Okay you've all been so helpful in sharing your opinions. I have decided that I will include all the levels of hell as seperate chapters. However this brings another question to light, there are at least six levels left, and if I keep up alternating between Grim and Mandy's POV then I have at least 12 chapters left. Furthermore there have to be at least two or three chapters to clear things up at the end. So should I keep alternating or just approach Mandy's excursion all at once?

PS. Don't own The Adventures of Billy and Mandy.


Home.

Home had seemed infinite when I was a child. It was infinitely tall and wide and had windows that looked wherever you wanted to look. There was enough space always and yet I could always find my way around.

When I was young, I could not wait to own it. To have all this at my disposal all the time and always there and always endless. Dark and brooding and a symbol of power: this was what I wanted.

When I returned now it was open and wide and cold and empty. It was no longer a good thing. Nor was it a happy place. It was not home, it was a cage more than even...well my cage had been with Mandy. At least then I knew where I stood, I knew it was because she owned me and made no pretenses about it.

Here they pretended.

They lied.

They assured.

It was not a cage.

I could leave at any time. I was fine, I was in control, but don't leave just yet why not wait a bit, here: come do this, go do that.

It was miserable and the stone and the cold and the marble and the sheer endlessness of it all just made everything worse.

I could not stand that I missed Billy and Mandy and Sperg and Scar and all those awful people I had worked so hard to get away from.

Mandy.

A lance through my heart should I have had one.

If I had cheeks they would be dusted with a blush. If I had veins they would be filled with ice and fire.

It was pain and pleasure all at once, and terror that just the memory or thought of her could do this to me.

Me.

Death.

Ruler of all and the only one who had the final say in anything.

And I was a puddle at the thought of a woman who hated me.

The only woman who could probably best me was the only one who didn't really need to, she commanded me.

Not any longer.

Now I was alone in an empty room looking out over a land I was meant to rule and wondering what she was doing.

What was she thinking? Did she miss me? Did she care that I was gone? Had I been replaced already?

I entertained for a moment that maybe she would fetch me back if only for the reason that she refused to give me away before she was ready. That thought was just as quickly diminished when I realized that would take too much effort. She would rather not try, say she could, say she could best the whole of the underworld. She would find another minion and that would be why she didn't come for me. Why come for me when she had another right there, ready to take on his duties.

It was painful, and it twisted something deep within me, though in all honesty I had nothing to twist.

This was just a form, a shape I had chosen, I could change it at will to be honest, but there was no need. There was no need to look any different from the way I had always looked. I could take on any appearance I wanted, it would not make Mandy want me.

And to be truly honest with you the only opinion I really, cared about was hers.

I ran my hand over my head, bones rattling against bones. It would not matter if I changed the way I looked, but she would not have me as this.

Bone-bag.

Monster...I was a creature of nightmare and humans feared or loathed me. I took the ones they loved or they feared my coming I was a thing to be hated in some way or another.

And it did not matter because she hated me anyway I was just a pet a thing a pawn.

I was filled with anger I could not entirely explain, and I lifted the nearest thing—a vase of poppies(1)—and threw it at the wall with every ounce of strength I possessed.

I cannot entirely explain but, it made me feel better.

Watching it shatter. The water pouring down the wall, the flowers scattering, looking as damaged as the vase.

There was an unexplained anxiety in the pit of a stomach I did not have. Something, somewhere was awry and I could not say what, which worried me more.

Something was wrong. Something needed fixing but I could put no name to it and if I focused on the feeling I only got angry and frustrated.

Not that I wasn't on edge from everything else that was currently going on in my life. Death. Afterlife. I couldn't even live a Soap Opera properly, I wasn't alive. I couldn't love. I couldn't live. I couldn't do anything properly and that was why I was nothing more than a lapdog to the only woman who could capture a heart that belonged to Death who wasn't even supposed to have a heart.

I dropped into a seat—my throne!--and dropped my skull into my hands. Just bones. Bones and bones and yards of fabric that was all there was to me. No eyes to stare into. No heartbeat to speed up. No pulse to race. No breath to catch. No lips to kiss. No skin to taste. No taste. No scent but sulfur I cannot smell her.

It would not matter if she wanted me there were things I could not alter there where things that could not be. I took a strawberry(2) from the bowl on the table in front of me. I held it between bones of fingers and stared. I could eat it. It would go to a phantom stomach that I could have if I chosen to, and I would be satisfied.

I took a bite of it and then tossed it aside. It did not taste like it should. It was pale, you could taste the magic rather than the strawberry.

They would not grow here in a land of rocks and flames and shadows.

They were made to grow.

Just as the poppies were made to grow, and the sunflowers and anything that we had here in this world was made to grow. All of it was false. None of it was real, not even those that I knew were real, we were just embodiments of power.

It infuriated me again and I turned to the poppies. They had been dying in the vase and they were dying now, and now they ached and cried out. All things living were connected to me. I could feel them all dying and when they were dead I came for them.

These were dying.

Billy was dying, Mandy even, all the people I knew were dying. People.

I had met people.

Mortals. Creatures who lived and died as quickly and brilliantly as flowers.

I could not keep Mandy in a vase and stare at her whenever I liked. Smell her whenever I liked. Treasure her whenever I had a moment to spare for her.

I growled low in what I considered my throat and the flowers burst into flames. Filling the room with that smell that was unique to poppies. A flower treasured by mortals as a drug.

