The Grey Truth

The Grey Truth: Chapter Ten

Before going back to William and Grell to pass in their completed papers, Joseph and Josephine stopped at the hospital to get Josephine's arm checked. It was, in fact, broken once again, and once again, it was put into a cast and sling. After receiving instructions on what to do until it healed, the two left, going to pass in their papers.

When the pair walked in, William and Grell stood at the sight of Josephine once again having her arm in a sling. Before they could ask what happened, Joseph explained that she had fallen and broken her arm.

"Well, it seems you two have passed with flying colors. I believe it's time that you go and get yourselves some proper spectacles," William said, and Grell nodded in agreement.

Joseph smiled, and left the room, leaving Josephine for a moment while he tried to remember which way they were supposed to go. William smiled a bit at Josephine, who smiled back a bit in return. This was the most joy the girl had felt in her life, knowing that things were going to be very different from now on. She met up with Joseph, and the two went to the next level up in the building to get their new glasses.

Joseph's were simple, black with thin temples, and small skulls where the temple met the rest of the frame. Josephine kept her usual straight face as she received her new glasses.

'Only a true shinigami is allowed the privilege to wear glasses crafted by the master. Only one who understands and has bared the weight and pain of a life earn true reaper glasses,' she thought, putting on her new spectacles. The dark green frames caused her eyes to seem much brighter, and the near-rectangular shape seemed to fit the angular structure of the girl's face exactly. Josephine Grey had reached her goal, to become a full-fledged shinigami.

That evening, there would be a sort of ball for the students and staff of the academy to celebrate a new group of reapers coming out of training. Josephine now saw why Grell had gotten her those dresses months ago. As she was getting ready, there was a knock at the door to her bedroom. She quickly finished snuggly tying the black belt that went around her waist and answered.

"Sutcliff and I are nearly about to leave," William told her.

Josephine nodded, slipping into black high-heeled shoes and grabbing one glove from a pair of long black gloves. Along with the dark green dress that matched her glasses, Josephine wore a black choker with a dark green heart in the middle, dark green, dangling earrings, and a black headband, with a dark green accent piece attached, and her dark brown hair was down and curled so that it fell loosely above her shoulders. Little did Will know that Josephine had managed to put her knife into the small black clutch purse she carried with her.

Later that night, Josephine slipped out to the balcony, not knowing that she was followed by William and Grell. She took the knife out of her purse and opened the blade with the familiar faint, metallic click.

"What is she-," Grell began, though he was silenced by his superior.

"Just watch, I don't think she's going to," Will whispered.

Josephine took a breath, and started reciting something that she had repeatedly written in her journal for weeks, nearly singing it to herself, though her voice was just loud enough for her instructors to hear. "I don't want to be the one, the battles always choose. 'Cause inside, I realize, that I'm the one confused. I don't know what's worth fighting for, or why I have to scream, but now I have some clarity, to show them what I mean, I don't know how I got this way, but I know I'll be alright, so I'm breaking the habit, tonight," Josephine recited, and at the end, she pitched the closed knife off the balcony.

William walked over to Josephine, and placed a black-gloves hand on her shoulder, Grell stood behind his superior, both smiling warmly at their new subordinate.

"Welcome to the Shinigami Dispatch Association, Miss Grey," William said, though the three laughed at the formality he took in saying it, knowing that it was all in good fun.

"Welcome to the ride of your life," Grell said, earning a smile from Josephine.

William and Grell went back inside, leaving Josephine alone on the balcony once more. Moments later, Josephine heard the sound of two sets of feet walking in step with one another coming towards her. When the steps halted at her right, she turned to see the twins, Greg and Fred, standing there, with their hand held behind their backs, seemingly nervous.

"Josephine, er, about what we had said, about you being a creepy loner and all...," Greg began, nervousness hinting in his voice.

"We just wanted to tell you that, well...," Fred continued, in the same nervous manner.

"We're sorry," the two finished in unison.

Josephine smiled a bit and nodded. "Looking back, I can see why you had said that. And, well, I don't blame you for it. The past is the past, so let's just move on from it, alright?" she said, and the twins nodded, smiling a bit. The girl remained outside a while longer before heading in and joining the others.

All of the former recruits were enjoying themselves, dancing, joking, or doing the same as Josephine, and simply standing off to the side. The hours ticked by, and soon, the final song was about to begin.

Josephine would have been content with simply staying off to the side and watching the others, though, she was pulled in by one of the other members of dispatch, a fairly tall, mostly-blonde man sporting half a head of cornrows, which were dyed brown.

"Everyone in dispatch has to do it, only exception is that guy over there," he said, motioning to one of the new subordinates who had broken his leg during the final exam, though still managed to push though and complete it.

Josephine was put into the front row next to Will, who seemed to be the one leading this.

"Now then, everyone, let's go!" William prompted, and the music began.

All of the experienced dispatch employees fell into step perfectly, while many of the new subordinates became confused and fell out of step. Though, a few of the former recruits, including Josephine, managed to keep up with their superiors.

The night drew to a close with everyone laughing and smiling. There was a two week break between now and when the new employees would start in their chosen position and division. Josephine was staying in the main division in London, where Grell and Will were stationed, while her classmates all went to more newbie-friendly divisions.

This would mark the beginning of a new chapter for Josephine. Though her past would forever remain a grey truth, her future looked like it would be anything but.