Kuroshitsuji © Yana Toboso
OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls
A/N: Well here's the next chapter ^^ It seems I'm having a problem with my inbox. It seems I'm not getting a few of your responses? But yet it shows up in my email… I don't know what's going on, but I'm trying to figure out what's going on! So sorry if I don't respond. I just don't know what's going on. I think I'll send you guys a separate message. Maybe then it will work ^^ So here we go: I plan on going into EricXAlan (if you hadn't guessed) and also WilliamXGrell (over time, but it will come =3). Just so everyone is aware! As always, ENJOY! And if you have any comments go ahead and ask them ^^
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Sophie sat down in her desk at 8:30am sharp, setting her coat down on her chair and putting her hat on the edge of the cubical. She grumbled as she began to look over the forms in front of her, her brain suffering from fatigue. She had noticed that William had already arrived, but no one else had come yet. As time went on the other shinigamis trickled into their chairs, Ronald getting there at about 9:03am. "Hey Mrs. Serbus!" he smiled to her, holding two cups of tea in his hand. "Do you want a cup of tea?"
"Ummm… sure," she shrugged, grabbing the tea cup from him and setting it down on her desk.
The other two shinigamis looked over at them and rolled their eyes, Eric leaning back in his chair as he stretched his arms. "So… is Mr. Sutcliff coming in today?"
"Probably not," Ronald shrugged as he sat down. "I knocked on his door and heard nothing… I wonder why." He glanced over at Sophie as she continued to fill out forms, noticing that she rubbed her sleep deprived eyes as she stared at the white sheets of paper. "You seem tired Mrs. Serbus. Are you alright?"
"Perfectly fine Ronald," she sighed to herself, looking over with a cracked smile, "and call me Sophia."
"Sophia… alright," he smiled back as he began to do his paperwork. "Are you sure you're oka –"
"I'm as great as a small fish swimming in a gigantic pond," she smirked at him, letting a sigh escape her lips again as she sipped the tea on her desk. "Plus you're one to talk. I hear you're a real party animal and lady's man, Mr. Knox."
He frowned and shrugged at her, continuing on with his paperwork. "W-whatever," he huffed, Sophie smirking with triumph as she continued on with her work.
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"Here," Sophie said as she barged into William's office and set her papers down.
"You have everything done?" William asked as Sophie gave him a slight nod.
"I'm going to sleep," she grumbled to him as she walked out the door, "and I will be back tomorrow." With that she left him at his desk, slightly stunned for a moment.
He looked back at her forms and grumbled to himself, writing something down until his door slammed open. "Sorry for being late Will~iam," a red headed shinigami huffed, looking worn out and tired.
"About time you get here," he grumbled, "it's 11… 11:25am already… Grell look at me when I talk to you," he growled at him.
Grell didn't give him a second notice and left, not bothering to ask for any work as he struts out of his office and to his cubical. "Hey Alan," Grell sighed even though he kept a smirk on his face as he sat down at his red chair.
"Mr. Sutcliff is something the matter?" he asked, Grell giving him a definite no.
"I'm alright, say who's the newbie?" Grell asked, noticing the occupied cubical next to Ronald's desk. "Did they go on break or something?"
"Actually they just left," Alan said, stunning Grell, "and she said she was going to sleep."
"Oh compet-it~ion huh?" he smirked deviously, Alan narrowing his eyes and shaking his head.
"No Grell it's not like that –"
"Oup I have something I have to do!" Grell said suddenly as he looked at one of his papers and jumped out of his seat. "Better get going. See you around lov~e," he said as he blew Alan a kiss, causing him to shake his head in frustration.
"Oye," Alan heard from behind him as Eric sat back in his chair slightly, looking over at Alan. "Don't worry about it. I bet Mr. Sutcliff will be thrilled when he figures out who's working here."
"Probably," Alan shrugged as he scooted back to his desk, "but I'd rather not try to explain things right now. I'm tired."
