Author's Note: You didn't ask for this, you probably didn't want it, but here it is. I'm a little bit broken, my brain is a little bit fried, but I'm still alive. And before you yell at me, this was suggested! Grim reapers were suggested by obla-di, but in lieu of my own recent interests, I just kind of took that prompt and ran with it...

This chapter features a guest from another fandom (who I incidentally had to keep myself from killing out of pure frustration), and then another one who just kind of snuck in at the end without me wanting him to... You may or may not know who either of them are, but the first one at least has the decency to explain himself.

Warnings: Really, this chapter was just. Gah.

Intelligent Conversation

"Those wings... I want them too." ~ Zack Fair

"Hey, Genesis? What do you suppose happens to us after we die?"

Genesis briefly glanced up from LOVELESS before turning the page. "We get absorbed back into the Lifestream."

"Yeah, but how does it happen? Does the Lifestream just come up out of the ground to retrieve the body?"

"I don't know, Cloud. I can always kill you if you're just dying to satisfy your curiosity."

Cloud grabbed one of the throw pillows off the couch and lobbed it at Genesis. True to form, Genesis blocked it without even looking. Cloud chuckled despite himself and flopped back down on the couch, drumming his fingers against his stomach. The answer to death was always the same: the body and soul both returned to the Lifestream. But where was the Lifestream? How did it access the bodies? Why didn't it just absorb everyone?

"What about the Grim Reaper?"

"...What about it?"

"What if there really is one?" Cloud twisted onto his stomach to look at Genesis. "I mean, some sort of entity that came to collect the souls of the dying and bring them to the Lifestream."

Genesis finally set his book down and sighed. "It's possible, I suppose, but don't you think that would be more common knowledge? I don't mean to brag, but I've killed a lot of people and I've never seen anything that resembled a Grim Reaper."

"Hmm... What if he's just invisible?"

"How convenient," Genesis said dryly.

"It's not like we can see the Lifestream either," Cloud protested. "Maybe only the people who die can see him because he exists in the Lifestream."

"While your theorizing has some plausibility, there's really no way we can prove whether or not you're right without killing someone. And no matter how you slice it, you can't extract information from a dead person."

"Well, if we could bring them back to life..."

"By the time science figures out how to do that, you'll already be dead and thus have your answer."

Cloud stuck out his tongue at his mentor. "You're no fun."

"I'm fun. You and I simply have different definitions, that's all. Mine involves the pain and suffering of others, and yours involves the pain and suffering of me." Genesis returned to his reading, but paused after a moment to shoot Cloud a suspicious glance. "What brings this up, anyway?"

"I dunno," Cloud replied, shrugging. "I just wondered."

"You never just wonder, Cloud."

"I haven't killed anyone, if that's what you're asking."

"You mean you haven't killed anyone yet."

"I-I dunno, Genesis... can't we just take the long way around?"

"Cloud, this leads straight through to LOVELESS Avenue. There's no point in circumventing the entirety of Sector Seven when we can just cut through here."

"But isn't it cheating to take shortcuts?"

"If you want to walk back to the ShinRa building the other way, then by all means, go right ahead. But I'm going through here."

"I can't walk through Midgar alone! I'll get lost and I'll ask some lady for directions and she'll invite me into her house for cookies and then right when my back is turned, she'll slit my throat and use me for her monthly human sacrifice!"

"Oh, silly me. I forgot how common of an occurrence that was. Could you pull your ass together for three seconds? What are you so scared of?"

"W-Well, it's dark... and there could be spiders!"

"...Spiders."

"Uh-huh."

"Gaia damn it, Cloud..." Genesis spun Cloud to face him and gripped his shoulders. "I am overqualified to kill spiders. Can we please just go?"

Cloud bit his bottom lip and warily eyed the alley squashed between two tall buildings in Sector 7. The light from the street didn't reach very far, turning the passage into a narrow abyss just waiting to swallow up unsuspecting victims. While Genesis seemed to believe the other end would spit them out in Sector 8, Cloud was less convinced. But, for all his threats, Genesis hadn't let anything bad happen to him so far, so he was obligated to trust his mentor.

"O-Okay..."

Genesis sighed, shoulders slumping in relief. "Thank you."

Cloud lunged for Genesis the moment he began to take that first step into the alley and clung to his arm for dear life. He met his mentor's death glare with a pleading pout. "Just... if you see a spider, kill it. Please."

"Fine. Whatever. Can you let go of me?"

"No."

"My soul, corrupted by vengeance, hath endured torment..."

As they proceeded deeper into the alley, the sounds from the city around them grew dull and muted. The most prominent noises were their own footsteps and water dripping somewhere further down. Cloud's eyes darted frantically between the shadows surrounding them, heart pounding against his chest. He strained to see into the dark, telling himself nothing on the walls were moving, his eyes just hadn't adjusted yet. There weren't any spiders waiting to jump out at him. Genesis was there; Genesis would protect him. In a moment of weakness, Cloud fumbled for his mentor's hand and laced their fingers together. He was surprise to feel Genesis give his palm a reassuring squeeze. Perhaps Genesis really did care. Once the alley became clearer, Cloud's confidence began a slow return.

