Some fandoms are less than pleasant to be in based on the people in it, and the reviews I've gotten were rather blunt. So far both the Kuroshitsuji fandom and the Naruto one have been nothing but kind to me, and for that I am eternally grateful. Here's to the fourth chapter, coming soon.

Chapter 3

There were some things that Ra had never wished to remember. The betrayal of her teammate and the person she loved most. The death of her parents. And worst of all was the feeling of hopelessness as her world burned around her.

Itachi's genjutsu had been a memory of burning ashes, but not even that could compare to Obito's - Madara's - hellscape. She had looked into his eyes once on the battlefield as his reincarnated form took full hold upon the writhing mass of the Juubi. She did not even know if it had been hours or not - but he had shown her the absolute worst fear she had and pulled it open for them both to see.

It wasn't the appearance of the broken buildings, of course. Nor was it the image of the Ten-Tails, ravaging upon the empty wreckage of her defeated home.

It wasn't the blood, either. She couldn't get the stench of it out of her nose, but that was a trivial case and she had grown used to it.

It was the promise of an eternity, the feeling that new leaves would not come out of the blackened husk of an old tree. That was what their entire village stood for, their image stretching across the skies as a country that stood tall, unyielding, growing back their branches again and again as long as they maintained the network of roots underneath. But this time, Madara had burned even the earth with his ire.

She had read no journal entries about his former years alongside Hashirama. That part of their history had been removed along with the extinction of the Uchiha clan, their betrayal. But she wondered, briefly, how Izuna would have seen his brother now had he been able to see what Madara had become.

Piteous, her traitorous mind imposed, and then he had twisted the Mangekyo deeper. She had not bowed, for she would not let herself. And the worst thing was that Ra had felt his pain.

He was unable to save his family members, and with that guilt imbedded deep within his heart he wrenched his morals aside and found the worst possible techniques to achieve what he wanted. Eternal peace. The Tsukiyomi. And in the process, nobody would ever have to suffer from anything again.

What would that plan be, other than a fever dream? Ra knew from undergoing years of isolation and choosing to hide from her woes rather than facing them that pain, however much it hurt, reminded them of their own mortality. It reminded her that she would eventually end someday. It lessened the hurt of her mistakes, at least, and it made her more confident to make them. She was not a harbored child, fearful of the judgment of her peers and sensei. She had grown far past that already.

If she had been in his shoes, she likely would have let them be. The dead should rest in their graves, no matter how much Ra mourned for them, and when she was dead she hoped they did the same. Her past was full of errors, blundering scars that she was deeply ashamed of and wanted nothing more but to forget. A clean slate, she said, but not the one you wish for, Madara. Puppets have to be held up on strings, and dancing for someone else's amusement is the last thing I'd ever want.

And then, by some miracle, it had ended. She had been released for some inane reason that Madara gave, and when she looked at him again for a second time he had cast his eyes away, as if feeling... remorse? Surely not. Perhaps he had thought she was unaffected and did not waste any further time on her useless antics.

She was too weak to have done anything to him, anyway. Suddenly Ra had felt tired, as if the fighting was unnecessary and a mere waste of her energy. She was not a powerhouse, and she could not replicate the feats that Naruto or Sasuke accomplished. She did not have anything but her own hard work and her control. And what good did that do, in a game where only the flashiest jutsus won?

Ra did not get as close of a read as she wished she did, but a few days later the demon returned.

His appearance kept the same glowing eyes that he had shown the two before, but there was something different about them - it seemed that whatever aura it used was muted, shifting ever so slightly so that it wasn't as obvious or as noticeable. Ra blinked, brow furrowing, wondering if it was some sort of genjutsu that diverted her attention away from the unusual feature. Of course, that was only in regards to Britain. The Uchiha had the Sharingan, and she'd seen much weirder signs of clan heritage just from traveling with Naruto.

Maybe that shouldn't be her first thought, however, because Naruto attracted weird things just by existing.

The demon's attire and figure were otherwise normal, if not a bit too attractive-looking that drew attention away from Ciel at most and gave her a bit of discomfort. The imposing figure he made could not be suppressed by the title of a butler, she assumed, but even his beauty seemed falsified. What servant couldn't manage to blend into the background, remaining quiet and poised? He would never be a ninja, that's for sure.