"Hey are you okay?" Eric asked with a frown, noticing Alan giving him a slight shrug as he worked.
"Yeah I guess… I'll take my break in another thirty minutes. I have to finish these forms Eric." Eric gave him a slight smile and nodded, a frown coming across his features when he turned back to his desk and continued to work.
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Sophie let out a cough as she sat in the cafeteria, feeling extremely sick and weak. She took out a steel flask and poured some of its contents into her tea and began to munch slowly on a few sweets she picked up, savoring every taste as if it could be her last. It had been too long since she had a decent meal, and sadly she would have to call the cafeteria food decent. Feeling luckily that she wasn't forced to stick around and do field work, which would mean overtime, she took this time to chill till her next meeting. "Excuse me," she heard from behind her and turned around, her eyes lighting up slightly as she stared at the woman behind her, "you must be one of our new American shinigamis."
"Yes I am," Sophie nodded to her, putting her flask away and slowly drinking her tea. "I'm the Director of the Western side of North America, or I guess was now."
"Ah yes," she said with a little smile as she sat her tray down next to her. "I heard about you. You call yourself the Dark Rider, correct?"
"I guess so," Sophie sighed as she drank her tea and closed her eyes for a few moments. "It seems that my reputation has made its way here. What do you know about me?"
"Why you're the youngest in your division," she shrugged, "and also one of the toughest. You always wear black and ride an intimidating black horse, and will exchange goods for your services. You have also gained the name Dark Rider among the human realm, which is amazing in my opinion. That usually doesn't happen with a supernatural being. Apparently you go around helping humans also?"
"Only if they need it," she shrugged as she munched down on her food, "but I feel disappointed that the DMD of the London district hasn't figured out who I am yet."
She narrowed her eyes, standing back up and ready to take her tray with her. "Why if that's how it is then I'll simply eat somewhere else. I was only trying to be nice –"
"Fiona is always angry isn't she," Sophie chuckled slightly, tilting up her black hat so she could see Fiona's confused face. "You were never one to be patient, were you?"
"S-sophia?" she gasped, her tray dropping on the table with a 'clank' as she ran over to her and grabbed her in a hug. "Oh my gods! It's a miracle! How could I not know this?" Fiona growled as she sat back down in sudden thought. "All transfers have to go through me… but I guess –"
"You're been too busy that it slipped your mind?" Sophie finished her, Fiona giving her a slight nod as Sophie tried to smile slyly.
"Then… why have you come back?" Fiona asked as she watched Sophie drink from her cup, "You know it's not safe for you to be here."
"Actually I've been here several times last year for work related reasons," Sophie sighed, looking outside as she thought to herself. "No, the reason why I've transferred here is… well can't you figure that out?" She asked with sudden curiosity, wondering what Fiona will say.
"N-not really," Fiona frowned, "but you're a director? How!"
"We had a problem with demons during the Red River War with the whites and natives fighting against each other and bodies to reap. There were other wars against the natives of the Americas and I was eventually put in charge of the units that would take their souls, since I was able to get along with the locals. Then in about 1877 the director died and there was a bit of a fight for his position," Sophie explained as she sipped her tea. "Then there was the Great Railroad Strike of 1877 that made it difficult to make it around the plains. Around that time I saved my supervisor from falling into the Grand Canyon and becoming demon food… but then he died that week for some strange reason and I took his place. At that time my name was getting popular around the Wild West and the shinigamis were going to give me another promotion a few months from now, and I've held that position for years now. It's a real honor to be offered a promotion… but I'd rather not have the job right now," Sophie shrugged as she sipped her tea. "Does that answer your question?"
"… I guess…" Fiona shrugged as she took a drink from her cup. Then she noticed Sophie standing up and she frowned. "You have to go?"
"I have a prior engagement right now," Sophie cracked a smile to her with a shrug as she threw her messenger bag over her shoulder. "I'm busy for a while … but if you want to make an appointment with me I'll try to clear some time to talk with you," Sophie tried to explain as she turned around and began to walk away.
