Mustard Seed part II

He passed. It wasn't too hard. It was simple enough. Follow this set of rules and remember everything taught at the Academy. Having retrieved his official spectacles, he reported to the dispatch supervisor immediately as instructed. They must be shorthanded indeed if they wanted to put him straight to work. He waited now outside his supervisor's office door for the senior agent that was to be assigned to him. William T. Spears, his supervisor was away at the moment on business and the senior agent assigned to him was late.

He looked around the department as he waited. There weren't very many female agents in this department, very disappointing, but there were other departments he could visit and maybe chat them up a bit. All secretaries, he mused. He would think there would be at least one female dispatch agent. Secretaries were fine, but it would be interesting and a nice change to what he was used to. He wondered if there was some rule he hadn't heard about or they had simply chosen these paths.

The click-clack of high-heeled shoes sounded in his ears, and they were heading towards him. A somewhat masculine looking woman with impossibly red long hair and looking very unhappy. She was wearing the latest fashion in the human world amongst the ladies.

"You are not in uniform, Sutcliff," William observed, coming up silently behind Ronald and startling him.

"What do you expect? When you call me on my day off, during a shopping trip. Of course I'm not in uniform. You told me to get here right away." Irritation drained from her face, she fluttered her lashes at William in an attempt to be seductive as she stepped closer. "Or did you call me in for something?"

"Yes, I do need you for something, Sutcliff."

"You do?" she asked, surprised and excited.

"Yes, this this Ronald Knox," William gestured to the young reaper beside him. "I believe you are already acquainted with him."

"Oh," Grell sniffed, "him."

"He is to be under your supervision. Here is the key to your new office." William reached into his pocket and pulled out a key. The redhead snatched the key from him.

"You took you time about it….but thank you!" Sutcliff suddenly smiled and threw her arms around William, who wiggled free from her sudden embrace. She pouted slightly as he straightened his suit and recombed his hair.

"Do not make me regret this, senior agent Sutcliff."

"Not at all, Will-darling~"

"I'm not your darling," he answered, retreating into his office, Sutcliff watching his rear the entire time.

"Wow," said Ronald. "So, uhm…" She wasn't exactly what he considered a 'hot babe', but it had been some time since he dated a redhead and if Mr. Spears meant by 'acquainted' that Sutcliff had been the one to reap his soul (surely he would remember if he had met her), then they already had a bit of a rapport to go on. Okay, maybe not much of one, but it was a start. "You are the first female agent I've seen around here that's not a secretary or something."

"That's because I'm Grell Sutcliff, Queen of the Reapers." She twirled around, posed her hand and shouted, "Death!" Grell grabbed his hand with a squeal, "Let's go see my new office!" Excitedly, she dragged him along to her new office. Finding it was easy enough, as her name was freshly painted in the door. It was still drying in fact. "Well this will ha to change," she said looking at the plain white drabby room with naught in it but a desk, a chair, and a few other office essentials.

"So, you're sweet on the boss, huh?" Casually make conversation while fishing for information. "You two dating or something?"

"Or something," she muttered in response. "No, darn it, but he'll some around someday."

"Well, until he does, would you like to go out tonight?" She wasn't the prettiest girl h had gone out with, but she had a good sense of style and great vigor. If nothing else, perhaps they could have a quick shag, He hadn't ha one in quite awhile and 'Little Knoxie' was getting lonesome.

Grell let out a sharp laugh. "You're cute, Mustard Seed, but you're not my type. Besides, William and I are destined to be together." She clutched her heart dramatically.

"Type's got nothing to do with it. Can't we just fuck? Have pointless, meaningless sex?"

Grell laughed again. "You've got some nerve! Asking to bed your senior right off the bat. I'm not your type either, darling, believe me. I watched your record. I know what sort of girls you prefer. Thank you for asking though. It's very sweet of you. If you're that desperate, I know of a brunette in General Affairs who is very available."

"You do? Thanks Senpai, that'd be great!" Ronald checked his watch. It was a rather plain and simple watch. Very cheap. He planned to get a real nice one someday, "We'd better get going," he said. "Got a soul to collect in a short while."

"All right, but while we are out, let's stop and pick up some new things for my office," Grell walked towards the door swinging her handbag.

"Are we allowed to do that? Shouldn't we report back here?" he asked uncertainly, following after.

"Of course we can," she answered. "William won't mind…and don't let me forget to charge it to my expense account. We are buying office supplies, after all." Ronald looked dubious, but it was her ass, not his.

At the scene of death, the record Ronald was reviewing got out of control. Grell stood by an let him handle it until it was clearly too much for him to handle. It was then that Grell jumped in and tackled the unruly cinematic record, giving Ronald a chance to view her skills. He whistled in amazement when the last of the record was gathered. "I can see why you're in Dispatch." He never wanted to go up against her.

"Triple-A in practical," she boasted.

"T-tripe-A?!" he gaped in awe. Yes, there was no way he was ever going to test his 'B's' against her 'A's'." How long have you been a reaper?"