After the incident of the mansion burning down, it had surprisingly not taken the news the very next day. The perpetrators were probably keeping quiet, and there had been no sightings otherwise from any nearby people. Ra assumed that it was because she had kept up the barriers to ward off anyone who attempted to come nearby and investigate, and she soon found no reason to regret it. If they had seen the unharmed state of the house, they may have found some suspicion for what had actually occurred.

The area surrounding the mansion had been refurnished due to Ra's efforts. She had planted many different types of herbs and things that fit the seasonal changes: agapanthus, climbing roses blooming scarlet red in the sunlight, lilac sprouts, and lily of the valley.

She had gone to great lengths to acquire each of the plants. Using scrolls that she had blessedly saved in her medic pouch, she was able to transport many objects safely and searched while she kept track of the things she already had within them, including weapons and chakra pills. She would be able to use them in case of an emergency.

It had never been her strong point when knowing the meanings of flowers. She chose the ones that she thought suited each other best, but judging by the strange look on Sebastian's face when he saw the white bells of the last particular flower, Ra briefly remembered that they were supposed to ward away evil spirits and from witches' spells. She tried not to laugh out loud in front of him, but judging by her muffled snorting he probably knew anyway.

Other than the planting, she had been looking up more subjects to read in the vast sections of what they deemed to be a library. And yes, it definitely was one - the building was far bigger than any she'd ever seen, and there were several floors, each winding higher and higher in one glass-paneled staircase.

The subject of reading had not stood out to her in the beginning, and in her world they had never come across or written topics such as that of fairies. There were gods, of course, beings so legendary and omnipotent that their divine intervention could fall a nation and give rise to another.

But as she gained time to do as she pleased in this place, once the feeling of "I-need-to-go-back-home" and sleepless nights of poring through the pages of lost books in libraries had faded, she had decided to read more of the lore of this land, and further, the stories they told to explain strange happenings they could not comprehend. Devils, they screamed. Witches. Heretics. They burned innocents at the stake because of their fear.

Their law systems were corrupt and unprofessional, or perhaps they simply did not care. Either way, many people had died whether from plague or primordial tactics, their stagnant technology and their inability to do anything other than be the terrified civilians they already were.

Ra may have been that, once. If she had chosen not to become a shinobi, she may have been subjugated to a life of misery and suffering. She still had that now, of course, but at least she felt she was doing something about it. She had become useful.

She had learned about the Black Plague pandemic, spreading across the country and the continent of Europe as it killed from 70 to 200 million people. The number differences were astonishing, but even more so were the lack of explanations for the why.

She'd read documents where the Holy Roman Emperor blamed a specific group of people for creating the plague. She'd seen written records where many believed it was the work of god, the penance for their unworthy souls. Religion had staked its name into people's minds, so much so that it blinded them to the fact that it had been poisoning and airborne sickness, along with the unhygienic practices these people faced.

She was relieved to know that while the medieval period had many believe that having water touch their skin while completely naked would make them severely ill and that it was an evil practice, the outbreak helped them realize that hand-washing decreased the effects using either water, wine, or vinegar, and due to this the cleanliness of streets became better as well. They created perfumes, oils, soaps made from mutton fat and wood ash and flower petals and herbs.

(She chose the one that had the least scent attached to it. However much she enjoyed perusing through the high-class paraphernalia scattered throughout the shops for richer folk, she did not want her location to be compromised because she had used lavender that day instead of the natural bar soap.)

Then she had learned about knights. That subject had been the most interesting for her, considering their values and hers were the same. She served Konohagakure, hidden in the leaves and the brush and the quiet rivers, and the knights served their lords and their kingdom of men, fighting again and again but refusing to crumble. She valued that strength, and thus she respected the concept of the soldier even more within them.

Ciel had been amused at first, but as she continued to check out books and they began to pile even the floors of her room, he had begun to look rather concerned. "You look like you're holing yourself up in there," he noted as she stepped over and around piles of papers she'd written on and leather spines worn and weathered. "It looks like you're trying to solve a murder."

"Eh, close enough," she replied as she flipped several pages in one text, then turned to another and turned back three more. He slowly backed out of the room and left her to her own devices after that. She was grateful for his thoughtfulness.

Despite the few times he did leave his study (mostly to berate Ra and then ask her if there was any dinner prepared), Ciel was quiet. He had searched through and personally went to each of his father's colleagues since much of his papers and documents had been burned away in the fire. Ra was not sure how to replicate that, since she had not been able to find anything left to salvage. He seemed to be quite worried about it, so she accompanied him to and fro from the mansion.