"Hey wait a second!" Fiona huffed, causing Sophie to pause. "What's so important that you can't stay and chat?"
When Sophie glanced over at Fiona and she flinched, seeing irritation in her crystal blue and shinigami green eyes as she stared back at her. "Many things that I can't talk to you about… or at least till I clear it up," Sophie told her. Then she turned back around and made her way out the door. Fiona let out a slight huff as she sat back in her chair, watching as two shinigamis came into the cafeteria and sat down at a table next to hers.
"I just can't see it Eric," one of them huffed as he sipped his tea.
"See what?" he asked back as the other frowned.
"Why someone in a high position would demote themselves on purpose," he sighed.
"Hey, maybe it has something to do with how they were treated," Eric shrugged as he ate his lunch, "but I would rather let it be. The times right now… well things are starting to get very crazy around here. She doesn't want to talk about it anyways, so don't bring it up… alright Alan?"
"Alright," he grumbled back, eating his food slowly as he drank down his tea.
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"Gabriel, how much longer will this take?" Sophie asked as the other angels turned to her and narrowed her eyes, her own face staying stoic as she stared over at him. "Before you said this would be done by March 13st and before on January 17th. I have taken a lot of time out of my schedule to come here and help, but if this continues I'm going to have to abandon my duties here," she finished with a huff.
"I am sorry Serbus, but you are one of the only Gods of Death who agreed to help us," Gabriel began to answer. "In all honesty… we need a God of Death. The fact that you volunteered to take over for the Mortimer family, may the Almighty rest their souls," he paused for a minute as Sophie rolled her eyes, "helps us greatly, and with your close connection to Death it makes things easier for us."
"Oh is that so?" Sophie huffed as she stared at him with a glare. "Well, because of this soiled soul hunt, I've been unable to do my actual job. Plus Death doesn't like how long this is taking you. If you don't get this finished by March 27th then I am leaving."
"W-wait! Hold it!" Gabriel called to her as she began to stand up. "We are almost done, almost. There are a few details that we have to finish before everything is done. As for the date, I will make sure that you are out of our services on March 27th."
"Thank you," Sophie smiled to him as she tipped her hat to him and sat back down.
Gabriel gave her a nod and let out a relieved sigh as he continued. "Now I have split the units up into several different categories. For each massive landmass, there will be four different units split from north, south, east, and west. We will report back here on March 21st at 1pm and we will turn in the collected souls to the God of Death. Any questions?... Good," he smiled as he drank from a nearby cup before continuing on.
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"You three come with me. The rest of you round the city and we'll move in on my signal," Sophie said in a monotone voice as they scattered. She walked slowly till they made it to the other side of a city, which was near the sea coast. "I can't believe Jamal is making me do this," she huffed as she scratched the back of her head, securing her hat tighter on her head.
"It could be worse," one of the angels following her smirked, causing Sophie to roll her eyes. "We could be in Sweden right now."
"I don't see what's bad about the place Harry," Sophie gave him a shrug as she stood still, her arms crossed over her chest as she waited, "but I guess France isn't a dreadful place… I gues~s."
"How's work?" Harry asked with a smirk, causing Sophie to shake her head.
"They're trying to keep me on a tight leash, like normal, but I'm keeping the shinigamis on their toes," she smirked at him. "Just my duties as a shinigami and as a God of Death are becoming a problem, you know? My schedule is really tight… and I can't afford time to rest right now."
"Who's on the list?" he asked as Sophie took out a scroll from her coat.
"Martin Chevalier."
"And what's he on the list for?" Harry asked as Sophie continued reading the scroll in her hand.
"He's a demon that promises to give his victims a younger figure and ultimately a longer life, but instead sucks the life out of his victims," then she closed up her scroll and put it in her pocket, letting out a tired huff as she continued to speak. "If his soul is completely tainted then we'll destroy him, but if not then, Harold, I want you to swipe his soul… somewhat clean. You know how it works so just do it."
