Title: Academic Success

Summary: Follow Abigail Spears as she tries to graduate from the Shinigami Academy and become a fully fledged Shinigami.

Yes, this is a companion piece to my other Kuro fic, First Cut. I have finally seen The Tales of Will the Shinigami with subs, so some things have changed of course since that fic. I do not know how or if reapers have kids but let's say for all intents and purposes they're just like humans.

I so desperately wanted to name her Akane after I found out it means deep red. But I felt her sensible parents would not name her that so another female reaper in training gets that name.

I do not know how long this will be but I hope it's as fun to write as First Cut, and that everyone is in character.

Chapter 1

Sunlight poured through the high windows of the Shinigami Academy, lighting the heads of those nearest the windows. One of those students happened to be Abigail Spears. She brushed a strand of her dark hair from her face as she continued to take notes, trying her best to listen to what her teacher was saying.

She ignored her glasses as they slid down her nose, coming to rest on the end of her nose. Her eyesight was nowhere near as horrible as her father's so it did not bother her. Though she was more than ready to turn in the simple glasses and get her own customized pair.

With a sigh, she realized how heavy their workload had become. Of course, the class was close to their final exam, so it did make sense even if it did not make her happy. They had several papers due within the week and it was only Monday.

Abigail was thankful it was her last class of the day, but of course she also felt that the last ten minutes of class would drag on forever. She tried to be diligent with her note taking, but her mind began to stray.

The sounds of her fellow students pushing back their chairs, gathering their things, and heading to the door brought her back to full attention. Slowly Abigail began to collect her books and notes. She joined her classmates as they gathered at the door. She was trying hard to avoid Akane Lockley, someone whom she had been butting heads with since they first met.

Akane stood just outside the door along with a small group of her friends. She was talking animatedly, shaking her head and letting her long ponytail snake out behind her. She turned, catching Abigail's eye as she tried to slip out of the door unnoticed. Akane smirked but said nothing, her attention going back to her little group.

Abigail breathed a sigh of relief as she held her books to her chest and hurried out the doors. Once outside in the sunlight, she paused. Should she head home and use the peace and quiet to study? Or should she go to her father's office? It had been one of her favorite places to be for as long as she could remember. The only downside was that it was nowhere near as quiet as the apartment she lived in with her parents, especially when Grell Sutcliff decided to burst in.

With a giggle, Abigail decided to go home. She would only have to wait a few hours for her parents to arrive. She was ignored as she walked home, something she was thankful for. She found it a little awkward to converse with humans, knowing one day she could very well collect their soul. When she had expressed that concern with her parents one afternoon, her father had told her she would grow used to it with time.

She still did not know whether that would become true or not.

Once she reached their apartment, she slammed the door shut and kicked her shoes off. After locking the door she made her way down the hall to her room. Her books found themselves dropped on the floor and into a heap as her jacket was removed and tossed on the bed. Abigail then settled herself on the floor by her books and started to review her notes.

Time flew by quickly, so quickly in fact that Abigail did not realize how late it had become until she heard her father speak.

"I still don't see how you do that."

Abigail looked up from her spot on the floor. She smiled and said, "I'm more comfortable on the floor, really."

William raised an eyebrow and asked, "Do you plan on doing that once you become a fully fledged Shinigami?"

"Yes," Abigail replied, her tone only half kidding. She stifled a laugh at the expression on William's face as she got to her feet and stretched. "I feel so cramped at a desk," she added. "Where's Mom?"

"She has some work to finish."

"Ooh." Neither of her parents liked working overtime. She sighed and said, "I guess that means Mom will be in a mood tonight."

"Not really. If she was working with Grell, then she would be in a mood."

Abigail laughed, despite knowing how serious her father was. Her parents were no big fans of Grell Sutcliff and made that fact known. Abigail did not mind the redheaded reaper so much, despite the fact that he only seemed to refer to her as "Will's little twin".

She knew why he called her that of course. She had heard many times over the years that she looked just like William, only in miniature. Her hair was the exact shade of his, their faces were the same shape and even their noses were the same. Her hair, though, was straight and just barely shimmed against her jaw while his was neatly combed back. William also stood several inches taller than Abigail.

Abigail sank down on her bed and glanced up at William. "Are the classes supposed to be this rough at this point?" she asked him.

William joined her on her bed, leaning his death scythe against the wall. "Sorry," he told her as she leaned her head against his arm, "they only get worse between now and your final exam." Abigail groaned with annoyance. "Don't fret Abigail, you'll do fine. Right now you have done better than I did at this point."

Abigail looked up at him in surprise. "Really?" she asked.

"Really," her mother smiled from the door. Abigail did not hear her come home either and did not know how long she had stood there for but was pleased to see her nonetheless. Annabelle winked at William and said, "From what Grell told me, your father only managed straight Bs at the time of his final exam."

When Abigail shot him a questioning glance, William nodded in confirmation. "I would have expected you to get straight As." She smiled as she continued to lean against his arm. Some of her worries and stress about the academy seemed to melt away while others continued to rise to the surface.

That moment would have been perfect to tell her parents about Akane, but Abigail chose not to tell them. She would not worry them with a trivial grudge. With only a few weeks left, she would make it through school, even with Akane and her snide remarks. At least, Abigail hoped she could.