Courtney woke up the next day with a mouth full of hair. She sat up quickly and saw that is was Danielle laying by her head. "This place is giving me the creeps and weird dreams" she mumbled. Suddendly she heard a deep loud growl coming from inside somewhere in the large undwerworld. Danielle jolted out of bed and landed hind feet first on the floor.

She yawned and showed all of her razor sharp teeth and pointed tongue. Her tail also uncurled as she strecthed, "Morning Courtney" she said cheerfully. "You'd better get up and get dressed so you can start training" Danielle cleaned her face and ears by licking her paws and wetting them, "I gotta go, morining routine and all with master Gwen" she headed for the door, "Meet me by the river in ten. Don't take long" Danielle left Courtney in her dark room, alone.

Courtney swung her feet out of bed and went to the closet to see what she could wear today. "Black, black, black, blue, black, black, oh there's something black again big surprise" Courtney mumbled as she went through the wardrobes. "Well what do we have here?" she dragged out a plain red halter top with some black pants. Courtney hated the color red and black but she couldn't just walk around naked, and how the hell was she supposed to shower? She had to remember to ask Gwen if there was somewhere she could bathe.

Sliding her other clothes off and sliding the others on she sighed while looking in the mirror. "I look like death" she said. Her finger traced the glowing red black diamond necklace, she thought about how much trouble it had caused and with out thinking grasped it firmly in her hand as she pulled it away from her body. Necklace in hand, she walked out her room and down a loung winding staircase that led back to the main corridor where the river was.

Approaching it she checked to see if anybody was around, there wasn't. She held her hand over the river and was about to drop it in a hand covered hers firmly. "I don't think you want to be doing that" the voice said. Courtney jerked around to see Duncan looming over her with a strong hand on hers. This guy wasn't about to scare Courtney, "Oh yeah and why don't I want to be doing it?" she hotly. Duncan had no expression on his face or in his eyes as let go of her hand and grabbed her wrist firmly. "Look at your hand" he said.


Courtney studied it closely but she didn't see anything wrong. Duncan rolled his eyes and gripped her wrist tighter bringing it closer to her face, "Look at it!" he growled. The end of the diamond had cut Courtney's hand deep and her blood spilled out onto the floor and it burned. Duncan still having her by the arm dragged her to a near by stone wall and threw her body up agaisnt it. Courtney hissed as her back connected with the stone. Duncan stood over her and sneered down, "Don't ever think about throwing away that necklace again? You understand! Never again! Got that?"

Courtney didn't answer but rubbed her back instead ignoring his question. Duncan swiftly picked her up and slammed her body into the wall again, pressing his hard chest agaisnt hers he whispered feircly in her ear. "I said do you understand?" He waited three seconds and when she didn't respond he applied pressure to her open, cut, burning hand. She yelped in pain, "I got it!" she cried. He let her body drop to the floor and watched her rub the places where it hurt the most. Duncan took the necklace out her hand and brought her neck up and reattached the necklace. Once he did the cut in her hand was mysteriously gone and it no longer hurt.

He then cupped her face in his hands, he took his time examing her facial features and more so then anything her eyes. The dark orbs seemed to burn into his blue orbs. "I know that it's hard for you to fathom this but the power that you hold in the necklace is more than you know." He stared deeply into her eyes, "Don't lose it or get rid of it. If you do I would have to kill you or inflicted some kind of punishment on you". He let go of her face and stood up walking away he yelled over his shoulder. "Go find Danielle she will tell you about you new job today". He disappeared into the darkness leaving Courtney a shaken leaf.

She pulled a strand of hair behind her ear and stood up slowly. Placing a hand on the necklace she felt it heat up and almost felt like it was buring her finger. Biting her lip she ran off to find Danielle.


"So basically you just judge the person's soul and sentence them to any of the doors." Danielle walked up ahead to the entrance of the underworld to a small post where there was a long line of people waiting. "How long do I have to sit here?" Courtney asked sitting down at the desk. Danielle sat down at her feet, "Um I don't know until we close I guess. It takes a while". Danielle's ear perked up slightly when she heard a loud rummbling noise coming from Courtney.

Courtney held her stomach tightly and glanced down at Danielle who looked alerted. "I'm hungry" Courtney said simply. Danielle nodded and jumped onto her hind legs, "I'll go find you some food. Be back in a sec" Danielle loped off down the road and left Courtney with the impatient people in line.

"Um whose first?" she said uneasily. A tall man approached her desk he had lots of tattos and scars all over his body.


"So um what did you do?" she asked.

"I stole money from three churches, four banks, downloaded illegally, jay walked, terrorized women, oh and I tore the labels off of mattresses" he crossed his arms and glared at Courtney.

"Um okay then mister...James. I sentence you to door number one. What you did was stupid and childish!" The guy flicked her off and walked into the gates of the underworld. "Next!"

A woman who didn't look above twenty three approached her stand. "I'm Martha" she said softly she gave her a large smile. This girl looked so sweet and innocent, how could she possibly do anything wrong?

Courtney smiled, "What did you do steal flowers or something?" she asked. Martha giggled, "No. I murdered thirty seven men. I was one of the first female serial killers" she said proudly still smiling.

Courtney sighed, "Door number five, Martha". Martha squealed and hugged Courtney tightly, "Thank you!" she skipped happliy into the door.

"Next!" Courtney rubbed her temples and sighed. This was going to be a long day.


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Danielle teetered down to Duncan's chambers, from inside she could hear him restoring power to himself. She sucked in some breath before rapping on the door lightly. "Come on in Danielle" Duncan called from inside. Danielle slowly opened the door and slipped in, she saw Duncan on his bed with his eyes closed, concentrating.

