"Mr. Meyers, this way to your office." Austin followed the suited man down the hall, Christina following him. After studying for so long at New York University, his dream position was still out of reach. He achieved earning a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering in one semester after extra classes in high school. Now? He has an intern position at Phantom Corp. But that was all he needed.
He flashed a plastered yet still warm smile. "Thank you, sir. I look forward to working here!"
He shook his head cheerfully and waved goodbye.
Christina raised an eyebrow and turned to him, taking a couple steps forward. "Well master, you did it. You may be no different from a secretary, but you got in the company. Now what?"
Austin scuffled through the desk, organizing everything for the work day ahead. Making that appear so, at least. He was really just angrily flipping through papers and files. "I need to find a certain person and his files. If I can dig up enough evidence, and then I'll have my revenge."
Christina smiled at the realization. Soon, it would all be over. His soul would be hers. "And your job may not be ideal, but it gets you to where you need to be. Here I thought you'd be in nerd rage."
Austin's cell phone beeped. He lifted up one finger to signal her to be wait while he looked at a text. Christina's eyes flared that iridescent green that was like a supernatural fire lit within her. "Who is that."
He turned but looked over his shoulder to her. "It was Angel. We talked last night about her vampirism. She's old, but hasn't aged a day, really. She has everything under control with her secret, as it turns out. She made a deal with these scientists that she would allow them to study her if they pose as her parents. If they get out of line, they have their mind controlled. I have to admit, that kind of power is amazing. A person could definitely use it."
The demon had shimmering black shadows as an aura around her. "What … did you say? I'm sorry; let me run over this again. You want her power? You want freakin' more power? I'm a demon, ok? Right now you have the power of Hell at your disposal and you're checking out a vampire? No. No go. You got me you stick with me. You get your revenge, I eat your soul. Done … and …. DONE!" Christina slammed her fist down onto the desk, making it crumble to a heap.
"Shinigami Dispatch Officer, Grell Sutcliff. Surprisingly well-behaved, but you put a student in danger. We are short-handed as is. Shinigami-in-training, Jessi Rizzo. You never met with your advisor about your class schedule, you left the grounds of the Shinigami realm, and you were unauthorized to engage in any sort of battle. I have heard there is a demon that was involved as well. This was Mr. Sutcliff's mission and his alone."
Jessi cringed thinking about whatever sort of supernatural punishment the man would think up. "B-but, Mister! I-I was never told not to leave or anything, and shouldn't you go easy on me for a first offense of something because - -"
Grell cut her off. "It's better if you hold your breath, dear. I've tried the consistent-begging technique before. It never works on him."
Jessi remembered that night in the Shinigami Library. She could confirm that. She frowned and continued, "I'm never going to make it out on the field now, am I? Sometimes I think I should have just gone to heaven instead of casting that stupid spell."
Will's eyes widened. "You used a spell to get here? Where did you see it?"
Grell suddenly looked like a bear was about to attack him. Jessi answered, "I was surfing my computer around midnight and there was instructions on how to become a Grim Reaper. I thought it was a joke, but I tried it anyways."
Will's hands were shaking. "Who would …" Then he turned to Grell. He looked about as innocent as he did during a certain serial killing. "Sutcliff," Spears continued, "why would you do such a thing? You know that such methods of recruitment have been against protocol for a few decades now." His face had already turned red and he was pinching the bridge of his nose.
Grell twiddled his fingers. "Oh William, I really didn't want to disobey you. You know that, right? It's just that finding new Shinigami has been hard lately. Few actual Shinigami such as the Undertaker ever existed, so only certain souls of the dead are chosen for transformation. Very select souls. Narrowing this down through training classes limits us even more. I thought that if I gave humans access to that spell then it would only help us."
Spears snapped at him. "I know exactly what you thought! If what this young girl said was true then she should not even be here at the moment! Unfortunately, when she took out her scythe for the first time she became an actual Shinigami permanently. So, as punishment you will both be doing overtime for the next month. All soul transfer paperwork must be met before deadline and the soul-utilization case will be transferred to someone more competent."
Jessi's mouth was open, but the usually-overdramatic Grell looked more bored, as if he were used to it for some reason. William adjusted his glasses again and left in a huff. Grell glared down at her, and she wished that she could only die again. She said. "S-sorry."
Grell still seemed angry at her, but there was something about Jessi's teenage appearance and her terrified demeanor that made her seem so innocent, almost vulnerable. How could he stay mad at that. "No worries, dear. I'll just make it up to Will later! ~ 3"
Jessi shook the thought of them together from her mind. "Um, Mister – ah! I mean, Miss – Sutcliff … if it's alright in me asking … why are you with Will? He seems so stern and serious. It just seems like he treats you so badly …" She didn't dare continue. Who was she to meddle in the affairs of her superiors?
To her surprise, the man slapped her at her shoulders playfully. "Honey, what you don't seem to understand is …" He leaned in close to her and continued in a whisper. "I like it that way! ~3"
The young master and his servant walked slowly to the lobby of the former's corporation. The master, a child not looking a day past the age of thirteen with eyes as red as fire, was dressed in modern business attire. His butler's uniform looked only slightly modified from the day the two had begun working together. The servant's eyes were of those matching his master's. The child said curtly, "So, he has been accepted in the Phantom Company? Excellent."
"My Lord, you seem to be exceedingly entertained by this man. Perhaps you are not bored with this century after all?"
The master smirked. "All children must enjoy their games."
Christina and Austin stood amongst the rubble, frozen, when the other two approached. Meyers recognized the face of industry and bowed to the head of the company, Calder Phantom. "Sir, it is a pleasure to meet you."
The master only stared down the intern while the man's head was lowered. "All children must enjoy their games, but it seems this one is coming to an end."
Austin looked back up, confused. "Sir?"
Calder glared at him with disdain. "I know who you are and why you're here. You want to destroy my company."
Austin's look of respect turned to one of combat. "And who would you be?"
Christina was still staring at the butler, an air of familiarity so strong there was no mistaking what he really was. "Many years have passed; there's no wonder new names were needed to continue without suspicion. Calder Phantom? Or Ciel Phantomhive. And … Sebastian Michaelis."
