A friendly meeting

[no_souls_here]

WHO:  Botan & Ciel
LOCATION: Starting in the corridor adjacent to the entrance to the Slytherin dorms and ending up in the Room of Requirement
WEEK: 65
TIME: Tuesday
WHAT:  Ciel invited Botan to join him for a friendly chat of which she accepted. Ciel is hoping this meeting will be mutually beneficial.
RATING: Shouldn't be bad. PG-13 to be sure.

Comments

[notaferry]

"Botan, please.",she laughed, finding his politeness quite refreshing and a tad cute. Not many called her "Miss" or by her last name. Not even her former partner, it was always just "Botan". She had to admit, she prefered it that way. When guiding the souls, one couldn't afford to be closed off from them too much. "And I am quite pleased to meet you, too!"

With a smile herself, she nodded at his question and payed careful intention to his instructions. What an interesting room, it sounded like. A slight pang filled her heart, or what was metaphorically her heart, as she thought back to her time as a student here. Oh, what fun knowing of that room would have been! The things that her and her friends could of done... With a shake of the head and an internal laugh, Botan decided that it was probably best that they didn't know of the room back then.

"Oh, no actually. Thank you for informing me Ciel. This room as always just been a rumour to me.",she admitted. Stepping forward as per instructions, Botan attempted to summon the room. She cleared her mind and pictured the past - her past, to be exact. She imagined the outside forest near her home village back in Japan. Trees large and wide, a feeling of absolute calm over all and rushing water near by - a small stream rushing by.

[no_souls_here]

"Botan it is," Ciel agreed readily. Not everyone felt comfortable with formalities, so by all means they should dispense with them. At Hogwarts, Ciel had noticed that overall the atmosphere was more casual. Outside in society he was almost always referred to by his title as "Earl" or "Lord" but at Hogwarts save for a few individuals they seemed to prefer "Mr. Phantomhive" or just "Ciel".

For a few moments Botan seemed to get lost in her own thoughts as he spoke, but soon after he completed the material she replied.

With as often as Ciel had made use of this room, he sometimes forgot that not everyone had even heard of it's existence. Botan at least, had heard the rumors. While she concentrated he did nothing to potentially break that concentration. The door appeared on cue, and like a proper gentleman he opened it for her to enter first.

The interior reflected those images she'd been seeing in her mind. Ciel received his first glance at it. Strangely, he'd never considered turning it into a forest before. The air smelled fresh and crisp. Was that ... water he was hearing? "Please, after you".

[notaferry]

Botan smiled as Ciel called her by her first name, pleased with the progress they had made in becoming accustomed with each other. A small part of her wondered if he preferred to be called by his own first name, or would rather her refer to him as an alternative title. With an internal shrug, she dismissed the thought - he'd inform her of such if he was bothered.

As she opened her eyes and peered into the Room of Requirement, Botan couldn't help but let out a small gasp. It was exactly like she had remembered as a child! There were the trees, large and wide - thought lacking a bit of their own unique spiritual power from way back when. Instead, these trees seemed to radiate the room or the castle's own power. How curious - but not entirely a bad thing. Nothing in the world could replicate another's energy with such precision, magical or otherwise.

Shaking herself out of her nostalgia, Botan smiled at Ciel and gave a short bow.

"Thank you.",she stated, walking into the room and immediately discarding her geta and tabi. The grass, somehow, felt as soft as she had remembered and the air - oh! - the air here was so clear. Though she no longer could breathe, even a ghost could tell the difference. It was all so similar, but not the same. Not exactly. Despite that, the fact that the room could do this much still brought a warm feeling to her heart.

"I never thought it would be able to do a feat such as this..."

[no_souls_here]

As he held the door open for her, Ciel stood back and watched her reaction. He was able to derive his own sense of accomplishment when the house ghost gasped in surprise as she began drinking it all in. The lesson had gone just as well as he suspected it would. The trickiest part about the room of require was merely to learn of it's existence then subsequently believe in it to the point that it appears before you. His "student" had seemed more than willing to comply.

