Chapter 43: Starting Again

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I must admit, I was having a bit too much fun fighting with these young reapers. William, I think he was, and Grell and Ronald. I'll admit I was perhaps taking out a bit of anger on the demon for ruining yet another Phantomhive life. But these new reapers. Honestly they don't train them to be strong by any means. That by the books William, he'll never get anywhere staying within in the limits of rules. Grell is far too wild and impulsive; strong, but lacking the kind of planning that would give an edge to use that strength. Ronald, he's simply inexperienced. They must be understaffed again to send younglings like them out on a job like this. Honestly, the new reaper generation is hopeless.

The demon, Sebastian. A deal is a deal I suppose and Ciel Phantomhive did agree to a contract; however, that won't change the fact that I refuse to lose another person a promised to protect to a demon, of all things. Stabbing Sebastian through the back did give me a cheap sort of satisfaction; not very fulfilling, but still better than feeling nothing. 

I realized thirty years ago that my sense of empathy had dulled. River and Eddie's absence had proven that much. They couldn't stand to be around me and I couldn't blame them, but I lacked the care to feel remorse. Maybe I would miss them if I saw them, but I couldn't say. Truthfully, without rage, I think I would feel empty.

"This is taking far too long," William sighed, looking at his injured comrades, "We were promised backup."

"Yeah! Where is this so called backup?" Grell shrieked, launching another fruitless attack against me.

"I thought you swore by 'em!" Ronald complained, yelping when I threw Grell into him, knocking both off balance.

"It would appear-." William was cut off when I initiated a strike, nearly knocking him down into the depths of the sinking ship.

"She's late," William finished, holding his side and groaning. All three reapers were obviously out of adrenaline and fighting on pure stubbornness. Their devotion is honestly their most admirable trait, however, stubbornness alone yields nothing without the means to reach success.

William seemed to be lost in a thought a moment. Losing focus in the middle of a fight is an ameture move. I swung at him once more with my scythe, forcing him to jump toward his companions, nearly knocking all three down. 

"Tell a joke!" William commanded.

I leaned on my scythe, grinning and shaking my head. If this is their new tactic to win, it wouldn't do much. I may laugh a little, but it won't distract me. They must be desperate. Besides, I doubt there's anything that could beat that phoenix pose.

"A joke? He's not a fool!" Ciel shouted, looking at William as though he were mad.

"Why did Mozart kill all of his chickens? When he asked them who the best composer was, they all replied, "Bach, Bach, Bach," Ronald said, grinning. I shook my head. Where was this going? William's no fool, so what is the true plan?

William deadpanned. I suppose that joke wasn't to his satisfaction either. He looked to Grell.

"What do you want me to say?" Grell asked, "Um...Every time my grandmother and I were at a wedding she'd say: "you're next". So I started saying the same thing to her at funerals."

I snickered. Something about dark humor was so amusing, but if the goal was to make me laugh, then it wouldn't work. Such jokes only reminded me of (Y/N). I shared information with Ciel because of my promise to (Y/N), not because of the jokes that were told. If I truly accepted jokes as payment, then no one would ever be able to afford the information. I will never again find these jokes funny.

Ronald had chuckled softly, but went silent when William glared at him.

"Care to try your hand, demon?" William asked bitterly.

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