The Red Reaper

It was a late afternoon in the forests. The sky was pink, and ready to go deep blue in a rather short time. In the forests, a grim reaper was making her way through. Her cloak was a deep ruby red, matching the pupil-like lights in her eye sockets. Her hair was made of black shadow and was flowing smoothly, like the ocean on the calmest days. She held her scythe of silver in one hand, and a bag of food and supplies in the other, as while grim reapers couldn't die from starvation, they could still get hungry. The Red Reaper, as she was called, was on her way to reap the soul of a woman whose time was near up, like usually. Little did she know that this day could change her unlife.

The Red Reaper smiled as she looked at a nearby stream, walking by its side. While she was a worker of death, she got along with wildlife and nature quite well, like most grim reapers did. After all, death was a natural thing. Butterflies welcomingly fluttered by her before going on her way, making her laugh a little. The reaper then noticed a bridge going across the stream. Realizing it was the next path to her destination, she decided to go across it. But as she took her first step onto the bridge, she noticed a rather large creature coming from under and climbing on.

It looked vaguely reptilian, mostly resembling an alligator, with greyish green scales. It had a yellow and green mane that was musty and swampy, which also covered the creature's eyes and ran down its back right to its tail, while spikes protruded. Its posture, while human like, was also hunched over. The claws on both its hands and feet were black and sharp. The teeth on its open and hungry snout were sharp and yellow. Apparently, what lived under the bridge was that of a troll.

"Hey now, I don't mean any trouble."

The Reaper's stern statement fell deaf on the troll's non-existent ears, in which it just snarled back. Loudly. However, the Red Reaper remained unmoved. She weld her scythe, pointing right at the troll, then told it rather coldly.

"You seem to be near the end of a troll's lifespan. I should know because I'm a grim reaper."

The troll didn't say anything. It just closed its mouth and simply climbed down the bridge, going back under. The Reaper smiled as she crossed through. She loved doing that. As she got back on track, the Reaper noticed a white wolf passing by. The wolf then looked at the Reaper, her staring back.

"Do not mind me, just on my way to claim a well-aged soul."

The Reaper swore she saw the wolf raise its head a little before it continued on its way. She shrugged it off and continued on hers. It was now completely dark, and the Red Reaper was still in the forest. It was calm and serene. Well, it was until the Reaper noticed a young woman with messy blond hair, dressed in gold jewelry on her neck and wrists, looking and shuffling in what looked like a stolen handbag right next to what seemed to be a swan-girl, presumably the actual owner of the bag in a fetal position and covered in slight bruises. Red went over to the robber and aimed her scythe at her, the blonde's eyes going wide as the blade was right near her face.

"And what exactly is going on here?!"

"Whoa, hey! We don't need to get so fired up! I was just lookin' in my bag, ya know! This is my bag!"

"Oh really, then why's that woman bruised and on the ground?"

"Okay, ya got me. Here's your dumb items back, I'm still taking the purse though, it's just right for me!"

"Come back here!" the Reaper screamed in fury, about to charge at the fleeing thief.

"Just let her go, I don't really deserve anything to hold my stuff anyway..." The bruised swan murmured, getting up and taking her supplies with just her hands.

"Don't say that! If you don't mind me asking, why exactly are you saying cruel things about yourself?" the Reaper asked, tending to the bird-woman's wounds.

The swan sighed, "I've been living a hard life. I was adopted and raised in the city of ducks, my classmates and even some of my teachers teasing me and berating me not only because I barely looked like the rest of my adoptive family, but also because of my inability to comprehend the city environment, saying I was the 'ugly one'. Even my siblings would sometimes give me crap. The only one who actually gave me comfort was my mother. When my 18th birthday passed, recently, I decided to move into a calmer area, where there aren't much people. However, obviously the way there hasn't been kind to me... I probably shouldn't even have this stuff... what if they're right? What if I am the ugly one, and will forever be that?"

The swan was silently in tears at that point, the Reaper's heart sinking. Looking in her bag, she found a spare cloth bag. It was in case her other one got too full, but she decided to give it to the girl, whose eyes lit up.

