Ebony Roses (Black Butler)

¥ Chapter 11 ¥

You of all people?

Having second thoughts?

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I walk into the company building, making my way to the workshop where they make death scythes, apparently since I'm so skilled they think I should become a full reaper but still take lessons from Tessa, and honestly classes felt like a bother. Once I arrive Grell and William are there with multiple other students who have passed their exams which I didn't need to do since I already knew how to reap and do it properly. Stood beside them as Will explained what we needed to do before allowing us to begin. Grell pulled me over to a man she said helped to sketch out the design for her death scythe, but I had my own thoughts "Grell, do you mind if I make my own?" I ask her, she thinks for a moment "I certainly don't mind but you might need a higher up to oversee your work, I made my own scythe but I had help with the design because of regulations" he explains, I nod "cause I already have a sketch here-" I pull out a piece of paper and Grell snatches it from me and opens it up. Her eyes lit up in excitement "a combination of your mother and father's scythe!? How amazingly dangerous!" She squeals brightly, soon William takes the paper from Grell and I sigh as he looks it over "it will get the job done, and will certainly help you if you were to find yourself in a fight..." he comments, trailing off he sighs and hands it back to me "it doesn't break any of the codes so I'll give you authorization to make it, but until it's finished it remains here. Go retrieve the two scythes, I'll be helping the others, I trust Grell will be of some sort of assistance" I nod and Grell smiles "absolutely!" She says.

Once I have collected my mother's scythe I walk into the funeral shop and I look around, I make my way into the basement and see my father working on a body. He glances over at me "Ebony? Shouldn't you be in the reaper realm?" He questions curiously, a smile on his face. I giggle and hand him the paper "yes, but I was wondering if you'd...allow this" I say nervously. He stares at the sketch, a small frown appearing on his features "it's ok if you want to keep your scythe! I can always just make alterations to mum's-" he cuts me off with a chuckle "my scythe is important to me but I believe I have no more use for it...if I give it to you, I believe you would take good care of it, yes?" He asks, glancing at me and handing me the paper back. I nod rigorously and he smiles "alright, it should be up in my room. When you have finished with it return to me, I would very much like to see the finished product. Also, take your time, it took me a few days to make mine" he advised, I nodded and raced up the stairs, stepping into his room and noticing a pile of sotoba laying in a corner. I search through them, searching for the one that disguised his scythe. Finally I find it and make it disappear like my mother's. When I return to the reaper realm I set both scythes down on a large table as Grell looks them over, William walks over to us "before you begin, I would like to give you these" he says, holding out two pairs of spectacles, one was black wire which I assumed were once my mother's and a pair of normal rectangle shaped black spectacles which I also assumed belonged to my father. I took them "thanks, William" I said, he nodded and walked off, Grell and I began working on the scythe, starting by detaching my mother's blade and copying its shape but using the same material the other scythe was made of.

By lunch time I had only finished shaping it, I still needed to sharpen it and replace the old blade. Grell went off to eat but I just pulled out a small box of dog biscuits and snacked on them as I worked, I carefully pulled out the blue gem in the handle of my mother's scythe and set it on the side, making the same shaped hole in the forehead of the other scythe's skull. Carefully I placed the gem inside and smiled slightly as it glimmered in the light. I slid on some black gloves and wiped off the new blade, starting to sharpen it. I sighed, making small adjustments as I went. Soon an hour or so passed and Grell returned with Ronald "wow! The scythe looks really good already!" Ron said, I smirked and slid the gloves off "thanks Ron! Grell, do you mind handing me that crown of roses?" I asked, wiping the blade off once more as the red reaper handed me a crown of roses that was made of the same material as the scythe. I stood the scythe handle up and carefully placed the crown on the skull, positioning it so that it wouldn't cover the gem, I had removed the crown of thorns earlier, leaving it on a side counter to give to my father for safe keeping. Ron left to continue working and Grell helped out.

By the end of the day I still needed to attach the blade and etch in some designs and maybe...I sighed, would that even work? Guess I have all night to try. Grell sighed with a yawn "I'm heading to bed, darling. Please rest, a woman always needs her beauty rest" she says, I nod "I'll go to bed soon, have a good night, auntie" I assure her. The rest of the room was dark, only the candles I had lit around my work space provided light. I was alone now, continuing to work on my new scythe. I giggled to myself as I worked, thinking about jokes or funny things to pass the time. I finally pulled out a small tool, beginning to etch swirls with leaves into the material. Believe me it was quite difficult but I was able to do it. I sighed, a small frown replacing my once bright features, something was missing and I didn't like it. I growled but took a deep breath and turned, searching for some sort of thick and clear material. I found some colored sand and smirked, time to make some glass. The night drew on as I continued, not bothering to look at the time. I glanced down at my now empty box before pulling out another and chewing on one of the biscuits as I kept an eye on the glass I was making.

By morning I had pulled the newly made glass out, they were tinted purple, blue, black, and red. I began to shape them into butterflies as I set them out to cool. I continued to work on the designs. I didn't even notice when reapers began to file in to work and soon Grell appeared "Ebony!? Have you been here all night!?" She questioned in disbelief. I giggled "Father says I have his tick for lack of sleep. I can stay up for about...a week before actually needing sleep" I explain, carefully setting the last butterfly on the drying cloth. Auntie sighed "sometimes I can't tell if you inherited anything from your mother besides her looks" she says, examining the small glass items. I giggled, continuing to etch my designs into the scythe. An hour or so passes and I finish before gently picking up the small glass butterflies and with the help of Grell we attach them to the rib cage and place some on the Rose crown's petals.

I walked over to the table which had the new jagged scythe blade resting on it. I slid on some gloves, picking up the blade and bringing it over to the large handle. I grin as I attach it, waiting for it to cool before I stare down at the new and large scythe. Grell looks at it with excitement "it's amazing, Ebony!" She says brightly, a mischievous smile lighting her features. I nod "now we have to wait for it to cool and dry completely" I say, removing the gloves once again. Grell hands me an invitation, going on about some party being thrown for the new grim reapers at midnight tonight and that I should come. I sweat dropped "auntie...I don't really do balls...especially if I have an option not to go-" I'm cut off as she turns and glares down at me "don't you dare decline! You're going!" She hisses and I rub the back of my neck nervously before sighing "oh all right..." I mutter.