A full week after the fire, Ra heard a knock on the front door and sneaked through to check. Surely enough, it was the butler, and behind him were several people that she did not recognize.

"Hello," she said cautiously, inviting them in. They seemed too nervous to be demon compatriots, but she couldn't be sure. "Uh, who are you?"

"They will be new servants to the Phantomhive household," Sebastian replied calmly. "And one returning caretaker. Tanaka-san, was it?"

A well-dressed and quite elderly man walked up from behind the three, bowing in a short introductory stature. Otherwise, he had nothing else to say, and Ra watched as he headed off to greet the young master with the air of a butler who knew exactly what to do next.

"My name is Ra," she greeted the newcomers less warily. Her eye for reputable fellows had not been hindered over the years, and she was sure they were exactly as Sebastian described them. "Pleased to meet you. I am a friend of Ciel Phantomhive's, and I'm glad there will be new faces around."

Hastily they responded in kind. "My name is Baldroy, but you can call me Bard. This is Finnian, and the other lady is Mey-rin. We will do our best for the Phantomhives."

The three were dressed in peculiar attire, none that she'd seen before, and Ra decided that they definitely had not come together but had grown close in the brief time they'd spent. She could practically feel their camaraderie in the air. She acutely did not mention any of this to them lest they become embarrassed.

"You can call me Finny, though!" The boy added with a slight grin, and Ra felt herself blink twice.

"Of course. I'll, uh..." She glanced over to Sebastian. "I'll leave you to it."

The demon merely smiled.

Feeling mildly perturbed by what the new butler had been doing during the time he was mysteriously away, Ra flickered up to the second floor and peeked in to where Ciel's study was. What she saw was a surprise - Tanaka was greeting the new head of the household, and Ciel's shoulders were shaking as he stared up at the man in front of him. He looked as if he were seeing a ghost.

Judging by both of their expressions, they seemed to have known each other for a long time. Briefly, she wondered if that meant some of the information Ciel was unsure of would be settled by this matter. All the servants had left, but at least one of them should know about what the previous head had been aware of. Gossip ran a long way.

"You're alive," he said, voice breaking. "Tanaka, I am so very sorry. I did not go looking for you once you left."

One wizened hand came to rest carefully upon Ciel's head, and Ra saw that it was his way of saying that it would be alright. "We can continue on, can't we? I will follow you till the end, young master."

An unknown message was sent between the two, and with that image of Tanaka consoling the well-worn and stricken boy Ra decided not to overstay her welcome.

Brief introductions were made once Ciel was brought down to see over the new servants. Bard seemed to stand up a bit straighter, Finny shifted from foot to foot with anticipation, and Mey-rin appeared quite lost. She sat in the shadows, watching over them on the tall oak banister to the left of the high chandelier as they made their greetings.

"Your garden is beautiful," Finny exclaimed, hands wringing behind his back, and once again Ra was reminded of someone else. "If I may, I'd like to watch over it. I love the outdoors, and I'll make sure to treat your plants well!"

"I'm pretty good with fire," Bard said, cigarette on one side of his mouth as his lips moved, "so I can work in the kitchen. Keep the furnace going, y'know."

"I-I know some things with polishing," Mey-rin stuttered, "and I can clean the floors. I'll make sure to do it well, yes I will!"

"Of course," Ciel replied, and the way all of them lit up made Ra feel somewhat moved.

Tanaka, apparently, had been treated at the Royal Hospital due to having been stabbed while protecting Ciel from the intruders. Sebastian had encountered him on the returning trip, and Tanaka seemed overjoyed despite the way he moved more slowly at times to show his injured back. He had given Sebastian his pocket watch, in which he briefly said had been passed down from the Phantomhive butlers for a long time. The demon accepted it dutifully.

Ra briefly came down again, much to the astonishment of those who hadn't noticed her from the beginning. She nodded to Ciel and stood by Tanaka, who had taken position at the front of the stairs and bowed to her as a guest. She waved a hand, and just as she did she cast the remaining push needed to help process the wound before it scarred. Tanaka's expression grew sharper, then subsided as if he had noticed nothing at all.

With his new appointed title as house steward, Tanaka retired for the day as they settled in. Ciel had bestowed a straw hat to Finny, and to Mey-rin a pair of glasses. She did not have to wonder what they were for - she could see the way Finnian covered his neck subconsciously, the trembling of Mey-rin's pointer finger as she pulled at a phantom rifle. They were grateful, and Ra was glad for their relief.