"Uh master Duncan you have vistors" she said backing up slightly as there could be a outburst. But Duncan didn't even open his eyes let alone move a muscle. "Who is it?" he asked softly still concentrating. Danielle traced a invisable line on the ground with her toe and said quietly, "Your mother".

Duncan's eyes shot open and he got up from his position on the bed. His eyes narrowed down to slits as he glared at Danielle who spoke again, "Oh and she's with the fates too. Do you want a glass of milk sir? You look kinda of red" she said carefully backing away. Duncan face was red because he was mad as hell now. Why on earth would his mother be here and with the fates?

Duncan got out of bed and moved swiftly into his closet to put on his cloak. "Ma is here with the damn fates!" he mumbled. He almost tripped over Danielle as he paced around the room. Danielle was obivously scared at Duncan wrath, "Do you want some warm milk?" she asked again smiling. Duncan stopped pacing to give her a evil look, "Does it look like a want a glass of milk? Go find Gwen and tell her to meet me by the river, now!"

Danielle nodded and scurried out the room. Duncan was right behind her as he traveled down the steps and hiding behind the large column to where his mother and the three fates were standing by the river. His mother a blood vained mortal was standing peering into the river, the fates to her side was trying to recapture their one eye.

Suddenly Duncan's mother head shot up fast as she took in sudden air and let it back out. "Duncan, have some manner will you and come say hi to mother" she said without taking her eyes off the river. Duncan growled slightly and came out from the shadows and within a split second was by his mother's side with a smile. "How did you know I was here?" he asked taking her hand and kissing it lightly.

His mother rolled her eyes and smiled, "I'm your mother I know everything. Plus I can smell you" she said wrinkling up her nose. Fate 1 moved over to Duncan' side popping in her eyeball. "You know Jenny he isn't a bad looker" she said examing Duncan's facial features. "Very strong and muscular. He has a punkish atitude and what girl doesn't like a bad boy?" she pinched Duncan's cheek. The second fate strolled over and pushed the first one out of the way, popping out the eye in the process.

She put it into one of her two empty ones and adjusted her eyes. "Yes. He is handsome" she said running a hand over his chest. His mother was watching her son the whole time. "Duncan sweetheart, lift up your shirt" she said.

Duncan's eye expanded but shook his head calmly as he opened his cloak and shirt to reveal a perfectly sculpted chest. "Ah, I see" his mother said getting a closer look. "They proceed with the transformation to make you human. Is it almost complete?"

Duncan closed his cloak back, "I think so. We go above ground in two days, it would make my job so much more easy". Mother nodded and crossed her arms, "So what about this marriage business? You had better start looking before time runs out". Duncan nodded, "I know but don't you think that a year isn't that long enough to marry someone and have a child. That take nine months" he pointed out.

Mother thought a moment before answering, "That's true but we just want you to be married first and then you would have a new date to have you wife pregnant by. I just don't want you to slip up because you're still thinking about old whats her face".

Duncan glared at his mother and said deathly, "Her name was Felicia".

Mother just waved it off with a flick of her hand, "I know what little hussy's name was. I just saying Duncan, it's time to move on. for God sakes the girl is gone and you can't get her back. Perhaps if you had stuck to the schedule your little bird might have still been alive".

Duncan struck the nearest wall as hard as he could leaving a giant fist print inside it. Breathing heavily he approached his mother and griped her shirt collar to pull her up to his face. "It wasn't my fault. Maybe if someone didn't suddely force this damn job on me I would have still been with her!"

Duncan felt a strong force surrounding his body and then being pulled away from his mother and slammer into the wall. "It's not nice to talk to you mother that way" Gwen said leting Duncan go. He gave her a look but just sat down in the corner. Gwen's long black dress swiped the ground as she greeted his mother and the fates. "Jenny it's been to long" she said grasping her hand.

Mother smiled, "Gwen it certainly has. You're color is going back as well, I see you're undergoing the transformation as well" Gwen nodded but her head turned quickly as she heard a large door slam from up above. Duncan hearing it as well stood up and looked for intruder.

"I don't care Danielle I need to talk to him now! Those people are freaks" Courtney yelled as she stormed into the roon with Danielle pulling on her. Spoting Duncan, Courtney marched over to him and started to yell, "I can't take it anymore! I want to go home! I miss my mom and my dad. My sibiling and even my great grandma. And this necklace is blinking red off and on!" Courtney finished her rant by blowing the bangs from her eyes.

"Well what do we have here" mother said coming closer to Courtney. The fates followed and the one with the eye exaimened her. "Hmm very pretty" she said taking Courtney's face into her hands. "Slim figure. Hide spread hips for child bearing" she said slapping Courtney's thighs. Courtney would have normally smacked the old woman but she couldn't because she was old and Courtney was scared of this woman.

"Perky breasts, great for feeding" she said. The fate backed away and gave Courtney a smile. "Why she's just perfect! Don't you think so Jenny?"

Mother just stood there probing into Courtney's mind. "Perfect body yes but she's stubborn, picky, fast mouthing, little patientice, and has a supieror atitude". Mother just read all of the things that could possibly explain Courtney. "And I sense a little bit of bitchitous. But we'll work on that". Mother and the fates started to head for the exit portal.

"It's decided Duncan. You will marry uh...what's your name darling?" she asked.

"Courtney. But I can't marry I'm only sixteen!"

Mother smiled, "So and Duncan's been sixteen for years now! It's fine. You two will get married in one year, Duncan I'll be back to check up on you and want her straighten out next time I see you". They stepped into the portal and were gone.

Gwen clearded her throat, "Wow I congradulate you Courtney! Looks like you're the new Mrs. Grim Reaper"