This is who helped :
My best friend and Artist : PinkCherry(I forgot the number, sorry, Pinky XC)
My mom : For letting me type this on my laptop
MySelf : Hey, I'm allowed to say thanks to myself. I gave up sleep and food and potential napping time for this story.
"That is why I won't enroll you. Now go away." Will sighed. His glasses fell down his nose. With three slight, small steps he crossed the library bridge and went into his office.
As he entered, a girl around fifteen came into his view. "Will, you can't decline every worthy apprentice out there. You're getting too bitter. Just because you fell for the first –"
Will snapped back, cutting her off, "Be quiet, Marceline. You don't know anything. You are the apprentice of Undertaker, so buzz off." He slipped behind his desk, thumping the desk with his fist occasionally.
Marceline gasped and then sighed, her attitude deflating slowly. She picked up her shinigami weapon, which was an arrow and bow and sauntered to the desk. Her fingers played with his various decorations, plucking up the feather the Undertaker had given Will when they first met. Marceline remembered when they first met, in the library, on that extremely rainy day.
~~~ The Undertaker sat on a floating raft, slowly making his way toward the libraries gated entrance.
"You didn't have to come, you know, Under-senpai. I could've done it by myself." Marceline said over the downpour.
Her master, the famous shinigami, known as Undertaker, smirked and tossed his bangs aside. For the past twelve years, Marceline had been the Undertaker's apprentice. And since she became his apprentice, he has been the wackiest man around. Creepy and misunderstood, the Undertaker was only serious when Marceline thought about quitting.
"No, I needed to see a man anyway. Just get what you need and report to me when you find it." The Undertaker's voice was loud and unhidden. It hid no secrets, that is what it implied. But Marceline knew that the Undertaker hid his true self to confuse his many enemies. That was what drew Marceline to him.
She blushed and turned away, hoping he didn't see. "Fine. But who do you have to see? Master Andrew? Phillips?"
"His name is Will, he's a big guy in the council. Nothing special." Undertaker said nonchalantly. His silver hair slipped out of the bun he made earlier in the morning.
When they finally got inside – they had to climb in through the windows – Marceline went off in search of a certain book, browsing the heal and deflect sections like they were old friends. Of course, Marceline had only visited the library twice before.
"Now, where are you, Mr. Day-Spring-With-Demons. . . . . Ah! There you are." She skipped to the ladder and flitted up to grab a battered, ancient book with scribbled writing on the front cover.
Marceline then made her way to the office areas, searching for a name that went by Will. Or William. Whichever. When she found it, she politely knocked on the door and waited for the Undertaker to usher her in.
"Ah, here is my apprentice now. Come, come, Marceline. I'd like you to meet Will. Will, meet my precious Marceline." Undertaker wrapped his long, robed arms around her, squeezing her, making her blush.
A stoical man stood in front of them, glasses on the bridge of his nose, eyes a hard and steeled brown. Marceline felt embarrassed, not by her master's affection, but because she was under his gaze. Something about his gaze hinted to an inner haunting, a personal and inflicted turmoil. It scared her and intrigued her, like one of Undertaker's undertaker lessons.
"Nice to meet you, Will."
"Likewise." No emotion. Not even a hint. Now, Marceline was irked. She wasn't particularly fond of stoic behavior and when you obviously flaunt it, that made Marceline angry.
In an attempt to calm herself she rushed, "Are you a full shinigami, Will?"
His response was short, clipped, and somewhat strained, "Yes."
"What is your weapon?"
"This." He motioned to an object in his hands. It looked like a foreign weapon, specially made for him. Like Marceline's. But her bow and arrow were just first level, made for apprentice only, then.
I don't like this guy, Marceline thought as she smiled.
I don't like this girl, Will thought while showing no emotion.
The Undertaker grinned. "Here, William, dear. What you asked for." And with that, Undertaker handed Will a single Harpy feather.
Marceline had learned by then that asking the Undertaker anything would only result in headaches and confusion so she kept her mouth shut.
~~~~ "You don't have to get all fussy, William. By the way, at least I'm doing something with my existence. I'm training to become a great shinigami. But you won't even take an apprentice on. Move on with your useless life." As she said the last part, Marceline picked up her weapon and strutted out to take shelter behind Undertaker before Will could bop her on the head.
"Under-senpai? Can I ask you something?" Marceline popped into her master's office, shaking off the insistent urge to protect her back from Will's weapon.
His bangs were all Marceline saw of his face over the stack of books, but she knew he was watching. "Anything, Marcel. What is it?" Using his personal nickname for Marceline wasn't fair of the Undertaker, he knew it made her shinigami senses feral.