Mey-Rin, especially, seemed to be pleased for her newfound apparel and her requirement to wear skirts, the things that Ciel had gifted to her for the job she now undertook. Although all three of them turned out to be quite clumsy in their work, Ra hoped that with time they would be able to enjoy their occupations enough that they could at least push back the thoughts they had before, the melancholy of trauma and heavy strife.

A month passed.

Ra knew how to cook. She didn't have a very large plethora of dishes in her repertoire, however, but she was the most experienced person in the manor to make things and Sebastian needed to learn quickly. In the end, she helped him figure out many of the seasonings and spices along with how carbohydrates should be balanced with fruits and vegetables, or how fish was good with rice.

Eastern cuisine was emphasized. She didn't really have a lot of chances to make what she wanted before, but using Sebastian as an excuse to start making things she craved Ra began to create noodles, bok choy, and tofu, along with many other ingredients that normally they would not have. She could begin growing the items in the forest areas as well, branching out slightly as long as she remained tolerant of the prices and how well they produced.

During her nostalgia over past recipes and cultural exchanges, she offered him many cookbooks from the library in the meantime. Her collection of reading material was stockpiling, and as she visited the building many times they began to offer her things that they wished to throw away, things they wanted her to keep. She was a regular there, and to her credit Ra was an open person who made sure to visit often and every two or three days.

She couldn't carry a mountain of books back with only one trip, after all. It would be quite a spectacle.

It turned out that Sebastian became quite capable with cooking once he started using Ra as his first test subject. The first few times, she had promptly trashed the contents into the rubbish bin and told him to try again, pointing out that he either cooked with the fire on for too long or too high. "Keep a timer if you have to," she said, maintaining the heat. "I have no idea how long you managed to live without learning how to cook, but I guess demons don't have to eat food like we do."

It was quite funny how he maintained his composure but then ruined the eggs, but in the end he learned fast. Amazingly so, since after watching her perform each task once he was able to replicate it effortlessly.

Ciel's addition of mentioning the things he preferred also shaped Sebastian's (and in turn, her own) recipes, adding croissants, pastries, and other fine delicacies into their list. This they both had to learn, hers still turning out slightly better if not perfect composites of raspberry scones and cobblers and cookies. His confidence to excel was still uncanny, though, and Ra was sure that with another try he would fine-tune his creations for Ciel to enjoy.

Competitive streak aside, there was really nothing else for her to do. Sebastian handled the other's mistakes appropriately, and Ra looked over Tanaka's health every so often, but Ciel asked to be left alone besides being sent dinner by the butler and to ask Tanaka for assistance.

Disliking the demon's accompaniment and wanting to complete her own tasks, Ra continued to read on into the night. She visited Finny, then she ascended a tree with minimal effort and stood directly perpendicular to it, nestling within its branches and watching the sun fall down.

"I miss them," she said aloud, seeing nothing but the fireflies blinking yellow in return. "I wonder how long it'll take for me to come back."

Yes, she was starting to enjoy herself once more, and it was lessening the burden she had for returning back home and worrying about the fate of her Konoha, the sheer terror of the unknown and if she would be forced to stay in this place forever. But the fear still existed, and the stories still told her nothing.

"Summoning Jutsu," she spoke, smearing a prick of blood from her finger and into the palm of her hand. There was no spark of connection, no slug returning to her, and Ra felt her frustration grow.

"Shit," she said, leaning back hopelessly. She hadn't wanted it to be her last resort, but there it was. She was fully disconnected from her own world, and it would not answer to her prayer. The darkness stretched slightly, changing form, and she saw animals in the night, howling nightmares made of rage and avarice and pain.

There was no reply, of course. But Ra stilled, feeling fear creep in, wondering when it had last been that she could not feel her blood pounding.

The bed was too soft when she returned, and all the senses within her said to remain hardened and alert, so on the floor she slept, blanket folded up neatly beneath her. She was not cold, as there was too much heat in the mansion and there was no air circulation throughout the rooms.

She awoke five hours later, still feeling jittery and far too haywire for her own good.

"My, what are you doing out here this early in the morning?" Sebastian asked as she stumbled into the kitchen, seeming genuinely concerned. Ra gave him a sardonic half-reply as she reached for the coffee handle next to the door that wasn't there. She briefly remembered that this wasn't her apartment anymore, let alone her kitchen, and scowled before searching through the pantry for ground coffee.

