Meet John Grey. In his teens, he rescued a woman from a man trying to force himself onto her. However, in doing so, he got himself shot eight times. Even with his organs ruptured, he still managed to injure the man enough to force him to flee. The women stared in horror as John collapsed afterwards. A large pool of blood was quickly forming around him, and she fainted at the sight. Alone, cold, and in great pain, John lay there, wheezing for air and awaiting death. Little did he know that Death would actually show itself. Out of the shadows stepped a man in a very expensive, custom-tailored suit, as black as the void of space itself. Casually the man strolled over to the poor dying boy, and looked him over with an uncaring eye. John looked up at him, and stared a moment, taking in the sight of the tall, obviously inhuman man. He coughed up a bit of blood, before shakily asking the man, "D-does it hurt?" Death remained emotionless, but responded. "Does what hurt?" John coughed up a bit more blood, and his breathing was becoming less frequent. He looked the man straight in the eyes. "D-dying. D-does it h-hurt...?" Death stared at the boy for a few moments, before answering, with almost a bit of sorrow. "Yes. It is the most painful thing you will have ever experienced." John stared at the man with eyes that were quickly losing their light. Death assumed he was going to beg, to bargain, to attempt to escape like all the others. But what he did surprised even him. John smiled. It was a sincere smile, as though he saw Death as an old friend, that had come to give him good news. He closed his eyes and spoke softly, though his words were a bit warbled by the blood in his mouth. "Oh well, at least I got in one really good deed in my life. I'm satisfied with that. If you could, Mr., could you make sure that woman gets home safely? I would hate for my death to be in vain." he stated with a small chuckle, causing yet more blood to spill from his mouth. Death stared wide-eyed at the boy. Since the beginning of life, Death has coincidentally existed. Lurking in the shadows of life, always viewed as pure evil, never to step foot in the light. And with every soul he took, not once did the individual soul submit to its demise. It would fight, it would flee, it would beg, bargain, blubber, and scream how it deserved more, to continue its pitiful existence forever. Death was not only surprised for the first time, but shaken. As though its entire point-of-view was turned. Numbers incapable of being counted, and every one the same. But this boy was the first to accept Death. Both body and soul. Death, for the first time since it came to be, was at a loss for what to do. He stared at the bleeding, dying human lying on the ground, and again for the first time, saw not another soul to harvest and process, but he saw the boy. This young boy, who had not tasted any fruits of life, dying at his feet. Dying because he saved this woman who he did not know, nor did it concern him whatever happened to her. The reasoning behind it confounded Death to no end. Death looked at the boy with pity, confusion….and sadness in its eyes. He knelt down near the boy, and spoke soothingly, "For what its worth, I am truly sorry for what happened to you. Do not fear though, The man who did this will not live to see the rising sun." John slowly opened his eyes. And again, with mere words he shook Death to the very core. "No…he isn't worth it." Death couldn't begin to understand this boy. Death's mouth hung open, at a loss for words. John's breath was becoming almost impossible to notice, but with next to no blood left to cough up, he was able to speak a bit easier. Before he could question the boy, John spoke again, with a cynical, yet pained grin. "He ran in the direction of the police station. No doubt they heard the gunshots, and are scanning the streets as we speak. They'll catch him, and he'll rot in prison for all eternity. If you were to kill him, you'd be freeing him of that suffering…" Death grinned sadistically at those words. He decided he liked this boy, and that was another thing that has never happened before. Thinking quickly, Death leaned close to the boy's ear, and whispered. "Child, I will admit to having formed somewhat of a liking for you. And to be honest, I am very, very, very, very old. I have been looking to retire for quite some time, but alas, I have no one to replace me." Death spoke quickly, and even to its own surprise, with a playful tone to its voice. "Hey, I know. Why don't you take my place? You won't age; you'll have all the power you could imagine, and even power you can't imagine. And also, you won't die." Death nearly giggled at the last words. This way, the boy wouldn't die. John stared at him, thought crashing about in his head. If he accepted, he could fix all of the world's problems, he could live forever, and he could help not just one woman, but everyone! John's eyes shone with what Death took as acceptance, and it grinned. Death extended its arm out, and a long, wicked scythe appeared in its hand. "Listen carefully boy. Take hold of my scythe, and you will take full responsibility as Death. Do you accept this responsibility?" Death asked with a shit-eating grin. John stared, dumbstruck, before slowly returning the grin. "Yes," he said, using all his remaining strength to reach out and grab the handle of the scythe. "Good," Death said, with a sincere smile. The first sincere smile it had ever given. "Before I give my power to you, tell me; what is your name boy?" Death asked. John stared for a moment, before returning the smile. "Grey. John Grey." He stated proudly, and he felt all the power of Death fill him. "John Grey…" Death repeated. "Well John, if you ever need anything, though I doubt you will, feel free to ask me. After all, retirement can be a bit boring…" John…no…I mean Death laughed and agreed. The rest, well…is being told as we speak.
This is a backstory to John Grey. Hope this explains any questions. If not, message me and i'll answer.
