A/N: Back to your normally scheduled story XD JK But I hope you enjoyed the premiere to our sequel story That was your reward for 100 reviews :D . Next chapter! But as a side note, I want Shelly to act a little more like a toddler now. I just got home from a con and I got so many hugs from Black Butler cosplays and I even got two manga books (and leafed through the volumes they had (4-8) But that is besides the point.
Announcement time!: So I noticed this plot it getting a little complicated so I have decided to delete a few of the chapters and try again with them as simple drabbles instead. But I won't be deleting them until later.
For a serious plot I was thinking of making a sequel. Heres the plot to 'Where Skies Turn Black': Vincent and Adrian are both guard dogs to the queen in this mysterious underworld. How will this effect their loved ones? And while Vincent faces his death, how close does Adrian come to his own? What part does Shellobeth have to play in this and how far is her father willing to go to protect his only child?
Her Name Was Avery: This is a sad one-shot possibly part of the trilogy in which we find out a little background of the Crevan family back during the legend years.
You-Pick-The-Plot: As the title states, its up to you lovely readers to come up with an adventure for our favorite family and their friends.
P.S: Not Ciel in Wonderland OVA. Just a parody of a Parody.
Strawberry flavored tonic (or at least thats what daddy calls it) didn't at all taste like strawberries and made Shellobeth doubt who ever made it even knew what a real strawberry even was. Not that Shelly thought that the real ones tasted any better than this.
"Duddy! No!" She yelped as she clapped her hands over her mouth and kicked the bottle away with her tiny foot.
"But Shelly, it will make your tummy better." Her father tried to assure her as he tried again with the medicine but once again, it was kicked away.
This time however, he dropped the bottle purposely as they both watched it shatter on the floor, sending its contents everywhere. The little girl folded her arms and smiled widely at the shattered pieces. For some reason, Shellobeth seemed to develop a love for the sound of breaking glass.
"Duddy? Cookie!" She asked as she sat up a little in her bed and smiled a litter wider.
He sighed and picked her up from her bed and carried her out to the kitchen. A little skull shaped jar was perched on the table, full of little sweets for the family to enjoy from time to time (all the time) and got her one with little sprinkles on it.
"Skull yum now!" Shellobeth clapped as she took the cookie and smiled brightly and nibbled on it with her new baby teeth.
"Whats that Shelly?" Her father asked as he carried her over to an open coffin and sat her down on it.
"Mwah, mwah, mwah." Shellobeth cooed as she kept nibbling on the cookie, somehow knowing that her daddy already knew what she meant.
Since she began talking, the reapers discovered that not only did she have an accent (Not pronouncing the H in hello or pronouncing Dad as Dud), but she also had her own dialect. Rather than saying the present tense of something, she would instead say it in the past tense and add the word now at the end.
'I was happy now!' as opposed to 'I am happy!'
Even so, it was adorable and was more than likely due to these sentences being a few that she was just learning to say and would more than likely stop when she got a little older.
"Red came now?" She asked suddenly, waving her cookie in the air. "Missed him now!"
"No honey. Hes still mad at us right now..." Undertaker muttered sourly, not liking this topic at all.
"We bad now?" Shellobeth asked as she munched on the cookie.
"You know, I remember when we first found you and you couldn't talk." He responded kindly, smiling when the baby giggled.
Her little puppy like eyes widened as the front door suddenly opened and in stepped the man in conversation at the moment, Grell.
"Red!" Shellobeth called to him as he walked over and picked her up.
"Be lucky I am a very forgiving person, you two." Grell muttered as he scratched at his ear, which was still red from before and lacking his earring still.
"Since when?" Shellobeth's only sentence that seemed to make sense.
"Since you first opened your eyes and pissed on my jacket." Grell responded as he rubbed her belly playfully.
He then placed her on the floor and instantly, she got to her chubby legs and waddled over to a coffin shaped toy box and opened it. In the time Grell was away, she had gained a whole bunch of get well toys that she was dying to show him. This included a skull shaped candle (from daddy), a nifty top hat (from daddy), a little scythed shaped rattle (Wow, a lot of toys from daddy), a dolly with a missing eye but really pretty curly blonde hair in a nurse dress (From Ronald), and her own coloring book from Will.
"Toys!" She greeted them all as she closed the box and pushed it towards Grell, smiling happily when he looked down to see what she was doing.
"Oh... That reminds me." Grell muttered suddenly as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a little string of skull shaped pearls and set the necklace on the girl's small shoulders. "You get a gift from aunt Red also."
From the corner of his eye, Grell caught a blackened fingernail raised slowly into the air and he knew that his friend was about to make a point. One that either concerned the 'aunt Red' part or the fact that he was making an unwise choice of giving the baby beaded jewelry. However, Undertaker was beat to the point, and Grell spoke up quickly.