"It's impolite to ask a woman her age, you know. Long enough, but I've only recently been moved back to Dispatch. Some airhead in Upper Management got some hair-brained idea in his head after I finished probation that I am too unstable to be trusted out in the field and sent me to work in the basement making death scythes. Collections has been short handed lately, so they finally got desperate enough to beg me to fill in for awhile, but I don't think they'll send me back. Not when they've seen my talent."

The two walked along. Now that the soul was collected, Grell wet in and out of shops buying this and that for her office. Various red decorative items, a potted plant, a painting, things Ronald didn't think classified as "office supplies". Noticing how late it was getting, he said, "Shouldn't we be heading back now?"

"I'm almost finished. I just want to go in this last shop and we'll head back, okay?" She didn't wait for an answer, spending several minutes in the shop, and then coming out empty handed. "They didn't have what I was looking for," she sighed, stepping towards the curb. A horse and carriage came down the road at a quick pace. It drove past splashing muddy water from the recent rain al over Grell. "Asshole!" She shouted after it, curiously sounding more manly than Ronald thought possible for a woman. "That's no way to treat a lady! Hmf…now I'll have to go home and change. Will would prefer me in uniform anyway, come on."

Ronal followed Grell to her apartment. It was well lived in, if a bit cluttered. "Make yourself comfy," she invited, heading into the bedroom and coming out with her uniform. Pants? The female reapers he had seen wore blouses and skirts as their uniform. Well, Ronald supposed they would be more practical when out collecting souls then a dress would be. He never had heard of a woman wearing men's trousers before. Another thing in this realm that he would have to get used to.

The outfit was tossed onto the back of the couch Ronald had settled on while Grell went to the bathroom to wash the mud off. She came back out, hair damp from the shower, makeup freshly applied, and a red towel wrapped around her figure. It was the that Ronald noticed her lack of curve and other assets pertaining to the female body. Like breasts. "Uhh, Grell-senpai?" He started to question, starting to feel very awkward. The Knox was strictly a ladies man and he was beginning to think he had been hitting on someone who wasn't exactly a lady. Not to mention he couldn't say he really knew any people like Grell, if his new feelings were correct and wasn't sure how to respond.

"Yes?" she answered, picking up a pair of enticing underwear.

"Err-um," Was she planning to change in front of him? His cheeks reddened, but he couldn't bring himself to tear his eyes away. "I know we aren't really supposed to inquire too much about our past lives, but it was you who oversaw my death, wasn't it?"

"Yes, in fact you were the first I was allowed to reap since I relocated back to this department. Will was being an ass. He has trust issues, just to let you know, and I can't do anything right in his eyes."

"Then how in the world did you get him to give you a promotion?"

"We made a little bet and he lost," she giggled., finally removing her towel. Ronald's face turned white as a sheet a full view of his senior's naked body as he slid on his panties. "But if you really want to know what I truly think about you, I think you're an absolute git. Love is hard enough to find as it is and you just let it go. You threw it away."

"I know, I know," he griped, slumping into the couch, having finally managed to look away. He was really feeling nauseous now.

Back in Grell's office, Ronald watched as she flitted about the room decorating it. She left for a short while and came back with a box of things she had kept at her old desk and arranged them on her new. The last thing she pulled out was a picture frame. She looked at it wistfully for a moment before setting it down on the desk as well. Ronald took a glance at it and saw it was Grell and William looking fresh from the academy. Grell's hair was short and William's was messy. It was an was fully old photograph and Ronald couldn't help but wonder if Grell had been in love with William since this time.

"Were there any complications?" a monotonous voice asked from behind. Ronald turned to see William standing in the doorway.

"Oh it was nothing. Just some unruly records, but they were no match for me," Grell answered dismissively. "It'll all be in the report, so don't you worry your pretty little head."

"If I ever get said report. Then why are you so late?"

"Some jerk splashed mud all over my lovely dress…and I picked up a few things to decorate my new office with. What do you think?"

"I think you plan on adding it to your monthly expense account, which will not be approved."

"But, Will!" she protested, stomping her foot like a child.

"If you cannot afford it, you will have to take it back."

"How cruel," she said then sauntered her way over to him. "But that's one of the many things I like about you." She ran her finger under and around his collar and leaned in close, intent on a smooch. William shoved her off with enough force to send her to the floor where he delivered a light kick. "But it's not even Wednesday," she muttered, picking herself backup.

"Your point?"

It wasn't long before Ronald heard all the scandalous rumors surrounding his mentor. The biggest one being how promiscuous she was, and seeing how she flirted with about any man she saw, he believed it. However, they got along well and soon became fast friends. There were times her flamboyance nerved him, but he simply ignored it and went on his way.

If you were to ask his honest opinion about Grell's relationship with William, he believed William hated Grell. As much as he wanted his mentor to be happy and have the person she most desired, William hit her and constantly berated her work ethic, which admittedly wasn't the best. Perhaps time would change things.

Ronald, while still loving a good party and would still get drunk from time to time, he never touched drugs again. He still chased the women and became very well known in the Reaper Realm and among some of the women in the mortal realm as well.