"You are not ugly. Real beauty should depend on kindness, redemption, and other nice stuff. Those people who are mean to you? They're the real ugly ones. So here, put your stuff in this, and take the thing with you. And also? Here's something else."

At that moment, the Reaper also handed the swan a map. Specifically, one that had a way to the calmer areas. The Red Reaper was using it to go on her way to her destination, but she was generous enough to give the girl her map as well. Tears of joy went down the girl's eyes as she gently took the map and bag.

"Thank you... so much!"

The girl gave the Reaper a warm hug before going off. The Reaper smiled as the swan went on her way, a single tear coming out of her socket.

"It was my pleasure..."

The Red Reaper continued on her way to find the elderly soul. Because of her map being handed to someone else, she decided to use her memory and brain for the rest of her journey, venturing on into the forest. She continued on her way until three bear-people came by, all presumably siblings. They looked very upset, and the smallest bear went up to the Reaper and spoke,

"We're tracking down a criminal. In her mid-20's, blonde hair, infamous vandal, also a thief. Calls herself 'The Gold Locks'. We're hunting her down because we are detectives, and when she robbed our place recently, we decided that was the last straw. Have you had any encounter with her at all?"

The Reaper knew exactly what they were talking about. Thanks to her great memory, she was able to track down where the criminal went. She nodded, and pointed to her right. The smallest bear nodded their head, thanked the Reaper, and went on their way, the other two following them. Smiling, the Red Reaper finally went on her way. However, all this series of good deeds was making her kind of tired, so the elderly soul would have to wait a little while longer. Thankfully, souls didn't really have specific due dates, so the Reaper had plenty of time. She found a nearby tree and rested aside it, enjoying her meal of cooked beef before finally drifting off to sleep.

The Red Reaper woke up to the light blue sky. Getting up and smiling, she picked up her scythe and basket and decided to continue on her way. Walking through the forest once more, she decided to have a bit of breakfast before noticing that her basket was empty.

"Great. I knew I should have packed more food other than that small pack of beef."

She sighed and decided to kill two birds with one stone and get something to eat while she was on her way. The Reaper swore she saw what looked like the same wolf from yesterday pass by, it it was too fast for her to entirely make sure. However, she immediately put that aside from her when she sensed a smell of all sorts of sweet-tasting food items. Cake, gingerbread, frosting, peppermint, rock candy, cotton candy, all sorts of delicious stuff. The Red Reaper had to investigate. And judging from the smell, maybe also get a sweet snack as well?

As the Reaper followed the scent, she could feel her mind drowning in the thoughts of all sorts of delicious stuff. Yep, now she was really getting hungry. Then she found the source. A house resembling, and undoubtedly made of, a large triple layer devil's food cake covered in chocolate frosting, sprinkles, and different forms of candy. The Reaper drooled at the sight of the place, and went near. She grabbed a handful of the cake-house and took a bite. It truly was delicious! She took two more handfuls, stuffing her face until she heard the door open and slithering.

"And thus, another hungry one has entered my area..."

The Red Reaper realized what she just did and turned to see a rather beautiful female humanoid with the face and tail of a snake. The tail was obviously in the place of legs. The snake woman's hair was pink, blue, and fluffy like cotton candy. Her scales were white with red stripes, resembling that of a candy cane. Her eyes were welcoming and deep blue, shining like jelly beans. Before the Reaper could apologize, the snake-woman smiled, ensuring that the Reaper was okay with her following words.

"Welcome! Don't worry about the house, that happens often. You seem pretty hungry, why don't you come in? I have more where that came from."

Realizing she was safe, the Red Reaper followed the snake-girl into the cake-house. She sat down in a chair next to a table as the snake started making some delicious meals. The Reaper was handed several good stuff like cupcakes, complete with sprinkles and cherries on top, and milkshakes. A grim reaper digested food in a shadowy pouch on the belly area, resembling that of a stomach, in which any food that goes in just slowly disappears, yet a reaper is still satisfied. The Reaper ate as much as she could until she was finally full, and decided to accept some sweets for the rest of her trip. As she made her way out, she heard the snake say something rather interesting.