"You know that I'm graduating soon, right?" Though it was fifteen years away, time passes easily and hurriedly for shinigami/pre-shinigami.
"How could I not?"
"Please promise me that you won't forget me and move on. Say that we'll stay close by." Marceline said. Her words sent a shock over the master shinigami.
"Of course, Marcel."
"Thank you."
~~~~ On the darkest day of Will's existence – also on the day of Marceline's best blackmail approach – a pre-shinigami citizen entered the library. His bobbed red hair attracted the attention of the secretaries.
"Hello, there," They greeted sweetly, "Can we help you with something?" The valued citizen looked back and forth, then nodded fervently.
In a high, girlish way, he asked, "I'm looking for a shinigami named Will?" He looked cute and innocent but when he opened his mouth, sharp teeth came into their view. They quietly gasped and felt sympathy for the boy, who probably came to the library to become an apprentice. They figured the boy didn't know Will did not accept apprentices since that fateful decade. . . .
"What is your name, sweetie?" They all managed a smile.
"Grell. Grell Sutcliffe." The boy replied cheerily. Just then, Marceline skidded to a halt in front of the front desk, making the young Grell jump back.
The girl, Marceline, wheezed and panted. Barely, she asked, "You . . .(wheeze) called (pant) for (possibly chocking on a lung) me?"
The head secretary nodded and gestured to Grell. "This young man needs to be directed towards Will. Please do that. Oh, and give this to your master as well."
Marceline paled and looked at the eager boy, hoping and praying that God would help this young boy. Besides the fact that Marceline looked only fifteen she really was 60 years old. Shinigami don't age.
As they began walking, Grell looked at the girl for the first time, paying extra attention to the full lips and the girlish features of her body. He gazed at them longingly. Marceline peeked at him, watching him watch her.
"So, are you a full shinigami?" Grell asked.
Marceline pursed her lips and tried to stop the giggles but some escaped anyway. "Ha! No, Grell, I am not. But I am very close. Only two more decades left. But I have gone farther in my apprenticeship than many. Not a dull one could dodge the wrath that awaits the poor sucker who apprentices. Not to mention the obvious fact that I am a woman, no less. Why do you want to be a shinigami?" Marceline asked, picking up a few stray books and shoving them into the nearest shelf.
"Because . . . I am not normal, as you can see. I want to be a girl, in fact, I've broken my mother's soul just by calling myself a she. Everyone picks on me, and I can't take it," Grell ranted, tousling his ginger hair to the side, "so I want to become strong so I can beat up all those guys who call me a transsexual."
Marceline could tell she hit a nerve, judging by the look on Grell's face. She cleared her throat and thought. "Well, I think you are a very pretty girl, no matter what those pre-shinigamis say. They don't know what lies beyond their gates, the other worlds available. Somewhere, out there, there is a world that loves your style, I know I do. And don't worry. I will be there when you ask, so Will won't hurt you."
"Is he a violent guy?"
"Ah, not really. Just overly emotional and all. Nothing that you have to worry about, at first." Marceline hoped that Will wasn't in, to make Grell go home, and try to talk Will into the apprenticeship deal. But luck of lucks, Will was in his office shuffling papers around a neat desk.
Marceline suddenly turned around and with a spark in her eye, leaned down to peck Grell on the cheek. "Give it your heart, Grell. Don't ever give up. Just because he might say no doesn't mean you have to give up. Don't give up, no matter what. I'll be right behind you." She gave what she thought was a reassuring smile and nudged Grell into the panther's cage, sliding to the near right and keeping a hand on her bow and the boy.
Grell shouldered up and said loudly and proudly, "I want to be your apprentice!"
Will looked up and saw him, the bright and cheery, not to mention fiery, redhead and with one quick shake of his head, "No. Go away. Marceline, get the Undertaker for me." Dismissively, Marceline shook her head, mimicking Will.
"Marceline. . . ."
"Listen to him, William. All the way. Then decide." And with that brief and courageous monologue said, Grell took a breath and squared his shoulders to face a battle.
"Now, listen. I want to be your apprentice. I know that you don't want one, and you've rejected many, but always, I have wanted to be a shinigami! If I can't be a shinigami, I don't know what I'll be! Well," Grell muttered, "I could be an actress. . . But that doesn't matter. I need to be a shinigami! Please, you won't regret it! I'll be the best apprentice you've ever had. Just give me a chance, I will show you!"
