Surprisingly though, life just went on.
Grell went out on assignment, carried them out to perfection, made it back with her records and her attitude hadn't seemed to changed a bit from when she had been a man.
News had spread at an alarming rate across the Shinigami realm, they were after all all beings whom went on living for thousands and thousands of years where nothing happened.
To concern themselves with human lives were like concerning themselves with insects. Sometimes it could be an amusing past time but only the fewest shinigamis really cared for it.
How ever Grell was a Shinigami, and that made her open for debate, and debated she were.
Both openly in public and whispering in the corners where the debate when back and ford.
How compleately out of her mind she was… Some called it her right, some called her an abomination playing around with things that was to disgusting to be allowed.
Oh the words were many. Sometimes people would whisper in the corners just loud enough for Grell to hear it, but not all showed that courtesy. Some would snark right up into her face.
The names for her were indeed many.
An gender confused idiot, a freak, a weirdo, a slut, a whore, a pervese abomination of nature.
Yet surprisingly… Grell didn't seem to be budged by it, she didn't move in the slightest, just send out her air kiss's and went on her merry way in the long dress, doing her job as well.
"How do you do it?" Knox at last had to ask as they were sitting out on a hill waiting for their time to reap an old man whom was about to have a heart attack.
"Do what?" Grell asked.
"All those things people call you, and you don't care. How is that even possible?" Knox asked.
A little sadly Grell looked at Knox. "It's simple really." she told. "Don't forget, i'm a few hundred years old myself." she informed. "I lived long enough, and for all of that time, people has always called me those things anyway, also when I had the body of a man." Grell informed. "How ever, I know who I am. I know what I am… They can't change that." she told. "I actually tried ones, can you imagine?" she asked. "To be like everyone else, to be a man… It was the worst week in my entire life!" she stated. "I just knew it wasn't whom I really was, felt wrong inside out. So they might call me things, but it wont change that I am exactly whom I was always meant to be!" she grinned.
Knox smiled a little defeated. "This really does seem exactly like you." he told. "And… You sure do look happy these days."
"I am happy." Grell confided in Knox. "I've never been so sure before, that this is just… Right." she sighed then looked up and grinned. "Uh!" as she waved at a couple of passerbys whom had stopped up and simply just started to stare at her.
"Urhm Sempai… You are attracting unwanted attention again." Knox pointed out.
"Not my fault that I am to good to be believed." Grell snorted slipping a hand through her long crimson red hair.
"I don't think we are supposed to have mortals starring at us like this." Knox commented looking around. "Even the women is starring."
"Let them." Grell shrugged.
"Sempai…I don't think." Knox commented. "This has been happening all the time since you… erh."
"Oh don't be such a spoil sport Ronald." Grell rolled her eyes.
It was true though… They were gathering a lot of unwanted attiontion, from every single mortal, man or woman, old or young… whom passed by.
Some seemed to be downright unable to even look away from the red haired Shinigami woman.. Like they had been hypnotized or something like it.
"Speaking of the sun, there is the gender freak." A shinigami in the office commented as Grell stepped inside.
Grell was really not in the mood at this point, so she huffed and walked on.
"Hey what's the matter, don't you like the attention?!" A blond shouted after her.
"Come on man, let him mind his own business." Another commented, that made Grell halt.
"What did you just say?" She asked turning to him.
The man shrugged. "Just trying to help."
"YOU CALLED ME A HIM!" Grell shouted. "How many times do I need to spell it out for you people!? I'M A LADY!" she shouted.
The man looked oddly at her. "Well sure you look like a woman right now, but all Shinigamis are created male, everyone knows that." he stated. "Shapeshifting can be done by almost any Shinigami, it's not that big a deal, you're still a shinigami therefore male, it's simple."
Gobsmacked Grell looked at the man. "Why would you say something like that?" she asked. "I'm a woman, why is that so hard to understand?" she asked. "It's not like I decided to be a woman inside, I just am."
"I'm sure you'll get over it soon Mr. Sutcliff, have fun with that look for a while, you'll see reason soon enough." the Shinigami kindly told, only to receive a slap right on the cheek, leaving a burning red hand print.