Harry smirked and gave her a slight bow as the other angels did the same, "Yes Serbus." Then he stood back up and they glanced at the city, seeing the other half of the team moving through the city and searching for the demon. "Now we'd better go in there and flood out that demon into the Mediterranean, don't you agree?"
Sophie smirked as she pulled out two black guns from her sides, crossing them over her body as she looked at him slyly, "Of course." Then they took off into the city, careful to not leave a trace of their involvement in the city.
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Ronald blinked in confusion as Sophie showed up a few minutes later then he did, instantly noticing a thin cut across her face. "Mrs. Serbus are you alright?" he frowned as she set down her cup of tea and began looking over her papers.
"Yes I'm quite alright," she said as she began writing, "thanks for asking." Then she let out an agitated sigh as she brushed off the dust from her hat and set it down on her desk, unable to clean her clothes after another night of tainted soul hunting. "What day is it Ronald?"
"March 21st," Ronald answered her. Eric looked over at them curiously as Ronald wanted to keep making small talk with her. "Why?"
"Just making sure," she shrugged again as she let out a tired sigh and looked at her paperwork with an uninterested look on her face. "I probably need to take a day off tomorrow and leave early today… hey will Grell come in this time? I seem to keep missing him or something."
"Oh he had some reaping to do this morning so he'll be back by 1pm," Ronald smiled, suddenly noticing that Sophie was frowning. "Hey what's wrong?"
"I have to be gone before then," Sophie grumbled to herself as she wrote something down on a piece of paper and put it aside. "Dang it! He's always gone when I'm here and I'm gone by the time he shows up… this isn't turning out very well. How is he anyways?"
"He's coming back to his cheery old self," Ronald said with a sight sigh, "but Grell still isn't speaking to Mr. Spears… I wonder what's going on."
"Well whatever it is he's probably blowing off his steam somewhere else," she grumbled.
"Yep," Ronald shrugged, deciding to start working on his paperwork before William came out of his office. He looked over at Sophie and noticed the bags under her eyes as she let out a yawn, a thought of concern coming over his face as she began to hum to herself as she worked.
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"What do you mean you can't find him?" Sophie grumbled as a small unit of angels walked behind her through London, disguising themselves as average pedestrians.
"We tried ma'am, but –"
"Don't give me a but," she huffed as she stopped, turning to them as they backed away slowly. One of them gulped, noticing the yellow haze starting to swirl around in her irritated eyes. "To think you're making me work harder then I have to," she grumbled to herself as she rubbed the forehead in frustration. "Okay…" she sighed slowly to calm herself down, "who is he?"
"Jacob Ramón," began one of the angels as they opened up a scroll and read its contents. "He's a demon that has been recruiting humans to do his bidding. They call him a vampire, but he doesn't take blood except to use it as a contract. He prefers to eat flesh and the organs of his victims instead to sustain himself and his entranced human servants. He has created a few beings like himself, but if we destroy him then those under his control will leave his trance or die from old age."
"Fine," she said in a huff as she continued down the road, not bothering to look behind her to see if the angels were following her. "I can't believe I have to do this," she grumbled to herself as she pushed her hat closer to her head. "In-competent pixies" she hissed, a chill going down their spines at the venom that came with her tone of voice.
"Well it sucks, but someone has to do it," Harry shrugged as they continued down the streets, soon leaving the main streets and making their way to more desolate places. "Do you know where we're going –"
"I grew up here Harold, of course I know where I'm going," she smirked to him, soon stopping a few stores down from the one she had been walking to. "Besides this is the only time I can say hi~~ to someone," she chuckled lightly, waiting for the other angels to join them before she began to talk again. "Because of your atrocious behavior, I will have to take this matter into my own hands. I will give you preferable punishments later, but right now I have to do my job and find this demon." Then she looked at every one of them in the eyes, causing them to flinch in terror and take a step back. "Now you three go and wait for Harold and me outside of the C quadrant of the city, while the rest of you report back to home base and tell them where we are. Understood?"