"I was contemplating the universe. What about you?"

He took this in stride and prepared a cup for her to use, watching her pour water in first before letting several spoonfuls of the powder fall into the mix. She reached for the sugar that wasn't there either and frowned even harder, chugging the thing back. A stray line of coffee dripped from her chin, and as she wiped it off with a grimace and dropped the cup into the sink she turned to see Sebastian giving her a perturbed look. "What?"

"I've seen people drink coffee before, but never like that. Ciel only has a penchant for tea, of course, but with you around I suppose I'll have to go grocery shopping again."

"Shut it, I'll go buy it myself," she bit back, waving a hand. "Anyway, feeding Ciel is your job. I can go make breakfast for everyone else, so move over and let me use the stove."

Ra would admit, the usage of many things in a normal kitchen were strange compared to that of the Victorian age. The sugar nips were unwieldy while the lark spit remained in a strange location due to her ability to set a fire herself. The spices and the marmalade made sense, a porcelain case covering it to keep away any insects, but the iron stove was an awkward sight to see due to the black piping and how it jutted out from the far wall.

The largest work surface was in the center of the kitchen, with one long and obstructing table surrounded by all the appliances. This was set to be a kitchen for multiple cooks, which she assumed made sense due to the amount of work needed to serve a lord's family and/or guests of the house. However, there was only her now. Sebastian didn't count, and Bard was a feat all to himself that she couldn't possibly equal.

This was the only terrible thing about the cookstove, as her control of flames other than the process of setting them were practically nonexistent. However, she made sure that the wood had been stoked and ready before making something new.

"What is that?" Sebastian leaned over curiously, but Ra promptly shut the lid and smiled without remorse.

"Thanks for not throwing out the things from yesterday. It's turning out very well."

Cow bones, along with chunks of meat still attached and the cutting of white radishes before being seasoned with pepper. Her father had cooked it for her when she was younger, and the soup it made was delicious. It was a simple recipe that required a low boil overnight, but the longer she waited the better it would taste. It was used medicinally as well. She always had it while sick, and the bone broth used up all the good qualities from the cartilage while keeping all of the actual bones out.

Judging by the intrigued glance as Sebastian saw her contemplating, something must have shown. She briefly turned and let the faucet run water over the cup she'd used before exiting, calling back behind her a "don't look into the pot!"

"Of course not. I would never."

"I see you looking in it. You are dead to me, demon."

The first impression the three had of Ra when they first met her was: oh, she's scary.

Her gaze had been particularly serious, quite stoic for one her age. She looked to be about eighteen, possibly older, but her eyes seemed as if they were wiser beyond their years. She looked sharply at Sebastian (as if she wanted to stab the man in the neck) but seemed to think better of it when she saw the onlookers coming up from behind him. Sebastian smiled.

"Why are you here," she said, and then in a quieter tone, "Hello. Uh, who are you?"

If they had been paying closer attention, they would've realized that Ra was slightly nervous rather than suspicious. However, they were too scared out of their wits and so fearfully remained silent.

At first they assumed that she had been glaring bloody murder at them, and Finny may have squeaked a little when her eyes passed through his, but otherwise she did not do anything other than stand beside Sebastian as they introduced themselves. Her own introduction was formal, precise, and with no hesitations - she then turned and left, into the depths of the mansion that they had no map or clue of.

If his friends were as intimidating as Ra, they soon wondered how serious Ciel would be.

"A friend of Ciel's, huh? She's pretty," Mey-rin whispered to Bard. He found himself nodding, then shook his head abruptly.

"She has pink hair," Finnian said in awe.

"So do I," Mey-rin responded with confusion. "Anyway, what should we do now?"

Sebastian finally turned to acknowledge them, clapping his hands politely. "You three should wait until Ciel comes down. I'm sure Tanaka will appear any second."

And precisely as he said his last sentence, they saw two figures walking steadily down the steps. One was considerably shorter than the other, and on his face was a dark eyepatch covering his right eye. Bard quickly dropped his cigarette from his mouth and hid it in his pocket.

"I am Ciel Phantomhive, head of this household and Earl of the Phantomhive family," he spoke, and his voice shot through them like bullets. It demanded authority, even when coming from such a young child. "What are your names?"

"M-my name is Finny," he stammered first.

"Mey-rin, a pleasure to meet you, yes it is!"

"Baldroy, but please call me Bard."

"I expect you all to do your best." Ciel checked the banister and they confusedly followed his gaze, but there was nothing there. "I will let Sebastian assign each of you your jobs."