"Don't. You. Dare." He growled as he glared at the other man.
The finger dropped instantly and Adrian shut his mouth before he could even say anything, but then smiled.
"She was talking about you today, you know." He said suddenly. "She was wondering when you were coming over."
"Aren't I always here at six in the afternoon?" Grell reminded him as he picked up Shellobeth and looked over all of the toys Shellobeth had brought over. "A coffin toy box? Really Adrian. Thats so- Tacky."
"Was tacky now." Shellobeth chirped as she pointed to the wooden box and smiled.
"What the hell is she saying anyway?" The red-head decided to ask as he held the girl at arm's length and looked her over.
"I'm pretty sure shes saying 'The box is tacky." Undertaker corrected his daughter who in turn used her small finger to poke at the beads of her new necklace.
"What does she talk like that?" Grell asked but frowned when he was answered with a simple shrug and then lifted the baby and rested her on his shoulders. "Eh, maybe its an almost-a-year-old thing."
"Almost a year old... I forgot about that actually. She turned one next November." The silver-haired reaper said suddenly, jerking his head up fast enough that his lime green eyes became visible for just a second.
"You're her father and yet you forget something so trivial as a birthday?" The red-head laughed loudly and Shellobeth followed in his example (though she didn't know what they were laughing at). "Thats awful."
The two stood in silence suddenly as Grell finally remembered why he came here again (yes he had a reason this time) and quickly turned on his heels and went down to the baby's room and began to pack her overnight bag for her.
"That reminds me. You two are coming with me tonight." He called over his shoulder to the confused, older man. "Don't bother packing your overnight bag, because I did it last night while you were sleeping."
"Wh-what? Dare may I ask why?" Geez, this serious Adrian was really weighing on Grell's nerves, and that was exactly what he answered with.
"This baby is sucking all the fun out of this place. So you two are going to stay at my place for a bit and we are going to have fun this weekend." Grell stated simply as he grabbed a toy for Shellobeth.
"Couldn't we just stay here?" Adrian pointed out, like Shellobeth he seemed to prefer the comforts of his home over anywhere else.
"Heck no! This place will just remind you of the work you need to get done!" Grell gasped out dramatically as he smiled kindly and headed towards the front door.
"Won't the Dispatch do the same thing?" Adrian asked but then felt kinda stupid for asking when his red-headed friend suddenly whipped around.
"I never said we were going to the Dispatch now did I?" Grell asked with a bright smile. "I said my place. Remember the mortgage I took out on that house last year?"
"You didn't." Undertaker muttered as he face palmed.
"Oh but I did. And if you want to see your child again. You'll come with." Grell said as he suddenly ran off with a laughing Shellobeth in his arms
With a sigh, Undertaker followed the two out the front door, then promptly shut and locked it, even though no one would really be crazy enough to try to break in while they were gone. With that being done, the three started down the darkened side walk of England. Shellobeth was being extremely bubbly today as she gave the stuffed animal Grell had given her several baby hugs and kisses and would giggle like crazy whenever its head flopped back. She would then set the head upright again and repeat the process over and over again until she got tired of it and instead used the toy as a pillow to rest her little head on.
"She sure is happy." The red-head pointed out, kicking at a small stone that crossed his path.
"Shes probably happy. She hasn't thrown up or been forced to throw up for the passed couple of days now." Undertaker pointed out, turning to Shellobeth and patting her head.
"Which reminds me. Did it weird anybody else out?" Grell asked suddenly and was quick to explain. "Her whole explanation of things?"
"It did." A dead silence fell between the two after this for a couple of seconds.
After a few more seconds, the dam broke and one reaper was really going to get an earful. Shellobeth saw the face her Red was making and going off of instincts, covered her ears so she wouldn't hear any no-no words.
"What the hell!? So you mean to tell me that you didn't believe her either!?" The scarlet reaper was fuming by now with equal parts anger and annoyance.
"Why wouldn't I? That story was ridiculous." The other admitted nonchalantly. "Anyway, I saw her put something into Shellobeth's bottle when she came over."
"I know it is! Which reminds me also- Why would you take her to that crazy lady anyway or feed Shellobeth from that bottle!" As a side note for them, the baby was always so full of life that it was sometimes easy to forget that she was now a reaper.
"1.) She fed her and not me after she put it in. 2.) It was funny." He answered cooly, shrugging again and smiling. "She thought Shellobeth was human."
"How is that funny!? Your child was sick and throwing up everywhere!" The hot-headed male suddenly cooled down, mainly because the baby in his arms was again giggling like mad.
He stared at her for a moment before face palming. He would never understand what went through those two's heads and to be quite honest, he was terrified to even think of what half of that was. Regardless though, he already had some idea of what their little inside joke was. To him it was almost like that bucket on the door gag. Even though you know its there you go through with it anyway for a good laugh to your friends, or in this case to mess with a human life. The earring bit was probably part of this unknown gag as well but in what way, he hadn't the foggiest.
