The Grim Reaper Days: The Four Courts

I'm Off to See That Guy I Hate at the End of The hall

Lucius arrived at the Life Court through the small of curtain of shadows crowding in one of the few corners they allowed to have a spot of darkness. He wasn't thrilled to be there which evident by his unmotivated stature, but reluctantly he continued onwards to the to office of Cory Halifax, the one person who was able to crawl under his skin and that was saying something.

Lucius could get along with mostly anyone, Archangels, Angels, demons, Angels of Death-even though they refuse to be called that name, and humans—not that he knew humans for very long—but that is beside the point. Lucius may not be loved everywhere and he understood that, but Cory...no Cory hated   Lucius. Or that's what's the Grim Reaper thought.

Entering Cory's chambers Lucius's eyes were assaulted by bright lights, one of which even the Grim Reaper's eyes had difficulty adjusting to. He raised his hand to shield his green eyes from the piercing light, "Ah, Grim Reaper Luciano," Cory said formally, but the Reaper couldn't see him, "you're here." Following his voice he felt two hands lead him somewhere,"please, sit down." As he was sat down by a pair of hands the one-sided conversation continued, "How are you?" Once the sensitive eyes of the Grim Reaper had adjusted to light he put down his hand and looked at Cory.

"Fine, Representative," he replied as he examined his surroundings. The office was different then Lucius had last seen it. Last time this place had walls covered with dark ivy blanketed with a thin coat of frost, and long icicles hung from the ceiling. The colorful buds of young flowers of the incoming spring had been frozen over at that time, waiting to be thawed and ready to bloom. It had been dark then, darker then now, then Lucius could enter without issue-now it's like someone had gone crazy of Christmas lights in the sky.

Now the room wasn't even a room, it had been glamoured by their pixies maybe, or faeries. Lucius never paid attention to the new decorators the Life Court seemed to have, neither did he care.

The Representative had a meadow with fresh air, endless fields of grass, patches of flowers with their scent sweetening the air they breathed. Towering trees surrounded the meadow, some of them bared fruit, others flowers, and a few just green leaves that shined in the sunlight. Right in the middle of it was a round oak table with two chair, two plates, two cups, tea, a few sandwiches, and a dozen or so sweets.

"They told me you were coming, so I spiffed up the old place." The blond head informed as he poured tea into their cups, "Do you like it?" He wondered, his accent hadn't changed at all. British born, British blood, British accent, not much at varied, the only thing that looked different was Cory's was his hair. He had shortened it, no bangs touched his forehead or hid his elfish ears.

Lucius shrugged as he looked around him but didn't comment on the beautiful meadow, "You looked better long hair." The Grim Reaper took a sip of the tea, "Looked more 'official'," he said as he put air quotes around the word official with his hands. The Representative actually looked surprised, was that supposed to be an insult? Was he supposed to be offended? If it was, he was, he definitely was caught off guard, "And you managed you screw up your uniform once again." Cory looked down at his uniform, the Reaper was right, he ruined it again. Why did he care? Typically Lucius would just let him carry on with the wrong uniform and let him get in trouble.

"Well..." Cory said he tried to think, "it's not my fault we have complicated uniforms." That much was true, the Life Court's uniform was far from simple like the Grim Reapers. Theirs was almost militaristic but at the exact same time they reminded Lucius of princes from another time. The color of the jacket and pants were a royal blue, but the dress shirt underneath them was a cloud white. Medals and other achievements were hung on the front of the jackets, silver stars, crosses, small gold stars and multicolored rectangles that Lucius still didn't understand. Unlike the Grim Reaper's aurora of mystery, theirs had sense of prestige and honor. Anyone could trust them...but truthfully Lucius knew their Court and people living within it were just as corrupt as any other Court was, "And my job is more important then yours anyway,"

Without refrain or hesitation Lucius opened his open mouth and replied, "Tell me Representative, have you ever been to fiery pits of Hell or the soaring clouds of Heaven?" Because Lucius has, he sees them often...sometimes too often in his opinion, "Have you been to battleground of Purgatory?" The sullen grey landscape appeared in his mind along with its twisted occupants, "Because I can't seem to get enough of them," Lucius tone was serious and forced Cory to think.

"That isn't my-"

"The hell it isn't!" Yelled Lucius, his loud voice startling the wildlife, "Is that all you can say? That isn't my job or my department, I can't do anything about it. You know what, humans have done far more in their short lives then you have in several centuries!"

"This isn't about me Lucius." Dismissed Representative Halifax not wanting to have this conversation, "This is about you, breaking the rules and refusing to acquire an Apprentice."

"You say that like they're things." Lucius said his tone less angry and more disapproving, "They have family, a life, friends...and you just expect me to take them away from all of that?"

"What do you expect me to say?" Cory wondered unmoved by Lucius's words, "Oh just go and take another hundred years Lucius, don't worry about finding an Apprentice; Lucius—I'm sorry the Courts don't work that way. I've been patient long enough, now go find an Apprentice or face-"

"What, the consequences?" Lucius said as he rolled his emerald eyes, "I'm sorry to say that Grim Reapers aren't exactly treated the same as people who belong to the courts."

True, there was no way for Cory to punish Lucius. Grim Reapers had a choice not to follow every single rule the Courts placed down, but that is only because the walls between the Immortal Plain and everything else are impenetrable. No God nor Angel has been able to visit or see the Immortal Plain, the only power God has over the Immortal plain is to allow when the sun shine, "And Lucius, I can honestly say, you have been the biggest pain in my ass since I arrived here."

The truth was Cory didn't hate Lucius, he was jealous of the way Lucius can just be so careless and rebellious while he has to be conservative and always polite. Not that Lucius would agree with that last thought, but it was true, even though the Representative and Lucius didn't seem like good friends or even friends at all for that matter, Cory just wanted to have the freedoms that the Grim Reaper had.

And because he can't have that, he terrorizes Lucius because of it.

"I mean you are completely ungrateful little swine." Cory said, "You're never happy. All you do is complain, every time I ask you to do something you act like I just killed your family."

"You're asking me to kill someone and then drag their soul to the Immortal Plain to where they'll wake up and realize they're alone and cursed to live forever." Lucius pointed out.

"A single soul, Luciano," said the Court of Life Representative simply, "that is all I am asking you for. A single soul..." the blonde haired man stood up and walked over to the dark red head, "Would you risk war Luciano? Would you risk war just to make a point?"

The Grim Reaper stood up and made adjustments to his dark and almost out of place uniform in the field of green. He turned to Cory, "I'm not worried I'll start a war." His leaf colored eyes scanned Cory's uniform identifying ever flaw and mistake. His hands went to fix them, it was almost a surprise to the Representative as the Grim Reaper's graceful and pale hands edited all of the mistakes. As they made it higher and higher, towards the dark blue tie that was loose and crooked, "I'm concerned that you think a single person can upset the balance." Lucius's hand began to tighten the tie, "I'd hate to be told that another war has started." Cory was not alarmed by how tight the blue cloth around his neck was getting, Lucius wouldn't hurt him...at least not kill him anyway, "So I'll do this order; but remember this Representative Halifax," his tone full of venom and warning, "if something goes wrong, I know who to punish."