And Grell sniffed as she walked away then stopped a few feet's away from the two. "Do you two know something funny?" she asked. "human beings… They all start out as female, isn't that funny?" she asked. "Inside of the mothers womb.. they are female for the first months they live, only after that time does the boys develop any boy characteristics… We the Shinigamis, are the unborn, products of miscarriage whom didn't have a beginning, a clean record and then brought to the shinigami realm for a complete re-writing of our body and soul. So we all started out as women to." she commented then turned her head to them so suddenly her misty eyes became visible. "You changed body from a girl to a boy, would you say that makes you any less of a man?" she asked.
The man frowned. "I wouldn't say that is the same thing."
"Maybe not, what does an unborn even care about genders." Grell muttered as she turned back and walked away.
She didn't get to go far though before another young shinigami came running after her.
"Excuse me! Mr. Sutcliff! Mr!" The young shinigami yelled.
Which made Grell hiss and her insides fume. "WHAT?!" she yelled as the poor young shinigami whom jumped up in the air.
"Arh… I'm sorry Mr. Sutcliff, but Mr. Spears wishes to see you." the young Shinigami told.
"Oh freaking great, another lecturer." Grell groaned face palming herself. Then sighed. "Sorry I yelled, but perhaps next time you want to adress a lady by her prober title."
"Ah… Sorry Ms." The young Shinigami blinked. "I wasn't sure what you preferred."
Grell smirked lightly. "Well at least it was all well intended." she commented. "You can inform anyone whom actually cares to listen that I am indeed a lady, and would be like to be referred to as such." she stated. "And I better get this over with." she groaned.
Nope, Grell did not want to face William T Spears… at all.
Which was an unusual feeling. Normally Grell couldn't wait to see if this was the day she would finally get to crack this mans delightfully cold facade that was sure to hide some treasure… But she really wasn't up for it this day.
The truth was that Grell did in fact admire this executive Shinigami, and to hear someone she genuinely admired put her down for the choices she had made for herself… Really today wasn't the day.
Finally though, with a heavy heart Grell opened the door and was faced with one William T Spears sitting by his text with folded hands and a stern face expression plus a Ronald Knox standing next to him.
"KNOX!" Grell shouted. "You.. What are you doing here?" she asked.
"I'm sorry Sempai, we were almost seen vanishing today, I had to report." Knox told.
"You traitor." Grell seethed.
Spears on the other hand frowned. "Knox here tells me that you have been drawn some unwanted mortal attention lately, is this true?" he asked.
"So what if it is?" Grell asked. "Aren't a lady allowed freedom?" she asked.
"Mr. Knox, please leave us for the moment." Spears asked.
"Yes sir." Knox nodded then looked a bit dreading, he would have to get past Grell to reach the door. "urh.. Excuse me Sempai." he asked as she accidentally bumped slightly into her on the way out, then walked out the door and closed it.
Leaving Grell with Spears, and she crossed her arms as she was pouting already.
"So." Spears commented folding his hands. "As usual you seem to be a magnet for trouble Ms. Sutcliff."
"Hey I didn't do anything this time!" Grell exclaimed. "You can't pin me on this one." she stated as she crossed her arms.
"Is that so?" Spears asked as he stood up. "You do realize that we Shinigamis always stand a little bit out to ordinary humans." he commented.
"So?" Grell asked.
"Unlike those mere mortals thrown together by randomn in a gene pool we are created." Will stated. "Formed and created, our stature is tall and perfect, our face symmetrical, our skin clean, our teethes strong as metal." he stated. "Un top of that we do exsibit a kind of glow, not always noticed, but when a mortal do notice they will feel a certain attraction. For instance remember our author friend, whom commented on your looks?"
"Oh how could I ever forget?" Grell asked. "What a delightful young man, saying I was the most beautiful man he had ever seen." she almost sang as she blushed.
"And he was probably being compleately honest." Spears pointed out. "Just look at you, you are not really interested in mortal men, you'll rather have a demon or shinigami if you can get it."
"Why wouldn't I?" Grell asked. "Mortals are pretty filthy in comparison. And you would have to search long for a mortal coming even close to how handsome a normal Shinigami is." she chuckled into her hand.
"Exactly." Spears told. "And now look at you, a Shinigami woman… Shinigamis are created men so we wont gain so much unwanted attention. Right now you are not just a woman, you are the perfect woman." he stated. "Just look at you, filled out breasts." he pointed at her chest with his stick as if she was a school example. "Straight perfect stature, a hair colour that could never be achieved naturally for a mortal, straight bosom, pall skin even your hands are looking delicate and perfect." with each statement Spears pointed to a body part with his stick.