He returned her bow with a nod of his own, then followed her into the room. "Remarkable," Was the first word to escape his lips after entering and viewing the scene in its entirety. Having no idea what the true significance of this place was, he was left to wonder about it. "The room of requirement is capable of quite a bit," Ciel added somewhat dismissively.

After another quick survey he asked, "What does this represent?".

[notaferry]

"It's where I spent most of my childhood. This is what it looked like, back in Feudal Japan.",she explained, doing a slight twirl around with a laugh. Oh, it was so similar! So wonderfully similar! But, she wasn't back there. It wasn't exactly the same. Still, it was quite close and that was good enough. She had missed this part of her past dearly.

"It will never be the same as it was back then.",she mused aloud, with a soft shake of her head. "But it is awfully close. Thank you, Ciel, for bringing me here."

Giving the young Slytherin another, this time deeper, bow, Botan let out a soft laugh and then ran a bit deeper into the "forest". A small part of her almost wished the room could of recreated her feathered friends from so long ago, but a gentle, reaffirming pulse of magic from the room got rid of those thoughts. The Castle was right, the Room was right. Such magic wouldn't be right, on many levels. The fact that she had this was good enough. Besides, it wasn't a good thing to live in the past.

[no_souls_here]

"A childhood memory then," Ciel said sounding distant. It was a good thing they were visiting her past and not his own. If there was anyone that claimed not to live in the past it was Ciel. After his parents untimely death, he had their portraits removed from his sight. If anyone inquired as to why he'd merely state because there is a new head of the Phantomhive title. The truth, he wouldn't even allow himself to entertain.

Botan on the other hand, seemed to be enjoying herself. Shaking the darker thoughts from his mind he remembered his duties as a proper host. "Don't mention it. This was the least I could do". The guests should be tended to first, then... perhaps he might draw insight on that incident once they were settled in.

There was a child-like innocence about the reaper as she further immersed herself in the woods. The Slytherin followed along, albeit more casually taking slower confident strides. Running was generally only something he engaged in when it was warranted, this was not one of those times. Placing a hand on one of the massive tree trunks, he took pause. Yes.. the room was quite capable of imitating just about anything...

An idea struck him. Why hadn't he thought of that before. He could also revisit his past as Botan had just accomplished. It might .. yield more clues if this current venture provided none. He should have thought of it before. With a kind-smirk he quietly added, "Through experience one can learn quite a bit..". He eluded of course to the discussion they held previously over the journals.

/late, though I don't know if you still wanna do this ^^;;;;

[notaferry]

"Oh, but you didn't have to do anything at all...",she reminded him, her voice trailing off as she closed her eyes and let the gentle hum of all about ensnare her.

As the minutes passed, Botan became quite immersed within her own world, her own mind, perhaps, as she relaxed within the comforting magic of the castle and scenery of her roots. She was so immersed, in fact, that she almost did not hear Ciel's words.

Opening her eyes, she tilted her head in his direction. "That is the only way one can learn, I'm afraid.",she noted with a smile, remembering their conversation as well. "As we exist, so do we learn."

As her words hung in the air, she walked back towards him, her smile ever still upon her face. Casually, she sat down upon a fallen log and gestured for him to do the same. In all of her years, she had not gotten to where she was by ignorance - contrary to what others might perceive of her. She was an intelligent girl while alive, even more so as a ghost. Her years had seen to that.

"What is it you wish to learn, Ciel? I'll tell you what I can - if I can, you understand."

I am still game :D

[no_souls_here]

Botan's words rang true but he doubted that when his true intentions were revealed that she would be as gracious. Any feelings of guilt were silenced immediately. No matter what the outcome may be, he was willing to sacrifice almost anything to attain his true goal. It was his only reason to keep existing.

While she amused herself with all the room of requirement had to offer, Ciel debated how best to broach the issue, completely unaware that she would soon solve this dilemma for him. Her statements about experience required no further comment so he merely nodded to acknowledge that he was in fact listening.

Per her silent request, the young Slytherin seated himself on the fallen log careful to avoid any portion that looked unsound. Placing a hand on either side of himself he leaned back in order to gaze up at the magically recreated canopy. Botan's question came as a surprise at first. He looked toward her curiously, he'd been trying not to let his hand slip but apparently at one point it had. Appreciating Botan's ability to see through the ruse, the corners of his lips curled into their usual smirk once more.