"Yes, young master," Sebastian replied. "I shall make sure these three perform to their utmost abilities."

Ciel looked over them again, slower this time - ashamed, Finny's hand searched upwards for the numbers on the back of his neck, S-012. Mey-rin fidgeted in her spot, keen eyes shifting to the side. Bard, if anything, grew impossibly still. "I believe we will have their new uniforms prepared. Take them to their rooms, and let them know what their duties will be from tomorrow on."

"Of course."

Sebastian presented, to Finny, a hat. It was scratchy and made from straw, with a red ribbon looped around the middle as a decoration and to help make it feel more comfortable on his head. "For you."

"Th-thank you," Finny stuttered, accepting the gift. It covered up his head, and more specifically, the number inked into his skin. "I'll take good care of it."

"And for you, Mey-rin," Sebastian said, handing her a black case. When she opened it with cautious fingers, she removed from the velvet inside a pair of rounded, wire glasses.

"Oh, my," she gasped. "Thank you, sir, I'll use them well, yes indeed!"

"See to it that you do." Sebastian read the time on his new pocket watch, the hour and the minute aligning. "I will let you settle in. I have to return to the kitchen and prepare lunch for the young master, so come down for your meals. We will begin tomorrow."

He left them each with a set of directions, and the three generally parted once they had gotten their correct rooms. "I'm nervous," Mey-rin admitted as she wiped her glasses repeatedly before placing them on the bridge of her nose. "I've never done any other job properly before than the one I had."

"I've never even had a job," Finny said, and Bard laughed.

"Aw, I'm sure you'll do just fine, Finny."

"Thank you," the boy returned, and then they departed.

They had forgotten about the girl they had seen before until the next morning, where there was a quiet knock on the door to their residing area. "Hmm? Whazzit?" Bard put down his flamethrower perpendicular to the door, setting the polishing cloth down next to it. Finnian was out cold, snoring softly and dead to the world.

"Breakfast," he heard Ra respond. It was emotionless and yet graceful. "It's light, but you can have more than a second helping."

"Thank you," he said a bit sheepishly. "If I'd known you were preparing food for us, I would've come and helped. Besides, aren't you a guest of ours? I'm very sorry for the lack of effort on our part."

"No problem," she denied. "I'll wake Mey-rin now."

He could hear the footsteps retreating, and then he was alone again. Baldroy stretched, glancing outside to see the sunlight reflecting off the windowpane. He heard the sound of birdsong and chirping, which brought a gradually widening smile to his face.

"Alright," he muttered, and started off his day by kicking the side of Finny's bed to wake him. The loud yelp he was rewarded made a hilarious addition to the loud thump of Finny falling onto the floor, and Bard laughed as Ra continued on to Mey-rin's room.

Ra heard the yelling. "Kids, these lot," she groaned, shaking her head as she rapped her knuckles against the wooden door.

She waited for a reply.

Mey-rin made a loud noise and a few crashing sounds to indicate that she had awoken, and after a long pause of silence she heard a shaky, "Who is it?"

"It's Ra. First meal of the day is ready. Come to the kitchen quarters to eat. I'll be going back."

Mey-rin responded with slightly more confidence and sounded much less spooked, so Ra stepped lightly back to set up the plates.

The stove was still hot when she returned. Quickly Ra removed the pot, stirred its contents, and poured the correct ladlefuls of the liquid before closing it back shut and letting it simmer. She could have more later, but as of now she did not want to burn through the rest of the fire. She doused the flames by closing off the air allowed into the open iron entryway.

The four of them ate together. Well, Mey-rin sipped, Finny chattered, and Bard made loud slurping noises while he drank. Ra observed them as she downed her bowl so that when they checked again, she had already placed it aside and was idling about.

Now that she did notice, Mey-rin's hair had a tinge of magenta to it. The Undertaker had long white hair as well, and however much Ra may delude herself he was most definitely not old or wrinkled. Perhaps the books were wrong and people began to dye their hair different colors. Or genetics. Or maybe they were all wearing wigs.

Questioning whether someone was or was not wearing a wig may be a rude overstep of their boundaries, though, so Ra wisely decided not to say anything at all.

Perhaps it was genetics. It would make sense - there were too many outliers to say otherwise. Albinos existed for that reason, and Mey-rin had a shade or two off from being a redhead. Perhaps Ra could excuse herself as a mixture of both.

