Throns, They Bite

by I'm Heartless Babe

Part 2 The old man grabbed the other by his collar and yanked him close his mouth meeting the mans, he was sucking out the finial soul he needed to survive until he decided to die and leave the worlds. He saw the light leave the mans eyes and his jaw slack. When the finial soul was sucked out of the man Undertaker dropped the shell of the body."I wanted your soul, not your mon

Thorns, They Bite

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

A-N: So if you have read my last one-shot, about Eric bringing Alan, sick and dieing to the Almighty Undertaker this is a as one can say, a second part so if you have not read the first part I encourage you to do so now as if you do not, you will be highly confused! I trust that you will! So please turn back and read Taking Back Death. Then you can come and find out what happen, that would be very pleasing to both me and you... ha ha. Not to be rude or anything... but please if you want to be confused, please continue.

Anyway, this next one-shot takes place a year after Undertaker helped Alan survive the Thorns of Death. Undertaker is now suffering the pains of the sickness and the suffering of it as well. Will Undertaker die or try the impossible and collect the 100 pure souls. So let us see what happens, yes? Oh the fun I will have trying to entertain you all! Yeah, so please enjoy!

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

Undertaker was laying in bed his hands over his stomach in excruciating pain. It was like horrible morning sickness that women go through, but this was way worse. The pain just recently started to happen a few weeks previous when he had to stitch up a boy who fell from a window. This boy just looked too much like Alan and it brought back the memories of drinking the tainted blood from the bucket. The look of gratitude on both Alan's and the boy's face when he was completed with his task. The old Mortician guesses the bugs in the blood finally broke through his Shinigami blood, he has been noticing the Thorns on his wrists and legs were starting to darken in pigment and raise up on his skin, they now took the appearance of the scars on his neck, face and pinky.

The Undertaker raised up his wrists above his head and looked at the darkening skin, this made him have a sick feeling to his stomach and his head spin. He groaned and slowly let his arms fall to the bed he lie there for a minute and slow sat up into a sitting position. His hand swiped through his hair revealing his left yellow-green eye and the scar that continued over the eye, swinging his feet over the side of his bed he stood slowly. Giving and exasperated sigh he stood with out collapsing back onto the bed like many mornings before. He still had work to attend to, the work of a Mortician was never ending, he knew this as a Reaper, everyone was always dieing, there would always be death and there would always be life. For every soul that would leave the world there would always be one entering the world right after it, that was always what The Undertaker would believe.

As for him saving Alan that one day there was no babe entering the world that day in replacing the fallen Reaper. It was almost a life for a life, he would die sooner now than later as unexpected. "What am I to do? Do I really want to die now? I can just feel it, I am going to die soon... I should pay a visit to an friend."

For this visit he would have to get nicely dressed he did not want to pay a disrespect on the behalf of any conditions. Yes, he is a subordinate but he is an active duty Reaper and a senior officer and a manager of his department. With that thought he went to his closet and open the door, reaching deep and into the back of his closet he pulled his old dark charcoal gray pants, he slid them on quickly after he stripped all of his clothes. After he slipped on the pants he reached further and pulled out a white button down dress shirt he slowly pulled that on as well and buttoned it up and lastly he pulled on a neck tie and did that up as well. The Undertaker slammed the doors to the closet closed and walked put to his extra small sitting room before he had to enter his shop.

The Undertaker went to his hooks on his wall and took off his old trench coat that had double buttons down the front, once when he finished with his buttons he doubled over and untied a black ribbon from around his ankle, he pulled his hair back and tied it with the ribbon, pieces of hair fell loose from the tie. Again he doubled over and reached for his knee length boots and pulled those on too and buckled them tight. Straightening slowly he placed his hands above his hips grabbing his stomach tightly wincing in pain. Next he did something he did that he thought he would never do again.