Grell blinked. "Why William dear, if I didn't know better I would say you are complimenting my looks."
Spears exhaled deeply. "You are missing my point." he told. "As a male, you were already attractive to mortals. But as a woman, you can spin them all around your little finger as your own private play toy. They look at you and you already have them in your power, you can turn gay men straight and straight women gay for you. You are not just an ordinary woman, you are a shinigami woman." he stated.
"WELL WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO ABOUT THAT?!" Grell shouted throwing her arms up in the air. "I all ready told you, even if I could I wouldn't change back! ever!" she stated.
"look it's very simple, just take some precautions." Spears groaned massaging his templates. "When you are in the Shinigami realm you can look how ever you like, but when you are in the mortal realm turn it down." he asked. "Cast a glamour spell, I know you excel at those. You can look like an entirely other person if you wish to."
"You want me to change how I look?!" Grell asked.
"I am not asking you to turn into an old hag or be ugly." Spears stated sternly. "It is a very simple re-procution so you wont draw attention, it's exactly what other Shinigamis of more absurd looks are supposed to do. Just think about your beloved demon butler, you know his true form is monstrous, to even life among humans he needed that human disguise. You even decided to disguise yourself to pass for a human while you were still a male." he commented.
"That is true." Grell then admitted then frowned. "Hmm…" as suddenly she changed seize, she shrank a little bit in height, her boobs and bottom deflated a little bit so they weren't so pronounced and her figure became more petite, her long crimson red hair grew dark and then black falling around a more plain looking face. "How is this?" she asked.
"Perfect." Spears told shortly as he sat down in his chair. "That will be all, you may go."
Grell blinked as she turned back into her true form with crimson red hair. "That's it?" she asked. "Are you sure?"
"Is there any more you wish to discuss?" Spears asked with a lifted eyebrow.
"I don't know… You're not going to tell me to be a man?" Grell asked confused.
Spears sighed deeply. "Ms. Sutcliff, I considered your words from last week and concluded that in this case, you were indeed right." he told.
"What?" Grell gaped.
"I've know you for over a hundred years, and it is quite true that your personality has always been rather consistent." Spears commented. "Further more, as long as it does not obstruct your work or is a hindrance to the Shinigami realm, what you elect to do in your spare time is indeed your own business. I shan't have to hear about your sex life either." he told in a slight eye roll. "This falls outside the jurisdiction of the working office, as long as you can fulfill your work and don't create trouble in the mortal realm you can do as you want." he stated.
"You… You really mean that?" Grell asked as her lips quivered and her eyes grew misty.
Spears shrugged. "It is none of my business." he stated. "Please go on with your day Ms. Sutcliff."
That was the moment Grell realised, from the moment she had stepped in through the door… William had adressed her as. "Ms." not. "Mr." as the old days, not ones had he reffered to her as a man or any of that kind and Grell sniffed. "Thank you William." she cried wiping her eyes with her hand. "Thank you so much!" she exclaimed and ran for him, clearly intending to hug him.
"I think not Ms. Sutcliff." William stated as he pushed her away from himself, holding her an arms reach away.
"Still such a spoil sport." Grell pouted.
"I have little taste for those things, you should know that by now." Spears commented.
"I know, I know, married to work." Grell commented as she stood up. "Well, if you should ever change your mind William, you got my number." she blinked. "I would be fully wiling you to give you exclusive entrance." she told in a smirk.
"No thank you." Spears shortly stated lifting his papers so they obscured his face. "Get back to work." he then demanded in a slightly sterner voice.
"Yes sir yes!" Grell exclaimed saluting at him, then grinned as she exited the office to where Knox were waiting for her.
"Sempai." Knox blinked.
"Oh you wonderful little mistake of nature." Grell grinned at the younger Shinigami.
"Things… Went well?" Knox asked questionable.
"Yes indeed it did." Grell nodded. "Sorry for being harsh on you in there, I just had had a bad day. Until now that is." she smirked.
"That's okay." Knox grinned. "As long as you are feeling better."
"Ah yes indeed, come along Knoxie sweety, we got plenty of work to do!" Grell grinned so all her sharp teethes were showing.