In any case, she continued to wait until they had finished their bowls and asked for another. "It's really good!" Finny gushed, pushing out his bowl in a silent demand for seconds, and Ra felt heat creep up the back of her neck.

"Thank you," she replied, adding another helping of soup for him. "It was a recipe from my family. I enjoyed it a lot."

"I'm pretty sure I'd get stuck on it, too. I've been feeling sick all the way here, and now I'm rejuvenated!" The boy patted his stomach with gusto, then made a face. "Oop. Shouldn't do that anymore, I might actually get sick again."

"Not in front of the food, Finny," Bard scowled. Was that cigarette still in his mouth? Ra snatched it out before he could forget and start choking on tobacco, which made him jerk in surprise. "Oh, thanks. I nearly forgot."

They ate until the pot was about halfway full, and then she stowed it away for later consumption. There was no need to put it in the icebox, so she left it where she had put it before on the stovetop. "If I may ask, where are you from?" Bard questioned her once she settled back in. "I was a soldier before this. Mey-rin and Finny..."

"I was a test subject," Finny interrupted. He wasn't frowning, but his smile didn't seem quite bright anymore. His shoulders hunched in. "I have strength too hard to control, so I break things often."

"Super strength?" Ra said, surprised. She had not realized that there were humans that could complete such feats without the proper training. But then again, science could perform many things by itself. "I - I do as well. Maybe I can help you sometime."

"Huh?"

Finny was looking at her again, longer this time. His gaze seemed almost hopeful. "Did you escape from the scientists like I did?"

"No," she denied, shaking her head. "I'm very sorry to hear what you've suffered through, but I was... a soldier, of sorts. I suppose there were things that could increase my strength, my stamina."

This time, Bard leaned in with an air of solemnity. "On the battlefield?" He asked roughly, sounding tired. "Which one?"

Ra shook her head. "To the east," she lied, knowing that there was a place in this world called 'Japan' that sounded far more similar to the era she knew. "I've went through many. I assume that you have, too."

"Yes."

The mood turned somber. She did not know what to say to them at a time like this: she had never been consoled before, not by her friends or her sensei. Kakashi was never very strong at consolation, and at the most when Sakura cried he would give her a pat on the back and an attempt at a smile. It had effectively taught her the lesson to never rely on her teacher for emotional support.

Ra gently folded her arms and placed her hands close to theirs, her left near Bard's and her right towards Finny's. She did not touch them directly, but the gesture was there nonetheless. She told them something that she had often told herself, the thing she had wished for when nobody else had been around to say it: "Good work, you two."

She had meant it as a message to say: be proud of coming through it alive. A promise of strength was the only backbone she needed, because otherwise her foundation would come crumbling down. Her situation had been a mere strike of misfortune: Team 7 had always been placed like this. They were meant to be the powerhouse team, and whether she was as good as them or not she would always be left behind. Her ambitions had been more withdrawn.

However, she did not know their experiences and she didn't know if it had come out the right way. She was surprised when Finny grasped at her hand, clutching it with a bone-crushing grip that she countered by giving back the same amount of strength. It wasn't too hard, but it gave Finny some consolidation so she let it continue.

And for some reason, they started tearing up. Ra jerked back in sheer astonishment, wondering what she had said wrong - however, her worries were soon crushed as Finny kept holding on and came toward her with the force of a stampeding pack of wolves, and she inadvertently stiffened up. "Thank you," he sobbed into her shoulder. "No one's ever said that to me before."

"I," she began. She attempted to prod him in order to remove his arms wrapped around her in a crushing way, but she didn't want to pry him off of her.

Bard was sniffling. "You're too kind," he said, but it sounded like he was choking back more tears. "I'm glad that you've been so kind to us. We'll do our best once we start working, I promise you."

And with that, Mey-rin removed her glasses and peered down at them. She had been quite happy with them despite the terribly inaccurate prescription, and she had been hoping to wear them for as long as she could without hindering her work. However, it was quite hard to see properly. So with some thought, she popped off the lenses and tucked them into the pocket of her dress, gazing cat-like eyes at the girl across from her as she placed the frames back on her nose. "I agree," she promised.

All three of them seemed to have come to some silent and determined conclusion that she did not properly understand. Ra's brow creased, but she did not say anything further so that their truce would not break.

It seemed that she would be having a lot more fun during her stay here.

Sebastian, meanwhile, was pleasantly surprised.

Perhaps a bit perplexed as well.