"Ha. The best apprentice he's had is with the Count, uh. I mean, you go, Grell." Marceline uttered under her breath. Will looked at her, she guiltily gazed at the stack of catalogued books that lay near the door.
Will turned his stare back towards Grell, his eyes revealing nothing. With a flourish, he whipped out his Extendio Perius and said coldly, "Fine. Be my apprentice. But know this : being a shinigami's apprentice isn't easy. Marceline is a special case, she is as tough as a stormy ocean. Untamable. If you wish to become a shinigami, look to her for advice. After all, you are already friends. Come back tomorrow and set a weapon and level of rank you wish to complete. Now, go."
Both Marceline and Grell's jaws dropped considerably, neither was used to being given the easy way. Marceline felt a newfound respect in Will, blushing with admiration and adoration. Wait until Under-senpai hears about this, Marceline thought, he'll be ecstatic!
At the end of the day, Marceline had to bid Grell goodbye and head back into the now closed library. Ever since Marceline had first officially met Will, the Undertaker and Marceline had spent many days in the library, learning how to extinguish the life of countless kinds of beings. From demons to humans to partials. Learning from all the books and experiencing real life, they are completely different.
"Under-senpai? Guess what? William has an apprentice! Uwah! I love this boy, his name is Grell Sutcliffe. He's so cute with his red hair, and he's very funny. Hey, are you listening? Under-senpai?" Marceline glanced at her master/mentor and dared to lift up his long bangs to see his eyes. They were closed, hiding those eyes that Marceline had never seen. His eyelashes were so long, long enough to brush against your skin and feel shivers. Marceline smiled a serene smile as she placed Undertaker's head onto her lap, gently sitting in a comfy chair.
"My senpai, the greatest shinigami soul collector out there. How did I score that?"
~~~~ Young Will, long name : William Spears, used to sit at home and read while his brothers played outside, throwing stones at the lake, making ripples like magic. You see, Will was a bored child. He had no friends, no close family, his own brothers loathed him. But he never saw that. He only saw magic swirling around, all the little miracles that happened in his life.
Will was born into a wealthy family, living in a giant home with cold maids and even colder parents who couldn't care less, obviously he didn't care about all the little things that made up a happy childhood.
"Hey, William, you want to play?" A girl named Katherine asked. Her shy curly locks bounced up and down, absorbing Will's attention only long enough to make the girl go away in embarrassed shock.
All of these things shaped Will. He was only the hard-hearted man that his parents made him. Only once has someone ever been able to reach his heart, but then. . . .
The girl he loved, the girl he cherished betrayed him, and his heart closed. Permanently. When Marceline came along, though, Will's heart liquefied just a bit every day, making him softer and easier to get along with. Marceline doesn't know the effect she had/has on Will, nor on Grell, nor on the Undertaker.
~~~~ Will and Grell sat in hard and uncomfortable chairs with piles of paper overflowing on their laps. Marceline sat on the floor, gazing up at Will with a dazed and venerated look on her face.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" Will asked for the umpteenth time. His patience seemed to wane, but a blush was slowly creeping onto his face.
Marceline sighed adoringly, "You are the softest I've ever seen you. I like this new Will. I didn't know you could be this nice, it's a pleasant change from the old and stick-up-the-arse William I saw yester morning. I respect you even more than before." She started to morph into a fan girl when she suddenly jolted from her daydream, quickly looking from Will to Grell than back to Will.
Then, just as hurriedly, she giggled and scooped herself up. "I have to go. . . . Ah, William, I am so proud of you. Keep on maturing into you can look me in the eye and say, 'I am mature.', without lying. And Grell, you are a gorgeous apprentice. I'm glad I finally have a girl to relate to." Grell glowed at what Marceline implied, showing his razor sharp teeth in a burst of girlish embarrassment.
~~~~ Five years later~~~~
"Marcel, you have a soul to collect tonight." Undertaker grinned devilishly and pulled a pair of maroon glasses from a locked drawer and handed them to Marceline, loving the way her face lit up.
"Yes! Ah, finally. I've been dying to do some field work. Who's the poor chap that I'm stealing?" Marceline smiled from the casket she sat in, wriggling in delight.
The Undertaker smiled, "Her formal name is Madam Red. She's dying from a saw tonight. Unexpected death, her soul is level three work, I think you can handle it."
"Wait, by saw, you mean. . . . . I'll see Grell tonight? And William?" Without the answer, Marceline already knew. She jumped from the hooker's future casket and licked her lips in anticipation.
