When One Finds an Undertaker

Chapter 15

I awoke to an arm wrapping around my bare waist. My eyes snapped open, although I already knew who it was. I entwined my fingers with the hand on my stomach and said, "Good morning, Undertaker." I heard him chuckle.

"I'm back to Undertaker?" He sounded amused. I was confused by this.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked, entirely confused by his statement. He chuckled lightly and said softly in my ear, "You were calling me Adrian all last night." I blushed slightly and started to apologize, but he cut me off. "It's alright, I don't mind anymore. As long as you are the one saying it." He pulled me closer to him. Which is when I realized the full extent of what the "other" had done last night. I blushed more.

When there was a knock on the shop's door, I was grateful. I didn't need more reminders of my problem. I pulled away from Undertaker and imagined myself in a simple white dress with silver lining. It then appeared on me. I knew Undertaker would take a moment to get dressed, so I went out and opened the shop door. It was William.

"I am surprised you are still here after you slapped him," he said, my hands tightening into fists. I pretended to smooth down my dress so I would not feel so tempted to hit William.

"Yes, well, he apologized and realized his mistake. He now knows I am not just someone's plaything. No, he's much smarter than that," I said, getting the feeling he was right behind me.

"Hehe~, right you are~," his creepy voice causing me to jump. "Hmm~, Will~ what are~ you here for~?" Undertaker walked from behind me to a cupboard, pulling his treat jar down fro the top of it. He pulled a treat out of it and stuck it into his mouth. I smiled at this.

"I am here to tell you Nicu is no longer a student and is now a full Grim Reaper." William pushed his glasses up. Undertaker's mouth was slightly open at this news, then he smiled widely. "But, you knew this anyway. I am also here to give her her new glasses." With that stated, he turned to me, handing me silver glasses. I took my student glasses off and put the new ones on. I smiled, and looked at William.

"Thank you, William. You know, you were a fun teacher before. Well, usually," I said, smirking at him. He sighed. Undertaker slid over to us and asked, his creepy voice ever present, "What did~ the high Reapers~ say?" William looked at him and replied, "They said because Nicu is already a full Grim Reaper, there will be no major penalty." My expression brightened, then it clicked in my head what he meant. There was still a penalty. William must have been able to read my mind, for he said, "Yes, still a penalty, but not a major one. The penalty is this; Undertaker must act as a Reaper for a year." The reaction was awful; Undertaker's jar slipped from his hands, I screamed "What?!" at William, and William merely nodded, then left. When the jar crashed to the ground, the sound rang in my ears. I looked at Undertaker, he was trembling.

"I have to get something from the market," Undertaker murmured, walking out of the shop. He appeared so upset, it nearly broke my heart.

---------------------------------

When Undertaker had returned, I was practicing my violin. I hadn't heard him enter, so I did not know he was there until I had finished my song. He clapped in a kind manner and I jumped, nearly dropping my violin.

"Undertaker! You shouldn't scare me like that!" I exclaimed, putting my violin back in its case. It was a black violin of a moderate size. I never played it unless I needed to think or if I was upset.

"I'm sorry, I'll knock next time," Undertaker said, an amused smile spreading across his face. I sighed, putting the case on his desk.

"You shouldn't need to knock. It's your shop, after all." I twitched slightly, the room becoming cold. Undertaker shivered.

"Hmm, I must have left the door-" he stopped himself when he turned around to look at the door. It was tightly shut, no chance of cold seeping in there. I fought against the cold inside, the room eventually warming up again. "Hehe, that didn't last long! Must have been a breeze," he said, possibly not even convincing himself. "Nicu, dear, where did that romantic moment last night come from? You usually aren't like that at all." I pretended not to hear him, instead brushed some dust off a coffin. "Nicu~," he said, his soft tone causing me to sigh.

"Well, I suppose you ought to know. After all, we should trust each other, right?" Undertaker nodded slowly, entirely confused. "That wasn't technically me. Well, it was, but at the same time was not." Undertaker stared at me for a good minute, making me uncomfortable. "It was another... personality." Undertaker tilted his head.

"'Another personality'? What do you mean by that?" he asked, coming near me and sitting at his desk. I sat down on a nearby coffin and smoothed my dress again, trying to think of a simple way to answer this.

"I have multiple personalities. That one was the more-"

"More romantic one," Undertaker said, finishing my thought. He was blushing slightly, his mind wandering to the events of last night. I myself began to blush, but I then remembered since it was not me, I had no reason to be embarrassed. "Could you see and feel what was going on?" Undertaker blushed more as he asked me this. I nodded.

"Well, yes, I can. In fact, if I'm given a little bit of control I am able to give that supposed personality advice, but she didn't want to listen. Last night was perfect, Adrian, I just wish it was really me." I used his real name so he would understand I meant what I said.

"How am I to know if it is you or not?" he asked, coming over to me and sitting on the coffin with me. I said, "Look at my eyes, if they are not green, then it is not me." He nodded, hugging me.

"Alright."