"Yes Serbus," they said with a salute and dispersed, leaving Harry and Sophie standing in the middle of the empty street.
Harry followed closely behind Sophie as they made it to the house Sophie had been looking for, causing him to raise an eyebrow as he read the sign. "Undertaker?"
"Under~taker~~" Sophie answered him with a devious smirk in her eyes. "Just follow my lead," she told him with a shrug, holding the door for him as Harry walked in first.
Harry walked in cautiously, looking around suspiciously at the dark and dusty looking mortuary. "Hi Hi," he heard from behind him as he came into the room, freezing up instantly. "I never see~ your kind here~~" the eerie voice giggled, Harry turning around quickly to only see Sophie raising an eyebrow to him with a hidden smirk on her face. "Wel~come~~ an-gels~" he giggled as the man behind the creepy voice gently poked Harry in the cheek with a long black nail, causing Harry to jump towards the door and scream in terror. Sophie shook her head and pushed Harry off of her, walking casually into the room and closing the door behind her, though not without a grin on her own face as she stared at the Undertaker from under her black hat. "Do you want to s~ee~~ how it feels to sleep in my cu~stom-made coff~~ins?" he giggled, chuckling louder as Harry panted in fear on the ground.
"No thank you," Sophie said as she stepped over Harry and kicked him in the chest, a smirk on her face as he continued to quiver, "but maybe next time."
"Oh rea~lly~?" he grinned as he poked her own cheek, not bothering Sophie one bit. "What are you here~ for, Miss~ Shini~gami~?"
"You can tell? Oh poo," she smirked as she let her human features subside, her black hair instantly turned back into her normal auburn haired self. "Undertaker I'm here because I heard you're a reliable person for information, correct?"
"Yes, my dear," he giggled as bent down slightly and tilted her head up in a casual manner, "but not without a price~~" Then he let her go and began to skip, prancing around the room a bit before he made it to a draped curtain hiding the hallway. "Now please take a seat. I'll make us some tea~~" he giggled as he left them, Sophie chuckling when he left the room. Then she sat down on a coffin and crossed one leg over the other, staring over at Harry as he quivered on the ground.
"Oh god," Harry gasped as he stumbled back to his feet, sitting down on a coffin right next to where Sophie was sitting as he rubbed his sore head. "How do you know him?"
"Just by word of mouth," she shrugged, and then she leaned in closer to him to finish her sentence, "but not only that. How do you think I got my intimidation from, hmmm~?"
She smirked; noticing that he was shook his head at her. "I don't even want to know," he sighed, looking up quickly as the Undertaker came back into the room holding a tray with three beakers filled with tea.
Harry looked at the beaker he was given and frowned, suddenly wondering if it was clean or not. "Now then," the Undertaker began as he sat down and grabbing an urn full of biscuits, sitting across from Sophie and staring at her with a grin, "You came here for information… perhaps a sudden increase in ripped up dead bodies with missing organs. Hmmm~?"
"Yes actually," Sophie said with a nod, sipping from the beaker before setting it down next to her, "but I also wanted to pay you a quick visit. I haven't been to your shop in a while… have you been cleaning this place Undertaker?"
"... Why no," he grinned as he shifted a bit closer to her. "You have been here before? I would have remembered a ghostly figure like yourself, right dearest~?"
"Yeah, well here's my ID," she smiled to him, setting her messenger bag down next to her as she grabbed the ID from her coat.
The Undertaker grabbed it right from her hands, looked it over, and paused, looking up at her and then back at the ID. Then his Cheshire cat grin widened as a chuckle escaped his lips and he reached for her hat. "Is that you… little maiden?" he asked, tilting up her hat so he could see her face.