His long hand dipped into his pocket and felt the old bone case, his fingers curled around it and plucked it gracefully form his pocket. His eyes focused on the case and his heart dropped to his stomach and his stomach replaced his heart, along with with his organs switching places he had butterflies that occupied his empty stomach. The Undertaker opened the mangled bone case and moved aside the velvet cloth, this revealed square rimmed black glasses. The Morticians' hands shook with nervousness as he removed the glasses and opened them slow on the hinges, a deep breath and he set them comfortably on his face, blinking a few times Undertaker sighed.

The next thing he did was reach over to his coat rack again and pluck a cane, of course made of warped bone, the top of the cane help a mock skull with mock rib bones going down the pole, this cane looked like his scythe but this was no more than a walking instrument. His scythe however was always concealed on his person at all times in case the Mortician ever needed it. So he took his cane and leaned on it to test the pressure he could take off of himself and put on the cane. After testing the cane he made his way through his shop and out into the alley that was the entrance of the little shop he ran. Once out side he looked for the sign of anybody to see him do anything. When he knew the coast was clear phased into the Reaper Realm, and where to phase in the whole Realm was right in front of his old home he choose to move from.

"Hm," He mused. "how odd it was for me to come here after all these years. What does it hold for me now? A new Reaper I should expect... Why am I here I do not belong here in my old home, or do I belong in this Realm any more at all?" Undertaker sighed. "Well I should go to to his office now, I need my memories back and in place before I do anything hasty."

The Undertaker started to walk.

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The old Shinigami walked for a few miles and finally found himself in front of the Dispatch Offices. At last he had made it, yes he could have just gotten here quicker by phasing right in front of the man he needed to see. Then again he just wanted to feel the world around him again. Undertaker climbed three flights of stairs instead of taking the new lift one Reaper had made using pulleys and rope, he did not agree with this damned contraption. Now as the Undertaker walked his cane clicked and clacked on the floor that was always polished and under his heeled foot falls. As his foot falls came to a halt in front of the the office that he need to enter he raised his cane and knocked on the glass door.

The Reaper looked up with a start. The brunette Shinigami stared up at the silver haired Death God as the elder one stepped into the closed in office. The eyes. The eyes caught his attention he could see them, the dark-golden yellow and the emerald green contrasting perfectly with one another. He walked with his cane over to the nearest chair, as the younger Reaper started to stand and bow the other held up his hand for him to stay seated. So the other sat again stared at The Undertaker. This was a surprise, even now, short on Dispatch officers and now here in his office sat the Legendary Shinigami himself with glasses on and his whole suit on and up to par as far as William was concerned. The one thing that threw him off was the cane in his left hand.

"Sir?" The younger Shinigami questioned. "May I ask why-"

A hand was held up. "William, silence. If you had given me a moment to catch my breath from all of those stairs."

"We have a lift now..." William started but stopped.

"I do not believe in that damned contraption!" Undertaker mumbled loudly. "I am here to ask questions and make a deal..." He paused to watch the other lean forward and frown slightly. "Is it still proven that if one reaps one-hundred pure souls he will be released of the Thorns of Death?"

"Yes, but why woul-"

"William" Was the warning tone. "Well, is it still said that I can get anybody to give me their souls no matter how stubborn?" He waited for his answer, all the answer was, was a nod and a slight grunt. "Good. Is it also said that I am still the best Reaper to live and be in the Dispatch Society?" Another nod of silence. "Good. Well I need to come back to work."

William straightened and stared speechless at the Undertaker. "B-but, but why? Does this have to do with Alan all of a sudden be better at his work and his Thorns are gone?"

"Something like that." Undertaker said slowly. He put his arms on the table and lifted his coat and revealed that he was the new holder of the deadly Thorns, the thorns raised up and dark like old scar tissue. "I have the Thorns, and I am very sick. I need to heal myself and I do not want to be healed like Alan was healed then it would be a cycling terror for anybody who does it. Then in the end I can see this as a new deiese that will never be rid of." Undertaker explained and new questions rose in Williams head.