More than perplexed.

Upon seeing them dressed and ready to go when he came with their instructions, Sebastian had not had much expectations out of them. Their goal had originally been to stay out of his way and basically not to ruin what had already been done, but then they had gone and asked what else needed to be done. This considerate attitude befuddled him.

Their first day had not been special. He had told them to become used to the equipment, and he showed each of them where their tools were, what rooms to clean, what tasks to remember doing. He had not expected them to jump wholeheartedly into their jobs and do things that they supposedly had never done before in their lives, or to do so with such vigor.

They messed up, of course. Finny had broken the shears as soon as he touched them. Bard set the kitchen on fire. And Mey-rin...

Well. The brushes were about due to be replaced, anyway.

Watching those three become adequate at their cleaning jobs shouldn't have been much of a surprise. He had picked them for their skill in assassination and/or fighting technique, not to clean silverware and prep for their next course. However, their personalities were another side of them that he had overlooked just barely, since with their idiocy any intruding enemies would find themselves underestimating their foes.

It did not appear as though they had lost that side of them, though. But the way they put every effort into becoming better servants made Sebastian just slightly confused. Where had their motivation come from? It was not as if Ciel had given them much, and they still owed him a life debt. They were working as if their lives depended on it.

"What happened to your glasses?" He asked Mey-rin. She subconsciously pushed up the frames on her nose.

"What do you mean?" She asked innocently, but he was not blind. That, and he was perceptive enough.

"The glass in your frames. They're gone."

She sighed, one of her fingers curling through the space where the lenses previously had been and confirming his suspicions. "Yes, you're right," she admitted softly, "but I couldn't help but feel that I would ruin the polish if I couldn't get a better view. The sun was blinding me and my glasses were making it harder to see."

She did not state directly that it was the wrong prescription that was ruining her eyesight, but Sebastian caught the intention behind it. "I understand," he nodded easily. "Well, I will let you continue your duties."

"Of course."

He found Finny in the garden next, considering a row of neat and tall hedges that needed to be trimmed. "Do you require assistance?" He asked, eyeing the gardening tools with a hint of worry. He did not want any handles crushed anymore, since he would have to fix them - or at worst, buy new ones.

"I'm fine," Finny said absentmindedly, and picked up the shears. Sebastian was about to wonder if he would snap them like toothpicks before he reached up and began snipping with a moderate grip, making sure to keep the bushes identical-looking.

The demon observed him, even more surprised than he already was. "Did you manage to learn how to control your ability?" He asked. Finny grinned.

"Ra taught me how. Instead of focusing so hard on not breaking things, Ra told me to focus on one finger at a time. And then-" he stopped, examining his pinky. Sebastian could see that it was stretched far apart, trembling. "If I concentrate on one, then I don't have to worry that much about the others."

"I see," Sebastian replied.

It was such a simple solution that it sounded inane, but for such an idiotic gardener such as him of course it would make sense to think that would work. "Well, see to it, then."

"Much obliged, sir."

He headed back down towards the kitchen, feeling a bit of dread for whatever atrocity would occur next. The last time, Bard had chosen not to use the matchbox but the flamethrower instead, lighting half of the room on fire. "I thought it would help the food cook faster," he exclaimed as if genuinely surprised by the turn of events. Everything had been blackened except for the innocuous-looking pot on the stovetop, not one speck of wood ash on it.

To be honest, Sebastian himself had thought the exact same thing when lighting the furnace. Therefore he did not blame the self-proclaimed chef, only sighing and waving Bard away so that he could clean up the mess. "The pie will come later, then," he said to himself, wiping the tabletop with a swipe of his hand. The rag came away pitch dark with soot.

But as of now, the present Bard was cheerfully tending to the flames using the poker stick, making sure that the firewood stayed alive and burning. "I chopped up the vegetables like you said," he smirked, holding the kitchen knife and placing it aside next to where Sebastian saw a row of neatly diced carrots and potatoes. "The other bowl has the flour. The sugar is on the side."

"I...see." This was the most he had seen out of all of them and far more than had been anticipating, which was not much by normal human standards. "I did not ask you for help with the rest, but I am relieved to know you are taking your job seriously."

"Of course! I'm a servant of the Phantomhive household after all," he saluted cheekily, and Sebastian blinked slowly as he rolled up his sleeves to work.

The demon shivered. Sebastian wondered how unpredictable the rest of his time would be if the servants had actually grown to be competent.

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