"You two are asses. You know that right?" He asked, looking down at the little giggly baby with her fingers over her ears.
Walking along the sidewalk in silence again, a light breeze blew around them, causing the baby to shiver and huddle closer to her friend, at one point even using his long hair as a blanket. It almost resembled that of a mother swan and her baby, keeping it safe and warm under its arm. All while shooting glances and glares at the male swan beside it, ready to attack him at any moment should she be provokes. Yeah, almost resembled that. Thinking that maybe its dark enough that all of the other ducks wouldn't see say the mother duck try to harm the other, though the full moon hanging overhead would probably make it all to visible to a viewing eye and-
"Swans are such strange creatures." Grell said suddenly, sounding a bit dazed.
"What the hell are you talking about?" The other responded in surprise.
"I have no idea what so ever." The red-head shrugged and tucked the baby under the fold of his jacket.
"Swans! Swans!" Shellobeth sang as she swung her legs back and forth as best she could in a type of half done dance. "Leave home swans now!"
She really had no idea what a swan was, but the word was fun, and now the topic had been officially switched. In Shellobeth-speak, she had asked her guardians when they would be getting home. Even though they hadn't been walking long, she was eager to get where ever they were going so she could eat and sleep and possibly cause trouble again.
"Almost Shelly." Grell said, but then added. "Though we could just do the reaper thing and get there faster."
The two older reapers stopped short, looked at each other and shrugged. It was late after all, and the reaper thing did only take a couple of seconds so its not like anyone would see the-
One teleportation later:
"Here we are, home sweet home." Grell announced as they entered the living room.
The main room was painted a deep scarlet color and several paintings and vases of roses made up the decor of it. Keeping up with the flow of things, the tables and carpet were red at all but the tile floors were surprisingly a checkered design. All and all, it was a nice looking room even though it like a tomato in hell had set fire to the whole place, sparing only the floor. However, the three were now in the living room and this room was completely different. It was painted plum colored, with a black and grey swirled carpet. The furniture was dark green and oak colored with a fire place and several photos on the mantel. It was kind of odd, considering who owned the house.
"Nice place. A little dull, but nice." Undertaker said, taking in the area of room for the second time.
"Nice!" Shellobeth chirped in agreement, though in her own opinion she thought this room was a lot like their morgue home with its dark colors, making it more than nice.
"You just don't know how to look at things." Grell muttered as he placed Shellobeth on the floor and handed her a black yo-yo from the nearby table. "Here, play with this."
Shellobeth eyed the toy in wonder, then took notice of its little plastic loopy and put it on her thumb. She stared awkwardly at it and suddenly didn't want the toy so she threw it. The string unraveled then re-raveled so quickly that by the time the toy had stopped, Shellobeth's face went pale with shock. She did it again, but slower this time, and watched the string come back about half way.
'Oh! I thought it liked me now! It came back!' She laughed happily and hugged her new toy to her chest. "Death!"
The two adults in the room watched her with little hearts in their eyes at her adorable nature and her random use of the word. They figured though, that this was many of the words she used to describe things that she liked. After a few seconds of watching, the red head picked her back up.
"Well enough of that. Lets have a look around." The baby looked up for her place in his arms and held up her finger with the plastic loop on it. "I don't know what you mean by that, but its cute."
With that being said, the trio made their ways to the stairs that had been seen earlier. Where it lead was unknown because the upstairs lights were off, causing an eerie shadow to hang over at the top. This may have been scary or unnerving to a human, but since neither of them were human, it didn't bother them in the slightest.
"Oooooh Eeee Ohhh!" Shellobeth sang in her best 'scary' tone, the closer they got to the steps. "doo doom doo beep bepp!"
"You really have to stop playing the radio while she sleeps." One reaper said to the other as they finally made it to the landing.
Somehow a torch was fabricated right the fuck out of nowhere and it lit the entire hall. The wall paper was red (shocker?) with a golden lace pattern that just went on all the way down the hall. On the walls, there hung several photos of unknown people with beady eyes that seemed to follow you down. The strange thing about the photos though, was how old and dusty they appeared to be but actually weren't and that most of them were scantily dressed woman with strips of black and red hand painted over them.
"And they would be?" The morgue owner asked, pointing to the photos.
"Friends. In a sense." The scarlet man said with a soft smirk. "Don't worry about them much though."
"Oooh! Pretty!" Shellobeth squealed as she poked the hand-painted lipstick on one of the photos.
"Thank you, sweety." Grell thanked her. "I did my best to make them that way."
"They would be so much better if they were more life like." Undertaker commented, examining one of them closer. "Or even a doll version of them."