"Usually, I just fatten my guests up so I can have my own snack, I don't care that I have all these sweets, but since you're a 'living' skeleton, I decided to let you go."

The Reaper just silently stared at the snake. The snake immediately realized what she just said.

"...and I probably shouldn't have said that out loud..."

That day the Red Reaper decided to claim an extra soul.

And that extra soul's body was just as sweet as the rest of her breakfast.

So after that, the Red Reaper decided not to be distracted anymore and finally completely focus on her main task: claiming an elderly soul. Once again, she saw what she was sure was the white wolf from earlier pass by, but once again it was too fast for her to completely tell. Coincidentally, the Reaper managed to finally arrive at her destination. It was a small house, nothing more, nothing less. The Reaper knocked on the door.

"Come in..." She heard.

The Red Reaper opened the door. She saw an elderly woman with long white hair sitting on her chair, smiling calmly. This woman seemed strangely confident. The Reaper sensed that there was something a bit off about her, but decided to just continue on.

"Dear elder, do you know what I'm here for?"

"Probably. Lemme think..."

"Your soul. I'm here because your soul has aged."

"Oh, right, right! That..."

The Red Reaper noticed that the woman was slowly changing shape, her green eyes glowing and shifting.

"What unique eyes you have..."

"Oh! All the better to see with!"

The woman's ears seemed to have grown pointed and larger as well...

"Wh... What big ears you have,"

"All the better to hear with." The old woman responded as her snout was becoming longer and canine.

"What big nose you have.."

"The better to smell you with!" The woman smiled, showing her now sharp teeth.

Smell?! The Reaper sighed, giving off one final comment on the woman's ever-so changing shape, upon realizing what she was dealing with.

"What sharp teeth and claws you have..."

The woman grinned as she got on all fours and took a completely wolf-like shape, growing hair all over and a long tail. Looking at the Red Reaper, she sneered,

"The better to take you down with."

The Reaper let out a long breath and weld her scythe, realizing that not only was the woman the white wolf she encountered earlier, but also a werewolf. While the Red Reaper never reaped a werewolf's soul before, she decided to remain confident in this. The werewolf lunged at the Reaper, biting her deep into her arm. The Reaper, while in slight pain, remained unfazed otherwise, and knocked her back, preparing to use her scythe. The wolf dodged the scythe attack, throwing a vase onto the Reaper, who parried it with her scythe, knocking onto the werewolf.

The werewolf was a bit dizzy, but got up anyway and jumped onto the Reaper once more. However, the Red Reaper just stook her scythe out, the werewolf accidentally sliding onto it, only slightly cutting her, but the scythe still knocked her dead; so once she fell, she didn't get up. The Reaper went up to the werewolf's corpse, the werewolf's spirit entering out of the cut with a defeated expression on her face.

"You win..."

"Never try out matching a grim reaper."

So the Red Reaper and the werewolf spirit entered out of the small house, walking through the forests. The Reaper smiled as she walked with the spirit, seeing many encounters as results of stuff she did. She saw animals, creatures and humans alike helping themselves with the now abandoned cake-house. She found the three bears taking the Gold Locks into their truck, presumably to send her to court and most likely prison. She smiled and waved at the swan-girl sitting in the porch of a calm house she recently moved in, the swan happily waving back. And she crossed the bridge, where the troll, who noticed her come by, stayed under.

The Red Reaper and the spirit finally arrived in the underworld, which was not as bad as expected. People who behaved well or redeemed themselves had the better treatment, while the worst people got, well, the worst. The werewolf and the Reaper made up and the werewolf had a great time there. The candy snake was also there, having a not-so great time. The Red Reaper, meanwhile, noticed that the werewolf's bite from earlier had a strange effect on her.

The Red Reaper's skull formed a long snout.
Her teeth turned into fangs.
Her fingers became claw like.
She had now grown a long tail.
Her shadow-hair had also formed wolf like ears.

She had become a werewolf herself.

While surprised at first, the Red Reaper ultimately found this awesome, as did her co-workers! After all, a werewolf grim reaper was actually pretty rare. And of course, they congratulated her on the stuff she's done on that day.

The day changed her unlife, and it was the best ever.  

The End