"So how was Alan cured of the Thorns?" William asked.

"I healed him." He now realized that he had spilled the beans on how Alan was cured, so why not just completely come clean with it? "I healed the boy. His mate came to me about a year ago with the boy dying in his arms, I thought something would help so I quickly went to work. I drained the boy and I fed him my blood forcibly into his veins. When I was done I sat there and drank all of the boys blood till I was ready to pop and when the boys blood was all in my system. So from there I had the Thorns and he was clean as a new child. I took the vile and he walked away with his mate. By the way is Alan and Eric still, you know, each others half's?" The question was now asked out of the blue.

"As a matter of fact they have been closer." William informed him. After that he went silent and thought for long moments. "So, I can let you back on the Dispatch to help. But I will not make it easy. If I made it easy because of your conditions..." William eyed the cane and the Thorns of Death on Undertakers wrist. "But I will give you some free time to collect some pure souls, but you know the souls have to be consensual... you know this correct?"

"I do, I wanted to do this the right way so I will not be hurting the Dispatch and its officers. I am no fool William!" The Undertaker growled.

"I never said you were." William said his brows furrowing. "I just want to help the best in the business."

"Good." He said. "Now, if you will excuse me I am going to start what needs to be done. So call me when you have my schedule ready. Is that clear?"

William nodded. Yes, he was now the Legendary Shinigami's boss but he still felt as if he still needed to listen to him as an elder. This was going to be difficult for William to do, so he decided that he would let The Undertaker do as he wishes, but he will still give a schedule to him. He felt that this was going to be a long time. William watched as The Undertaker limped away with his cane clacking on the ground. William could hear it until the old man disappeared. CLICK. CLACK. CLICK. CLACK. His boots made the same sound with the rhythm of his cane hitting the floor. The supervisor now stood and stared down the hall and watched the old one leave to do his business, he shook his head not believing what had just happen.

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Sweeping out of the office he pulled out his top hat from his trench coat and topped off his head with it. Tilting his head down letting his loose hair fall into his face then when the wind picked up he lifted his face to the wind with a wide smile. Just by claiming himself as a Dispatch Officer again he felt like his power as a Shinigami was returning to him. Looking around it seemed as if other Dispatch officers were coming in for the first morning shift. The first thing that he already felt annoyed with was all of the stares. Did they not recognize him? Were they afraid to approach him? Was it that they have never seen the Legendary Shinigami before? Do they even see the old Undertaker?

Soon he was searching the crowd for two Reapers only. As if on cue, a short brunette man yelled his name and began running toward him like a child seeing his father coming form war or a long business trip. Another jogged behind the first his half blonde hair flipping around and about. Alan and Eric. The Undertaker just opened his arms for the little man to crash into him for a tight hug. Undertaker laughed his arms encircling the younger smaller Reaper, his hand held the others head to his chest. The elder man felt somewhat of a comfort to hold the boy in his arms, he looked up to see Eric, Alan's mate smiling at him. Undertaker let the boy go, and stared at him. The boy stared up at him his eyes locking with the Undertakers, Alan's eyes staring as the Undertaker still smiling at him.

"What are you doing here, Sir?" Eric asked as Alan kept staring at him. "I mean... you are dressed as if to kill an wait..." He paused and his jaw dropped. "Your glasses are on. Are you-"

"I am going to collect one-hundred souls. Yes. I am very sick now and I still need to work in my morgue and heal the children of London, so I have decided to go to work again as a Dispatch Officer." The Undertaker cut off Eric and told both of the young Reapers. Alan's face lit up but sagged instantly. "Yes, young one I am sick because of the Thorns, but you are healthy. That is what matters, yes? I do not want to hear no complaints because remember that I am one Reaper who can talk a child into giving me their soul. I am the Shinigami to be the best in the whole Realm around the world. Do you forget this?"

