. That would be credit. It is a merchant allowing you to purchase or order with the promise of payment. Basically, that is what these cards are.
They are an agreement between the cardholder and merchant that you may purchase and be billed later." She pulled out the Walmart card. "Some cards are only valid in certain stores. While others can be used at any merchant that has an agreement with the card company. In that case, the company that issues the card, pays the merchant, then the cardholder pays the company."
"Alright." Ciel looked at each of the cards before handing them back.
Serena then pulled out her driver's license. "Another thing that changes is that every person has a form of government identification. For example, any person could walk into a store off the street and with the right clothing and demeanour, say they are Ciel Phantomhive, buy whatever they wanted and the bill would be sent to you. In my time period, the merchant would ask for ID. This is also a way for countries to have an approximate number of their citizens and keep closer tabs on people."
With a sigh, the girl picked up her phone. "Earlier, you told Sebastian to call the Midford estate."
Ciel and Sebastian nodded while leaning closer.
"This is a phone from my time period. There are no wires as it works with satellites and cellular towers that pick up signals."
"Satellites and towers?"
"I know it's hard to explain." Serena rubbed her forehead. "Especially, since I'm not the most technologically inclined person."
"What is a satellite?" Sebastian asked before the earl had a chance.
"In my time, people have found a way to go into outer space." Both men's eyes widened at this. "Satellites are placed in the earth's orbit to send and receive information from around the globe in a matter of moments. Don't ask me to go further into it, because I either don't understand or don't know how to explain. That is the basic explanation that I can give you. I wasn't that great in science and failed physics."
"It appears that you were right. None of these things are useful to me without the technology to work them. However, your time is very interesting."
"Really, it's people inventing stuff that makes things easier. Giving them an excuse to be kind of lazy." Serena ran a hand over her iPhone's screen. She was shocked when it lit up. "I still have battery!"
Sebastian and Ciel watched as her face lit up and she kept touching the screen. "This makes my explanation a little easier. You can also play games, send messages, keep your schedule, do research on the internet..."
"Games?" Ciel walked around the desk again to watch over Serena's shoulder. The demon shook his head at his master's favourite past time.
"Yeah, see this is called Bejeweled. You just move the jewels that are next to each other around till three are lined up together and you get points." Serena gave the phone over to the boy after showing him how to do it. Ciel quickly became engrossed. She laughed at his quick grasp of the game.
'Lord of Games, huh? I have a feeling that Ciel is a little bit of a genius.'
The two huddled together and went through all the games that Serena had downloaded on her phone. By the end of Angry Birds, she had pushed him into giving her lessons in chess. Sebastian had brought tea and snacks while they were busy. The demon had watched as his mate seemed to draw the quiet boy into having fun. He even caught a small smile from time to time when his young master won.
"Master, are you forgetting about the back of her phone?"
"Right." The Earl quickly handed the device back and went back to his chair. Serena looked annoyed at Sebastian.
"If you could please explain the photo that is on the back of your...phone."
"You see, in my time, this is all a television show." She waved her hands to encompass the whole of the manor. "In Japan, they have books called manga. The manga is sometimes used to base a television show. Yana Toboso wrote the manga Black Butler about a child earl who sells his soul to a demon to get revenge on the people who killed his family."
Ciel and Sebastian looked at each other, recognizing the story.
"I have no idea where the idea came from. Until I dropped onto your lands I thought it was completely fictional. Interesting note, you all are famous."
"Famous?"
"Yeah, the manga was turned into an anime, a television show, which was then turned into various merchandising, a game, plushies, posters, and even 2 musicals. The manga and the anime are available in several countries."
"Musicals?"
"Yeah," Serena laughed. "I thought the same thing when I first heard about them. I thought they had pushed the envelope a little too far. I didn't care for the first one too much and the night that I was sent here, my friends were taking me to see the second one."
"How come you have some of these merchandise?" The demon looked sly as a fox to the redhead.
"Are you implying something?" She sniffed and looked away. "Maybe I like the show? Or maybe I thought that cover was too cute to pass up?"
"In any case, this is good for us." Ciel leaned forward on his desk with an evil smile. "Since you like the show and have watched it, you can tell us what happened."
"I may not be as useful as you think. The show depicts the end of your contract when you were thirteen. The manga is still running. Obviously, the anime was wrong. How wrong, I do not know."
Master and demon looked at each other again. Ciel was seventeen now.
"If the television show is based on the book, then how could it be so different?" The Earl was beyond confused now.
"You see, I think the people who produced the show didn't plan on it being so popular. As such, they shortened it considerably. They added elements while cutting others."
"So we need to know which one is closer to the truth."