It's been a while since Marceline had seen Grell and Will, that's because they had gone into the human world to really collect 'souls'. Marceline had sulked about that for a while, it had taken a whole decade for Marceline to convince the Undertaker to take her into the human world.
"Yes, but be careful. A demon will be there. You know they are tricky, yes?" Undertaker grew serious, he rarely does.
"With you near, I don't need to worry. I have mastered your techniques, added to them, and have them all perfected in the Marceline way. I'll be fine."
~~~~ The children threw rocks at their fellow companion, not giving a dime's worth of sympathy toward the now parentless child.
"Freak!" They yelled at her.
The orphan pre-shinigami sniffled, barely holding back tears. They're right, she thought sadly, I do deserve to die.
A shadow appeared from behind her, she saw it. The little girl screamed and turned to meet her executioner face-to-face. But instead of meeting her death, the girl met her second chance.
"Are you down?" The tall man asked, peering down that the girl, looking at her blankly.
She nodded weakly. "Y-yeah, I am. W-w-why?" Tears started pouring down her face as if the man had made a crack in her dam.
"You just looked sad, is all. What is your name, honey?"
"Marceline, s-sir. . . . . You're not normal, mister."
"No, I'm not. I'm a shinigami."
Little Marceline peered up at the man and blurted, "Are all shinigami so nice, mister?"
The man started and lightly blushed. "Y-yes, I suppose they are. That is why we are rare."
Marceline got the joke and giggled unexpectedly. "Then I want to be one, too! People around here are so mean, why are you here, sensei?" Marceline switched to a better used honorific to show her gratitude at lifting her sore spirit.
"Business. Now, I will promise you. Be happy, and become shinigami. Do your best. Be brave, do well. Give your all."
"Yes!"
~~~~ While Marceline and Undertaker were taking their leisurely time walking to the site of the soul, Grell was slaughtering Ciel Phantomhive's only relative. Madam Red lay in a crumpled heap, Will was going to have to lecture Grell on neatness and politeness.
As the Under team arrived at the scene, Will had just saved Grell's life for the millionth time. This time, though, Grell was about to perish from his own weapon. Which he wasn't able to use. Technically.
"Now : diffuse the situation. Go!" The Undertaker mercilessly shoved Marceline into the middle of the scene, just a few feet away from Will's Extendio Perius. She turned her head to Undertaker to glare but he urged her on with a few gestures of his hands.
So, she decided to play the innocent civilian, "Ah! What happened? Is that woman dead? Why. . . Who are you people?" With her superb acting skills, she took a shattering step back. But her motions faltered. Her expression froze, Marceline appeared deep in thought, her brow furrowing.
Then, with shocking grace, "Screw it." The men and boy of the ally did a double take, wondering if that was the same girl who had freaked at the sight of blood. Ciel Phantomhive gasped as Marceline made her way towards his deceased aunt.
Ever since that day, the day the little Marceline met her shinigami hero, Marceline had broken unbreakable rules. She exceeded the standards, rebuilt them, whipped them into a better outlook. Everyone either respected her or feared her or both. Marceline was the first shinigami apprentice to make it as far as she had in three hundred years. Not to mention she was a girl, one with nothing to go back to. Marceline was one of a kind, shattering everyone's idea about how all women should be docile, fragile, weak. Not Marceline, nope, that wasn't her.
As she walked toward the body of Madam Red, she paused to say, "I'm sorry for your loss, young Earl. Just remember that you are not alone, okay? Do that for yourself. By the way," Marceline gestured to Sebastian, "you have a really good demon at your beck and call. High rank quality. It would take me four hours to finish him off." Ciel could tell her meaning, that she could kill him. Ciel could tell just by seeing her walk that she was much stronger than the butler-in-training/shinigami that had eliminated his aunt.
After her speech was done Marceline kneeled next to Madam Red and seemed to hesitate. Then, with a graceful flourish, she pulled out her golden-rimmed glasses to put them on her nose. The whole body of Marceline tensed then suddenly over-relaxed, her shoulders slumping.
She let out a content sigh and murmured, "It's a beautiful soul, Madam. I will take very good care of it. I can't wait to devour you." Marceline stopped, turning to grin devilishly at a shocked crowd, "That is what I would say if I were a demon, right, Sebby-chan?" Grell beamed. Sebastian gagged. The Undertaker grinned. Will, well, Will did nothing.
"Ha . . . No, but really, it is a beautiful soul. Tortured, but pure, somehow. It looks innocent, like an angry child who lashed out because they got the lesser of the candy. I can see heartbreak, envy, but also loyalty and dedication. You're aunty really did love you. It's a shame that her end had to come at the hands of an undergraduate shinigami. William?"