"Ah, so you knew I had something I wished to ask the entire time?" He asked," Yet you accepted the invitation anyway..". Crossing his legs, and folding his arms he took on a more serious look. It was time to get down to business. " ... but that's not what I wanted to ask you about".

"Reapers are privy to information about the dead, are they not? More specifically... how they died?". Not waiting for her to respond he continued. Since Botan was already aware of why she was here there was no longer any reason to be coy about it.

"Two years and nine months ago, on December 14th, a couple was murdered in cold blood. They left behind a family that cared about them, two sisters, a niece, a brother-in-law, and their only son". Pausing just long enough to draw a deep breath he continued, "Would a reaper... know or be able to discover who the murderers were...?".

\o/ SORRY FOR THE LATE REPLY! OTL;;;

[notaferry]

"Something, yes. But not when or if you would, or even how.",Botan admitted, as she gazed up into the trees far above their heads. The Room - the Castle, Hogwarts - really had done an impressive job. It even appeared as if the sun was shining through the leaves, casting the forest in a serene light.

Quietly, she let him continue, getting out everything that had been upon his chest. As she listened to his story, her eyes closed and her head ducked towards the ground. Images of her own past came floating through her brain, still as fresh as if it had happened mere moments ago. Her breath became slightly shaky as she once again opened her eyes. That - those images, they all happened a long, very long time ago. That was her past. This was her future. His future. And she'd help him through it, even if he wouldn't be quite happy with her information.

Unaware of the tears that appeared on her face, she turned to him with a sad smile. "Reapers, Soul Guides, have books, like this one.",she stated, pulling a small brown book out of her kimono. "They are linked to us, as individuals, and only we can see the information they hold. However... the information they hold is quite vague. We know enough to help the souls we are sent to guide, and nothing more. Some of us write notes in ours, like myself, of past experiences that could help us in our duty. Personal ones, more than not. A person's life, privacy...they are entitled to it."

Taking a deep breath, she turned her gaze away from Ciel and back towards the trees up above.

"...You, aren't one of mine, Ciel, at least not now. Though I am quite fond of you, I have no information on your life other than what you tell me. I couldn't say what would be in the guide book of your Guide, for certain. There may be information about what has happened in your past in great detail, and there may not be. Some may of come across the souls connected in the horror you had to experience, but I could not say if they, as individuals, would even divulge any information they had garnered as well..."

A few moments of silence passed, before she turned back to look at him, her gaze and voice a bit distant. He had told her his story, so she would do the same. No matter how it hurt her so, especially in such familiar surroundings.

"Five hundred years ago, I died along with my mother and many, many others. My father had died years previously, when I was a child not really any older than you - I'm still not sure what happened to him. He was a good man, a priest, actually. He went off on a mission from a Lord to take care of an evil presence that was destroying all it came in contact with. We waited for him but ... he never came home.

A year later, my mother and I returned to England, her home. Things were difficult, still no word from my father, but we managed and mother was healing, once again. Three years after that, the two of us were cornered, on a busy street not far from the magical portion of London during our summer holiday, by a group of dark wizards. They destroyed everything they could - whatever they saw, took whatever it was they wanted and for no reason, at all. They could, so they did. All who came across them, or stood up against them were killed. We took refuge in a book store - my favourite one - with the shopkeeper. We ... fought. Hard. With everything and then ... suddenly there was nothing."

Pfft no worries XD

[no_souls_here]

Ciel maintained eye contact for as long as possible before Botan closed her eyes and subsequently tilted her head downward. Even then he looked toward her for any indication of how the information was being received. As far as he could tell from her posture alone she.. didn't even seem angry or annoyed. More like somber, or at the very least lost in her own in thoughts. Who could say really until it was her turn to speak. Finishing what he had to say he paused and gave her ample time to answer.

When she turned backed toward him, he dropped his arms back to his sides. Were those.. tears? Something he'd lost a long time ago; the ability to cry. How strange it was that ghosts were capable of something more associated with the living, that Ciel himself had not done after that day..