"Thank you for the idea, Adrian. I will keep it in mind." Grell responded sarcastically, turning on his heels and walking down the hall way. "And maybe that bitch and I can make them together! Wouldn't that be something?"
"You know, the two of you are so mentally unsound that it is plausible." The other let out a signature laugh.
"You're one to talk! Besides, she can find someone else for the job."
"Not another reaper. And a human would be to easily caught." With this being said, the two adults shook their heads and kept to walking. "Besides, it would give you a chance to get back at her should Scotland Yard find out."
"Are you suggesting I- You know what, I don't really care. Come on, lets keep moving."
At the end of the hallway, there was one painting that stood out from all the rest. It was a woman draped in red, with a matching color in her odd bob of hair and lips. She stood out because in her arms, there was a bundle with a little black blob at the top. Her eyes were painted black and her shirt was torn in a few spots. Even with the bob cut, She could be recognized as Angelina Durless.
"Why did you paint her?" The oldest of the lot asked.
"I paint when I'm upset." The red-head responded automatically. "Now come along, there are some rooms I want you to see."
The group started off down the hallway and took a left. This opened up to a hallway that abruptly changed to a must more lively and beautiful one. The wall paper was pink this time and had several small roses painted on it. On one wall, many photo graphs of the four reapers and the baby had been tact up, to small to be framed. A couple of candles hung from the walls in golden holders and all were a deeper shade of pink then the walls. A single door was to the left of the hall way and out of all of the doors, it was the only one with a shiny gold knob. He went to it, turned it and then opened it.
A baby's room. Small and pink colored with a tiny baby crib pushed up in the corner with several baby blankets thrown inside and a small dresser next to it. Some singe marks were also visible but they were very faded. Shellobeth cooed at the familiar sight of the room, but then she cringed in fear.
"This was the room I found Shellobeth in. Or at least a replica of it." The red-head explained, but not wanting to sound cruel, explained it further. "I want her to at least have a few happy memories in this room. Not ones of dying you know?"
The other nodded his head simply and entered the room and looked about. Truth be told, he always did want to know where his child had come from, and from the looks of things, she came from a very simple bedroom. He frowned when he remembered what had happened in this room, but then returned to smiling when the child cooed in a happier tone again.
"She seems to like it." Grell pointed out, bringing the little girl in and setting her down on the bed.
The baby squealed in delight at the familiar smelling blankets and brought them to her face and sniffed them all several times over.
"You took those from her room?" A proud nod answered this.
"Blankies!" Shellobeth said, holding up the fabric and waving it around. "Sash!"
She then took it and carefully attempted to tuck it around her shoulder and waist the way she had seen her father tie his own sash. When she finished her sloppy work, she held her arms up above her head.
"Aww, she looks like an insane little version of you." Grell said sweetly. "Speaking of insanity, the room across the hall-"
"Uppy now! Adventure!" She cried in her baby voice and was lifted out of the bed by her father. "On ward now!"
"That's the spirit Shelly."
The baby giggled at the praise but then went serious again and pointed out the door to the room just across the hall. It had a silver doorknob and a red heart was painted on it.
"Does anyone remember the tail of Alice in Wonderland?" The red-head asked, receiving a few funny glances from the others. "It doesn't matter, but you won't catch the reference though but it'll still be fun."
"Reference?" Father and daughter spoke in unison and watched as their friend went across the hall and opened the door which lead no where but down.
"Sutcliff, that's a hole." The usual insanity man said in surprise.
"Actually its a tunnel." The redhead correct as he jumped down it suddenly. "Took three weeks and a lot of tubing to construct."
The two Crevans exchanged glance and Shellobeth simply nodded, which was her speak for 'Go ahead. BUT DON'T DROP ME!' and with that nod, they followed their friend, which ended up being a lot less terrifying as they had thought and ended much like how a slide would. Once they were down, they found their friend wearing a striped scarf, fake ears and a tail. Behind him, there were many small doors. They also noticed that their own outfits had changed ever so slightly, and Shellobeth had on teacup costume.
"The hell-" He was suddenly cut off by Grell.
"Before you even ask, let me explain that 1.) I have to much time on my hands, and 2.) I read to many books and that includes one on how to use the pink book mark and pen." He smiled quizzically and picked up a key from the top shelf. "So I managed to convince someone that they're actually a girl named Alice and set up this wonderland where you two are the Mad Hatter and a teacup. Hopefully, this will add some fun back into our lives."
"You're a nut case. And that's saying a lot coming from me."
"I'm a Chesire cat actually. And just get in the damn door so we can get this costume play over with. I left dinner in the oven and we've got two hours left to play before it burns."
Shellobeth looked between the two men, then at herself. She had no idea what costume play was, but what it was it, it sounded like fun and with the promise of dinner afterwards, this was shaping up to already be a pretty good weekend for her.
"We go now!" She declared as she pointed to the door that would lead to their make believe Wonderland.