The two shook their heads and Alan hugged The Undertaker again. "Oh, I am so sorry Sir! I just wish I can help you like you helped me!" Alan cried out.

"I do not want help, I want to do this on my own I just do not want a viscous cycle to continue." The Undertaker sighed. "All right, I must be off. Good bye Alan. Eric. I shall go get my first soul."

X-X-X-X-X-X-X

Jumping from a roof top and into an alley where a child was crying The Undertaker landed silently next to the child that looked about the age of thirteen. The little girl did not notice that he was there, so he studied her. Deep blue eyes, dark brown hair that was covered in soot the pale skin of her fingers were also covered in soot and blood. But not her blood. The girl wore a torn yellow dress and dark brown leather boots. Next The Undertaker cleared his throat softly, the little girl looked up with a start and her eyes lit up.

"Are you-a here to-a take me home-a? I want-a to-a be with mi' pa'pa again-a..." The girl had a odd accent it was a mix between German, Italian, and French. "Sir, I want-a to be with pa'pa again and a mama they-a went home..."

Undertaker bent at his knees crouching next to the girl. "Yes, I am here to take you home." The moon light just hit his eyes perfectly so they shone a steely silver-blue color. "What is your name Sweety?

"Cecily Ramona El Salva Corva." The girl, now known as Cecila, answered. "Who are you?"

"I am The Undertaker. I want to take you to your Mama and Papa. Where are they?" He asked. He gave a smile and winked at her.

"They-a are dead." Her lip quivered. "I want-a to be with them-a again Sir."

The Undertaker smiled wider. "I can make that happen. You just have to do one little thing for me my sweet child. Can you do that for me?" He asked his smile still growing as he stared at Cecily.

Cecily nodded and stared at him her eyes watching the smile and his eyes. "Yes anything." She seemed to be in a trance by his eyes.

"Okay before I take you to your Mama and Papa," He paused and stared straight into her eyes. "I need you to give me your soul so I can give you back to Mama and Papa." The Undertaker whispered and ran the back of his hand down Cecily's cheek then up it softly. "Will you give me your soul?"

Cecily nodded. "Yes. I will give you my soul."

The Undertaker smiled and summoned his Death Scythe in one swift movement, his right hand swept over the left side of his body to his right side of his body. "Okay Sweety, close your eyes." She looked scared but did not say a word she just slowly closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Giving a small nod as if to say to 'Go ahead I know what is coming.' Undertaker lifted his scythe up and brought it down quickly into the girls chest, Cecily screamed in horror and pain. It was a scream like she was being crushed by thousands of pounds of stones. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head and her arms spread out in a crucified way and her chest pushed out and head tilted back wards.

Undertaker twisted the scythe and lifted the girl up and jerked the weapon. When he untwisted the weapon the girl dropped to the ground and her mouth hung open and her arms and legs were spread open. Undertaker dropped to his knees and let the Cinematic Record fill his chest through his mouth. He shuttered and did a little quake. A few tears came from his eyes from the shock and pain. Undertaker looked at his wrists and the pigment turned half a shade lighter and one thorn disappeared in front of his eyes.

A slow greedy smile crossed his lips.

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William was staring at Undertaker from the other side of his desk. He had a disappointed look on his face and he shook his head. "How many have you got under your belt now Undertaker?" William sighed. "So I have heard that you are just asking the poor people if you can have their souls and you are not exactly steeling them. So how many do you have now?"

The Undertaker grinned. "Well I have twenty to go. But I am not getting as creative in finding the souls. They are actually getting harder to find.." The Reaper sat back in his chair and crossed one leg over the other. "I am trying... Now would you really want to see me die? If I died, what would happen then, no knowledge would ever be uttered form my lips again and then no one would have my guidance. Then what of the children of the Reaper Realm and the streets of London what would they do with out my help..? My medicine and my teachings? I know you want me to stop collecting souls but I need to live. I just need twenty more."