Eying the book with some curiosity it soon became apparent just how useless this endeavor had been. He turned to look away from her and straight ahead. At least he had tried. Then perhaps he should set his sights back on Grell.. who at one point eluded to the fact that he may be able to give a few hints in this case. Yes, he'd said that on Ciel's last birthday.. but... knowing Grell.. that idiot probably didn't actually know anything either. Dealing with Botan was at least, straightforward and not half as irritating. " I see.." He bit back a sigh. " Your honesty is appreciated".

When the silence encased them, Ciel stood up and dusted himself off. There was nothing left to accomplish here, though it would be rude for the host to leave before the guest. Naturally, he'd wait for Botan. then she strangely began speaking once more about her own past..

Glancing back over at her,"Botan". His jaw was dropped slightly before he had the good sense to close it. There was no reason for her to share such personal information. He himself had been less than detailed about his own, having left out the subsequent kidnapping and everything. That much was off limits to anyone that was not his butler. So she had also had a run in with dark wizards, one that ended in her own death. Remembering how he'd been treated... when he had lived, the torture.. psychological and otherwise was almost too much to bare. Once she completed her tale he coarsely blurted somewhat under his breath yet still discernible, "At least you died...".

His fists were clenched tightly to his sides, his expression looked strained yet distant. Those monsters... all of them... would pay for what they had done. To him, and his family. He could feel the rage surging through his small frame...

But--

This... wasn't that place. Trying to relax he shoved those thoughts as much as he could to the back of his mind. Offering Botan the brightest fake smile he had to offer he attempted to smooth over what he'd just said, " In life or in death the only alternative we have is to keep on existing in whatever capacity we can".

/late agaiiinnnn ._.

[notaferry]

Botan wanted to close her eyes, to glance away from the look Ciel was giving her. Part of her heart, her soul was freezing with the pain it took to actually say it. It had been literally centuries, but it still hurt. It would always hurt, she knew. She hadn't of ever told anyone about her past before, either. In all her five hundred years of working as a Spirit Guide, it was nothing that anyone had asked her - and still, Ciel hadn't. People grieved for what they lost, who was missing them. That was their main concern, not the person helping them along. Even her partner, her former Spirit Guide, had rarely discussed what had happened with her in the years past their first few meetings.

But Ciel, he had deserved to know. He had told her of his past, and so she told him of his. Sure, she realized he must be holding things back. She didn't blame him for it in the least. What he must of gone through...

She actually did close her eyes when she heard his coarse wish for death and immediately stood up, heading to his side. He was not her's to guide. At least not yet and, if she ever did meet his guide, she would barter whatever she could - or threaten if it ever came to that - to take him as her own. Botan couldn't explain it, but she felt for him. She cared for him and ... and that wish. The justified rage he exerted touched her. She had seen many souls turn dark in her lifetime, so to speak. His was not one of those that showed the signs. And she wouldn't let it ever become that way, either.

"Don't lie, Ciel.",she stated softly, resting a ghostly hand on his shoulder, somehow offering more warmth than she should of been able to. "It may be the alternative, in truth, but..." And then she knelt down to where she was of eye level with the smaller boy. Her voice flowed with not pity, but understanding and conviction. "I ... I promise, I will do what I can to help you. You are not one of mine to Guide, not yet, but I will do what I can."

/LATEST >.o;.

[no_souls_here]

Those feelings of regret, loss, and pain... could such feelings ever be completely erased or forgotten? What would be gained if they could be? Whether one moved past those feelings or not, it would never change what had happened. It would be like living a lie. A fabrication just to help one sleep more at night, nothing would have truly changed. That's why Ciel had opted to take a more involved role in his situation, to enact his own brand of justice against those that had wronged him, and his family. This way he wouldn't have any regrets about standing by idly and doing nothing about it. It was something so imperative to him, that he had no qualms forfeiting his own soul for it..

It wasn't difficult to discern that Botan's past was just as regrettable, still clear in her mind as she had voiced it. It still effected her deeply after all this time. Perhaps the old saying time heals all wounds could finally be put to rest. Botan had been in existence for much longer than the average human, and even then she hadn't seemed to entirely come to grips with what happened.