"Perhaps if we could write down a timeline of events since your contract, we could see which is closer and go from there?" She yawned before continuing. "Excuse me. There are also characters that were added in the anime that were never in the manga and vice versa. A list of people that you have met since then would be helpful as well."
Sebastian looked at his watch. "Master, I do believe that is time to prepare for bed. We can discuss this more tomorrow."
The Earl nodded, his mind racing with the things Serena had explained as well as the lists she had requested. Ciel wanted to know everything, not just what she wished to divulge.
'There's no other way, I'll have to trip her up somehow. There may be truth in both.'
Serena stood with them and bowed to the lord. "I will see you in the morning, my lord. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Serena."
The trio left the office before the redhead waved and headed off in the other direction. Mei-Rin was rushing up the staircase when Serena met her at the head.
"Oh, good. I was afraid I had missed you, my lady." The maid bowed and almost tripped back down the stairs. Serena grabbed her arm quickly and sighed when the maid was steady on her feet.
"Thank you, my lady."
"Don't worry about it. Now, let's get me out of this torture device you all call a corset."
*****************************A Demon's Mate****************************************
"You're strangely quiet tonight, master. Are you thinking of what Miss Serena told you, or what I did?" Sebastian helped the earl from the bathtub and slipped a towel around his shoulders.
"Both. Her time is very interesting, but also raises the question that if you would have to leave with Serena...what would you do if she simply goes back to her time period?" Ciel held out his arms as the demon slid his nightshirt up his arms. Sebastian faltered in buttoning up the shirt.
"I do not know. I guess I would simply have to wait until she is born."
"Perhaps you weren't supposed to meet her until later, that would be why she was born so far in the future from where we are now. Anyway, I believe that there is some other reason as to her appearance. Until we find out what that is, we will have to watch her closely. Her very presence may alter something important. She will also have to be educated of this time.
And I am very interested in knowing what all is shown on this television show. She said that she thought the story was purely fictional, however, she seems to be fairly knowledgeable in history. As shown by her ability to mimic proper manners. So, how does she not know the Phantomhive family is real?"
"As I said, these things can be discussed in the morning. After your morning lessons, you have the rest of the day free. I will inform Miss Serena that she can explain more about this television show then." Sebastian settled the blankets around his master.
"There's more. I don't like that my life is entertainment for others, no matter how popular it may be. We still don't know what all Serena knows and she doesn't seem to be very forthcoming."
"She isn't going anywhere tonight. We'll have all afternoon to discover a way to get her to talk."
After the lord was settled, the demon set off for Serena's room. The other piece from her purse was still in his pocket and he intended to speak to her about it.
'My mate must understand that she has no need for such things and I will not tolerate their presence in my home later. Also, I wish to know what all is revealed about me. Humans cannot know the secrets of demons. My mentor made sure to drill that fact into my very being.'
He waited until he saw Mei-Rin exit the room and go through the door into the servants part of the house. He knocked lightly on the door and waited for a reply before stepping in. Serena was sitting up on the bed, obviously confused by the interruption. Sebastian made sure to shut the door before snapping his fingers to light the candles on the bedside table.
"I take it there is something that you want to talk about without the Earl around?"
"Quite. There was another device in your purse that I worry about being in the Earl's home. My master has a reputation to protect."
"Okay, first I had no intention of coming into the Earl's home so anything that I supposedly brought in is not my fault. Secondly, what could I have had on me that was so offensive?"
Sebastian pulled the white cylinder from his pocket to show the redhead as though he were showing the most damning evidence in a mass murder case.
Serena blinked at him, confused. "My tampon is offensive?"
"Perhaps not where you are from, however here a lady has no use for such a thing and if it were discovered it could bring terrible shame to my master."
Serena couldn't hold her giggle in. "Have you been carrying that around all day?"
"Yes, I have. I couldn't risk one of the other servants or Lady Elizabeth seeing such a thing."
"Wait, exactly what do you think that is?"
The demon looked at the object. "I would assume by its shape that it is some kind of toy for women."
After a moment, Serena burst out laughing. Sebastian continued to watch her, his irritation growing. Minutes later, the girl was still laughing, her entire face red. Her breathing was becoming more erratic the longer she laughed. She wasn't even making any noise. Every time she seemed to stop, Serena would look over at the butler still holding the tampon up and start another round.
"That's a tampon," she choked out. "Women in my time use it for their period."
"Period?"
"What do they call it in this time? Oh, yes. It's used during a woman's monthly cycle."
The demon couldn't drop the offending piece fast enough. Which started a new round of laughter. Finally, Sebastian turned on his heel and strode from the room, giving up on his other questions for the night. Her laughter followed him all the way to the servant's quarters.