William sighed and put the heels of his hands against his temples his fingers grasping his dark brown hair. "Okay, okay. Just I do not know a thing..." He sighed and dug in a drawer in his desk. "Here. this is your list." William held out a long slip of paper. "I trust that you will not have any problems with these." An out of the ordinary lazy smile was slowly coming over the lips of the Dispatch Manager. "I wish you luck old friend."

Undertaker nodded and grabbed the list, as he looked at the list he noticed that all the souls he was going after next were on the To-Die list except a few. Looking up at the officer. "They are all pure souls... why are you doing this?"

"Because so you can live and be done with it. And you are actually doing a good job of not killing the pure souls in vain for your life, so I tracked down as many souls for the day as I could. You need to return to your own life, you left this life long ago. You became legendary once and you just started to hide from the followers of yours. But your life is not here anymore not reaping souls, but now your life is a Mortician, so finish this and come back tomorrow." William explained with small sigh. "I did miss you working with me-"

"No now, I work for you not with you." Undertaker decided to correct him.

William nodded and sighed. "Well I have missed your company."

"I am sure of that." The Undertaker chuckled. "I should be taking my leave, I have work to do." Giving his chuckle that was unmistakable, he stood and swiftly left the small office and the Dispatch Manager.

When William was left sitting there in silence all he could hear was the click clack of the old mans boots on the floor and the occasional thud of the can hitting the floor. The Undertaker rarely used the cane now since was almost healed, but on the occasion he would need to catch himself with the old wooden support. William mused that The Undertaker would need the can till the day he finally decides to die. Sighing the Manager went back to work hoping that he would not regret his own decision.

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The old Mortician waited on a bench reading a book waiting for the next soul to come to him. A pure soul, a woman, she was murdered by a man wanting her wealth that she just inherited from her dead Great Aunt. She was the most kind woman anyone would pass on the street, if the burglar would have asked she would have just given him the wealth. That is how she would die.

Undertaker stood minutes before the other and strolled across the street to watch the whole thing happen.

A scream was heard and a man just stabbed and woman with copper hair and shining blue eyes. She dropped her bag that she was hanging on to dearly, her eyes wide as the man shoved the knife deeper into her abdomen. Blood was dripping out of her mouth as she slumped to the ground, as her head hit the man had already reached down and took off with the bag.

"Killen' for a bag... Poor Dear." Undertaker chuckled and walked over to the whimpering woman. "Shh my Dear, it will all be over with soon." He told her his right index finger covering her lips.

He summoned his Scythe and cut into the woman's chest letting the Cinematic record absorb into him. He shuttered, as many times as he has done that it still sent shivers down his spine. Undertaker looked at his wrist and the pigment of his skin was a shade lighter than it was and another thorn has disappeared. He smiled and looked down at the woman he just harvested as a greedy smile graced his lips as it always did when he took another pure soul from someone.

"Thank you, Love." The old man whispered.

The Mortician left to finish the rest of the list. Three more murders, a suicide (not a pure soul), and many more deaths that were of old age and sickness. More women than men. Did William want him to feel something? Weather he did or not, Undertaker did not care, he was close to making the thorns vanish for good on his skin. After that night he only had three souls to go so he thought he would finish that night, yes, he was awfully tired but he wanted to be done with harvesting souls and go back to his simple work of beautifying the bodies of London.

Now he was going to vicious. He wanted to end harvesting souls so he was going to end them on his own terms. He snuck into a large home he knew were full of kids. Although, yes, the kids were sick The Undertaker would feel bad for taking the children lives. Appearing into the childcare's room out of the shadows he caught all three in one bed.

"Easy,"

Summoning his scythe he raised it high and was about to strike the finial blow to the rest of the Thorns, but a child awoke and smiled up at him. "Are you here to take my brothers?" The child had tears in her eyes. "I want them to be safe." She coughed and fell to the sheets. "What are you? Are you here for me? I do not want to die I have too much to do. Mister... answer me."