Ciel looked faintly surprised when she closed the distance between them. What he'd said, although true in his mind was not something one could casually slip into a conversation and not expect some sort of response. He had known better than to utter it, and yet it had managed to leave his lips anyway. It was a curious thought as well, as to just who might be his spirit guide, if he indeed had one. This protective side of Botan-- had been entirely unexpected. A sort of friendship had been forged between them but it had all been to serve his own purposes. She was aware of that fact, and yet still she felt this strongly? It was unfathomable. The two may have shared tragic pasts but their attitudes towards others seemed for the moment like polar opposites.

Still..

Somehow..

Her concern..

Was almost-- refreshing? Reassuring? It was an unusual sensation. How strange. It seemed that during the course of their interactions that somewhere along the line he had actually grown fond of her. Ciel was amused by the notion but certainly wasn't planning on voicing it. Why form any relationships that could become closer when his fate was already sealed. It would only cause those closest to him pain when it transpired.

"If one says a lie long enough.. it becomes the truth". He mused, no longer looking distant or sporting that false smile. He traded them in for a genuine smirk. When she knelt lower to speak to him, the smirk faltered.. for a moment he looked the age that he truly was looking towards her for clarification. "You shouldn't make promises that you are unable to keep..". He replied coolly. Others had disappointed him in the past, yet he felt the nagging need to soften his words. "I-- your concern is appreciated..." He stood up himself, trying to dissolve the uneasy tension he was feeling. Ciel tended to pull away from others, always keeping a level of distance between himself and others. He moved a few steps away before looking back over his shoulder at her.

"Thank you," He paused,"For joining me today". Things could... return back to usual now that this conversation was well out of the way. Or so he thought.

Re: /LATEST >.o;.

[notaferry]

Botan smiled slightly, a sad smile that didn't quite reach her eyes as Ciel spoke about promises being unkept. She was certainly familiar with such things, but she wouldn't break hers. Not if she could help it. She would do what she could, because she ... she wanted to. It was what needed to happen. He had been failed too many times before, it seemed and she didn't want to see that happen again.

As he moved away, she stood up once again. This wasn't the first time he seemed opposed to contact and she doubted it would change soon, though she hoped, for his sake, it would. Or at least he had someone he was comfortable with to an extent. "I intend to keep it,"she stated, her voice soft but true. Gently she brushed off debris that would of been upon her kimono if she hadn't of been a spirit. Though nothing was there, it was a habit.

Nodding towards him, she put forth a more chipper smile. Still, this one didn't quite reach her eyes or seem to be as full of mirth as usual. "Thank you for inviting me," she stated with a bow. After a few moments, she began to hum a tune a soft tune.

[no_souls_here]

He'd been opposed to contact ever since that day. Botan at least knew not to push him too far, too fast. It was mildly amusing how she seemed to know just which cards to play and which ones to hold on to. All game analogies aside, as their were several that could have applied to the same observation, her sincerity was perhaps the most bewildering. "Do you?". Ciel didn't need a response to know her answer would have been "yes". He felt almost as though he should give her some kind of warning as to what she was getting into.. "I wouldn't waste my time". Implying that he wouldn't be worth her time. The kind of help she offered, he felt it was a safe bet that it was not the help he'd been seeking. Nothing would dissuade him from pursuing his destructive goals... he had to believe that.

"Your welcome and now you should be able to summon the room of requirement whenever you desire, so long as you remember how". When the melodic tone began, he turned back towards her mildly curious as to what song it was.

[notaferry]

"Yes," Botan responded with a definite tone. By the sound of his voice, she had a feeling that he knew what her answer was going to be. Ciel was a bright child, far more than some probably gave him credit for. He had been through so much, intellect was a given. It was a survival skill, similar to how he kept trying to push her away. She knew from their conversation mere moments ago that he had a rougher edge than she, but she was resolute. "I will do what I can. It...might not be completely what you hope for, but it will be what I can manage."

"Thank you, Ciel," she stated gratefully. As she hummed in thought, their walk taking them closer and closer to the door of the room, she noticed his intrigued glance. Smiling, she explained with a nostalgic peace. "It's a lullaby. One my mother used to sing."