Mortals. Everything they touched seemed to be twisted and tuned to something horrible. Everything they touched they destroyed and only Mandy was outright about it.

And she had twisted me into something weak and pathetic. She had stolen my heart without knowing it and I wished that she only knew. That I could see just a glimpse of the heart under the icy exterior she portrayed to everyone.

Even if there was no heart under there I wanted her.

She was dark and beautiful and she was the only one who could make me feel things I didn't think myself capable of feeling.

It was painful and disastrous and I loved every moment of it and prayed I would not loose the feelings I had been missing for so very long.


1 -- Poppies are used in opium which was originally intended to ease pain and bring about sleep. Yes hence that scene in Wizard of Oz. And I put them in because they are linked to the gods Hypnos (dreams) and Morpheous (sleep) who are considered to be brothers of Hades. That's all I'll tell without spoiling things.

2 -- The Seneca say that strawberries grow along the path to the heavens and that they can bring good health. They are also associated with Sping and Rebirth.


Jak0theshadows -- Repeating the nice things you say can never be a bad thing. Also seriously I adore that you think I could publish this (minding the fact I would have to change about the characters a little) I mean it really, really means a lot to me. And I do have an idea of how I could change this about to make all the characters mine. Maybe I really will try, I mean just that I have people like you out there who think I could actually do it gives me hope that it's possible. maybe I will try it. We'll have to see how this turns out at the end. (And Wondersmastical is my new favorite word).

xXx-Eternity's Shadow-xXx -- I am glad you like it so much, and that you support the GrimXmandy Fandom. It's always nice to know that there are people out there who agree with the couple, AND like MY story! It's a double good thing and those are the best (except for Triple good things of course). Thanks also for the Fav that always MAKES MY DAY! Really, it does.

Fire Blade Quickclaw -- I'm so glad you think my story is so amazing! It always makes me smile to know people love reading this as much as I love writing it. I'm also glad to hear you appreciate my research. I really do try hard to make sure everything is perfect and just people loving my story is wonderful but when they see and appreciate the time I spend researching the smaller details, it makes it all the better when they like the story, if that makes sense :). Thanks so much for the fabulous review, it had me smiling for ages! hugs for you...whether you want them or not. Mwa ha ha. (though that hammer has me worried! I'll just have to keep updating!) Ever see the movie Misery? There's a scene where a crazed fan (not that I'm saying you're crazy) attacks an author with a hammer. It's actually a pretty fake effect but I cringe every time and you made me think of it. :) Disreguard my babbling I'm in a talk-y mood. And I'm a total movie geek so I always use movie lines in conversation and reference them. Do forgive me.

Alice M. -- Yay! I rock! ("Dude" always makes me think of "The Big Lebowski" so now I'm giggling madly, thanks for that! )

Purple-Rosie -- Hah! Well yup, now she's going to do battle with them all and you are right about Dione! I'm glad you like the Mystery. I try. It's a weak point of mine I feel so keep an eye out and feel free to point out if I start slipping somewhere okay? Always happy to improve. I am glad you like my description. I'm having to make all of these up so when people like them it really means a ton!

And yay! A Doctor Who fan! And who could not love him for he does rock the earth and time and space and all the other planets!

Meiriona -- mehness indeed. It's the greeks. In my experience there are at least three versions of every myth and every God and all that. I hope it doesn't vex too much.

Chaotic Pink Chocobo -- I agree they do mean the same thing. But I dunno I had one teacher who would go ape-shit (to excuse a phrase) if you used the "English" rather than the "American". I hoped no one would mind, I really don't care, I usually keep the same spelling for the story, but I flip back and forth on which one I use.

Atrophy-Conception -- I do adore your writing, and I am glad to hear you like mine and think that I use the language well. Which is possibly one of the best compliments my writing itself (not counting the acutal plot or characters) has gotten. So thanks! I do now plan to write out each level. And I'm glad you think I not only do them justice but that I don't detract from the story. Some of my older work I would get into so much detail that even I couldn't sit through it and found myself skimming, so I do try hard to not do that. So thanks much for your kind words and for your wonderful story. I cannot wait to see more in "Twitterpated" it sounds like such an interesting concept.

and FOREVER -- Ahh! A good thing to notice and wonder, but you shall have to wait for that, I shall not reveal my secrets until the time is right. There are nine levels and I do plan to do them all. Honestly it wouldn't be so much harder as longer and I do enjoy writing this story as much as you seem to enjoy reading it so it's fun for me to. I'm glad you want to see more (some stories seem to drag on TOO long and I do always worry I will do that. So if I do, point it out, but for now I'm glad you want to see more. It makes me so utterly happy.

Lily of the Shadow -- I'm glad that "wont" is correct. I thought it was, I mean it's the only way I've seen it ever, but then of course right as I was posting the captions on the television proclaimed "wont" to be "want" and I was worried. So I thought I would as you all. Yay that I had it right. I usually use grEy but I do alternate sometimes, grAy in one story and then grEy in the next...The whole idea of it confuses and bothers me. I mean Flat vs Apartment is different but really grEy and grAY are exactly the same...grr. I rant, sorry.

I do think I'd be horrified, but at the same time if I ever get published I would adore to lurk about and read the fanfiction people post about my stories (and probably I would post my own fanfiction, pretending it wasn't me just to see what people say about it but I'm odd like that!) Ah! You lived so close to him! Lucky! I love Poe so very much. Almost as much as Dante! And you know how much I love Dante!