Sophie couldn't hold it in and giggled, letting him push her hat up so he could see her face as she grinned up to him. "It's been a long time Undertaker. Fifteen years now?"
"Fifteen years too long in my book," he smirked, leaving his urn and beaker on the coffin and sitting next to Sophie. Then he swiftly buried his face into her neck in a tight hug, causing Harry to flinch back with panic at their sudden closeness while Sophie giggled and blushed slightly. "Can you stay~~?" he asked into her ear as Sophie pushed him away a bit so she could go to her messenger bag.
"Well we're only here for information and…" Sophie paused as she grabbed out a small pocket book that worked as her planner, "right now I'm swamped with appointments… at least till the 27th. Maybe 28th or 29th… I actually don't know when I have time anymore."
The Undertaker frowned and let her go, a grin quickly surfacing back on his face as he stood up. "What do you need?"
Sophie smirked to him and grabbed her ID from him, making sure he wasn't going to keep it with him since she still needed to use it. "We're looking for a demon. He eats the flesh and organs of his victims, well the ones he doesn't turn into his minions I guess," she shrugged, "and this wasn't my job to do but in order to accomplish my other assignments on time I need to find him, capture his soul, and evaluate him. So… do you have anything for us?"
"Of course I do," he grinned, "but you'll have to give me pay~ment~~"
"Well I have a jok –"
"Shu~sh," he hissed softly as he held a nail up against her lips. "I want you to pay me later little maiden. Later~" Sophie blinked for a few moments before giving him a nod, Harry looking over at Sophie with concern on his face. "For your information…" he grinned to them and ushered them over, opening a coffin and showing them one of his latest residents. Harry gagged at the sudden smell and sight of the decaying body, but Sophie only chuckled at Harry' reaction as she looked at the body. "Scotland Yard found this mangled up in a trash can. It took me an hour to sew her back up, but the poor creature doesn't have all her parts. Very~ sad," he said as he let them have a good look before putting the lid back down on the coffin. Then he grabbed Sophie in a tight hug and kissed her cheek, causing Harry to jump back at his sudden movement. "Come back soon!" he giggled into her ear as he let Sophie go.
Sophie kissed him back on the cheek and gave him a wave, walking towards the door as Harry practically rushed out into the street. "I will when I can. Sorry that I can't stay any longer but –"
"Don't think about it. I'll talk to you later," the Undertaker smiled to her and waved back, Sophie hearing a sigh of relief escaping the Undertaker's lips as they walked out the front door.
"What was that!" Harry gasped as Sophie just shrugged.
"What?" she responded, looking at him at the same monotone demeanor she normally has planted on her face.
"W-why was he fondling around with you and why did you let him!" Then he gasped, "You weren't fucked by him… were you?"
"No," she huffed at him, walking faster than he did as they made it to the main streets. "He's my… meh, father," she shrugged
"F-father?" Harry paused, trying to collect his thoughts before he continued to follow her. "That man in a Serbus –"
"No," she huffed again as she paused and waited for him. "All you need to know is that he is my father and I belong to him," she smiled to him. "Now," she said as the grin on her face faded away as they walked through the streets, "Let's catch this demon so I can actually sleep for once." Harry nodded and followed after her, still holding an uneasy look on his face.
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A/N: So Sophie doesn't seem to be good with looking for her old friends huh ^^ Oh well. Perhaps she had a deep reason, other than Dorren, that she came back to London? To find that out you'll just have to wait for more =3 And I will answer this for you; Ronald is trying to flirt with her. Obviously it's not working, but that's not stopping him XD Well I think that's it! Honestly I don't know what to do with Ronald so… yeah. He's flirting o3o Do you think I'm writing Eric, Alan, and Ronald correctly? Just wondering, since I've never written them before ^^ I hope you liked this chapter and will enjoy the next one! Maybe we'll find more about Sophie next time… we'll just see =3
Harold – Scandinavian – army ruler; one who proclaims