Will's right eye twitched at his name, "You want me to do something about Grell, don't you?" As he said it, Will started to pull out a pad and an ancient looking pen. He jotted things down. His movements became faster and faster.
Marceline nodded, turned to Grell, "Grell, you know you can't use your weapon here." In that glance they shared a secret. He sullenly nodded. Sebastian smirked. Marceline smarted it with a deathly glare.
Will (who is suddenly and rapidly becoming a minor character) lifted his hand and waved Marceline onward, urging her to collect the soul so the group could retire.
"Yes, of course. Here goes everything I have. Watch closely, Grell." Soon, the tapes flew past Marceline. Everywhere around her showed the woman's depressed life. They sped so fast that her hair stirred as if there was a light breeze brushing against her and only her. Her eyes grew wide and dilated. Will expected her to keel over with pleasured squeals of delight and also guessed he'd have to mop up her slobber.
But instead of daydreaming, Marceline took out an arrow and attached it to her bow and aimed it at the Madam. With a steady beat, she released the bow that went straight through the woman's chest to retrieve her soul.
Will stepped back and caught sight of the Undertaker. He briefly nodded, no one saw but the eccentric Undertaker. His creepy smile answered before he gave Marceline his full attention.
The apprentice shuddered. She didn't remember anything, not even her own name. With devotion, she gave her life to the soul, taking it and gently nurturing into her bag, like a mother. When that process was done, and the soul safe in the holder, Marceline finally came to. Her eyes unclouded, her eyelashes fluttering vigorously.
"That. Was. Amazing! I can't believe that something so delicate can be so . . . . hard! It's just like a turtle! Oh, wow, I'm so excited." Marceline said, inserting an impatient giggle here and there. She clapped her hands and again did that wriggle that made the boys go "Whoop!" Then she got up and hugged Will, twirling him around, ignoring the glare she was receiving.
"Please unhand me." Will growled through his teeth. Marceline waved away the possible (and inevitable) threat.
She laughed, "Ah, William . I know you secretly love me! You just try to keep up a strong front. But I know it!" Marceline then proceeded to laugh, giggle, and ~insert any other words to describe a joyful shinigami girl's sounds when she is happy beyond belief~.
Grell was irked, "What? You love her but not me? Why, Willy? I thought we were getting along." His long red hair swished as he came up to them and poked Marceline. "What's so special about her? I mean, sure, she's gorgeous and smart. She's strong and independent and gives great advice. Okay, so she can cook, clean, and make a baby stop crying. . . . Marceline is the perfect woman. . . . Ah, never mind."
"It's because I don't steal weapons from the –" But she stopped herself. Will's face drifted into dissapointment and suspicion. Then, she slowly realized that the human and the demon were still there, listening in awe and fear. Marceline could feel herself blush. Gosh, I must've been so embarrassing, Marceline thought.
Marceline made eye contact with Ciel. "You know you have to leave now, right?" She said as sweetly as possible. Will tensed just a bit, like he always did before something important happened. You could say his muscles were psychic.
And that is how it happened. You just tuned in for a special, behind-the-scenes, look at how Will lived. How Marceline came to know him, how Grell started his apprenticeship. I know that I didn't cover everything that I wanted to – like his first apprentice, how they fell in love. How the girl ditched our good Will for a fat, lazy (filthy, and rich) count. It broke his heart, but Marceline was the stitches, the medicine, the stupid/corny balloon that you secretly always want. The story does continue, though, so don't completely freak. But it's in Marceline's mind? Yeah, at first, it was all about Will. But I fell in love with her character, so I'm being selfish and giving her life and her own new(ish) parody.
Thank you for reading this somewhat rushed, and sugary tea induced, parody of Will's life. I know it wasn't exactly how we (my artist and I) wanted but I think we both had tremendous fun doing it. To view the pictures of Will, Marceline, Grell, the Undertaker, and even the dirty b**** who ditched Will, go to PinkCherry's deviantart page : _! Please comment and look for "A Lifetime in the Mind of Marceline". Thank you, again.
Author : *crawls into corner and mutters to herself*
Artist : Orabelle! Snap out of it! *smacks Author over and over again*
Author : Do you want me to use the Extendio Perius on you, Pinky? DO. NOT. DISTURB.
Artist : *backs off* O-okay. Gosh, you're so scary.
Author : DUH! *smashes foot with laptop*
Artist : . . . . . .
Author : Not one word.