This caught The Undertaker off guard. The girl seemed to be smart. Now he could not take these souls, he would feel like he would have to make it up to the family. All he did was wave his hand in front of her face taking the small memory from her as he vanished just as quickly as he appeared. He shook himself. What was he doing? Why?

He was killing for his own greed. Did he have anyone to live for? Well except for the children on the streets of London and to teach in the Reaper Realm, but others can do that. Was it worth living? Was he doing this for Alan and Eric? Alan, he gave him life, would he live for the younger Reaper? The younger Reaper and his life partner would be devastated to learn that Undertaker just gave up and died for his own selfish reasons. Would Alan ask Eric to take the last bridge with him and end it together? Did he mean anything to anybody anymore?

OF COURSE!

He meant everything to himself. How foolish, he was Undertaker the best in the business! The Legendary Reaper himself! He had no reason to die, for himself or any other. The only reason to live is for his own self.He made up his mind he would go and get the first three pure souls that passed him and he now will do it his way to be quick and easy.

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Walking the streets of London he held his head high and his boots and cane clacked and clanged on the cobblestone street he dropped off his coat so he was only walking in his nice suit to attract attention. Now in broad daylight he sensed a pure soul. A man. He has yet to lay with a woman and he was a faithful church goer and a God fearing man. He drove a carriage.

When the man passed The Undertaker jumped on behind him and quickly snapped his neck letting the carriage crash. He caught sight of a Reaper in the "side lines" that was awaiting the crash and to harvest the soul. One glance at the young Reaper told him 'This is mine' But all the Reaper did was walk closer holding up his Scythe. The Mortician growled, he showed his teeth, it was very animal like.

"I will fight you for this Undertaker." The Reaper was William. "You do not deserve this one. I will fight you for it."

"I would not say that..." Undertaker hissed. "I was getting then fair and square and now I want him."

"You are being greedy. You are doing no better than Eric. You-"

"Do not dare! Eric and Alan stay out of this! You and I are the only ones here Boy!" The Mortician growled the greedy smile on his lips. "I have three, let me clean house, as the Americans would say."

William narrowed his eyes. "Then we shall dance, you and I old friend"

Before anything Undertaker swiped his Scythe across the chest of the man for the challenge. "Mine." Was all he said before William jumping on him sending him flying to the ground. All of this was happening going unseen by Human eyes do to the Reapers' shield they put up when harvesting a soul. On the hard ground they brawled for dominance and to see who would harvest first. "Have you not been taught that I am the best?! I am nearly impossible to beat!?"

Undertaker took a punch to the face as his Scythe reached for the human on the carriage, but William kicked Undertakers hand that was holding his Scythe. William had dominance for a minute until Undertaker used most of his strength to throw William to the building next to them. The younger's body made a indentation in the plaster and tile, as Undertaker grabbed his Weapon again and harvested the soul watching yet another Thorn disappear on his arm.

"Two more William."

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The last soul was easy. The man just gave it to him, all he had to do was show his eyes.

The Undertaker dressed in a beggar facade and the next soul that walked up looked into his eyes and the man knelt down to hand his some money. "I do not want money. But you can give me something else."

"What is that?" The man asked eager to help.

Undertaker looked up at the man and smiled. Their eyes meeting, first glance and the help was stunned, he seemed like he would do anything now. The old man grabbed the other by his collar and yanked him close his mouth meeting the mans, he was sucking out the finial soul he needed to survive until he decided to die and leave the worlds. He saw the light leave the mans eyes and his jaw slack. When the finial soul was sucked out of the man Undertaker dropped the shell of the body.

"I wanted your soul, not your money."

Le Fine

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A-N: Yes I know lame washed out ending... sorry about that... so if you disagree please do tell me! But the joy for me is I know what happen and you just have to leave your own self guessing! Ha! Well anyway. Please give me feed back!