And then he could've sworn he was picking up the sound of extra footsteps.

Holding his breath, Cloud purposely fell into step with Genesis and began to count. One, two, one, two, one, twothree, one... His ears weren't just playing tricks on him; there was definitely another set. Twisting his head to check behind them, Cloud half-expected to see a serial killer wielding a butcher's knife, but there was no one. The alley was empty, save for the two of them.

"H-Hey, Genesis?"

"What is it now?"

"Can we stop for a sec?"

Huffing in annoyance, Genesis obliged him. Cloud halted beside him, concentrating hard. The dripping water was closer now. Somewhere from the street behind them, a car horn blared. There were no more footsteps. Did that mean he'd imagined them after all?

Or had they stopped with them?

"Could you hear that?" Cloud whispered, glancing both ways down the alley.

"Hear what?"

"Footsteps. I could've sworn I heard..."

Genesis pried his arm out of Cloud's stranglehold. "There's nobody else here but us. Now tell your brain to put a sock in it. I want to get home."

"I'm not making it up, I really—"

"Cloud..."

Forgoing the consequences of such an action, Cloud slapped a hand over Genesis' mouth. "Shh! Listen!"

There was a spit of noise before the silence that followed. It was brief, but it was a very distinct noise—the kind that comes from the bottom of a shoe scraping over a gritty surface. It echoed, seeming to come from everywhere all at once and Cloud couldn't immediately pinpoint its source.

"Did you hear that?" Cloud hissed.

Genesis slapped Cloud's hand away. "So we're not the only ones who've decided to use this alley as a shortcut. Big de—"

He was interrupted by another noise, but this one was different. Something like an engine revved, then a loud, buzzing roar filled the alley.

"Wh-what is that?" Cloud whimpered.

Instead of Genesis, a third voice repeated his question back to him. "What's that?"

The alley was still empty.

"Hasn't anyone ever told you?" The footsteps returned, this time running. "Curiosity..." Fabric snapped and whooshed through the air, and the incessant buzzing grew louder. "Only ends in..."

Too late, Cloud realized the sound was coming from above them, and not in the alley itself. When he glanced up, he only had a moment to register the red splatter flying down at them before he was yanked out of the way. He stumbled, tripping over his own feet, and landed hard on his shoulder. Something smashed into the ground where he'd been standing a half-second ago. The buzzing rumbled to a stop and Cloud lifted his head to see a chainsaw driven several inches into the pavement. Perched lightly on top of it was a slender man wearing a white button-up with a black vest and a scarlet coat slung around his elbows. He tilted his head, letting his vibrant red hair spill over his shoulder.

"Death," he said, finishing his sentence. His grin revealed two sets of viciously sharp teeth.

Cloud nearly fainted.

Which was why he was both angry and grateful Genesis was there. Angry, because they wouldn't even be in the alley if it weren't for him, and grateful because, unlike Cloud, Genesis was capable of getting back out of the messes he got into.

Rapier was drawn and pointed at the redhead before Cloud could even blink. "Who the hell are you?" Genesis demanded.

"My... What a big sword you have," the redhead purred, peering at Genesis through his glasses with yellow-green eyes. "You wouldn't be thinking about impaling me with it, would you?" He reached out to caress the blade with the tips of his fingers. "Not that I'd refuse something so magnificent."

The double meaning of the remark flew straight over Cloud's head, but it made Genesis grit his teeth and thrust his sword forward with a growl. The blade slid across the redhead's neck, breaking the skin. Blood began to well up and a bead of red slid down underneath his collar.

The redhead's grin grew impossibly wider. "Oh, I see. You're just dying for a taste, aren't you?"

Cloud heard the leather of Genesis' glove creak against Rapier's hilt as he tightened his grip. "Perhaps you've got too much space between your ears and your brain," he said. "Who are you?"

"Wouldn't youuu like to know?"

With an impatient snarl, Genesis wound his sword back to strike. As he did that, though, the redhead took the opportunity to backflip out of the way, taking his chainsaw with him. Cloud sucked in a breath when he pulled the blade out of the pavement with no more effort than it would take to move it through water.

The redhead landed further down the alley, looking remarkably giddy for someone Genesis had just taken a swing at. His odd-colored eyes flashed with something that unnerved Cloud. "What a thrill you are! It's been a long time since I've come across someone so mercilessly vicious. The mere thought makes my body tremble with desire!"

Cloud exchanged a baffled glance with Genesis.

"So, what do you say, Handsome?" The redhead shook his hips. "Shall we dance?"

Genesis didn't have a chance to respond before the whirring started up again and the redhead came at him, swinging his chainsaw. Genesis dodged the blade, then counterattacked with Rapier. Ordinarily, the sword's long range gave him the upper hand, but in the narrow alley, he was at a disadvantage. The redhead seemed to have no such reservations about space and swung his chainsaw wildly. When the blade came into contact with the alley wall, it simply sliced through the brick like butter. Cloud rolled out of the way as chunks of building material rained down on him and scrambled to his feet. Sparks flew when the spinning blade of the chainsaw caught Rapier's edge and flung it aside.

"Careful" the redhead growled. "I've been known..." Their blades met again, this time trapping Rapier against the wall. "...to bite." A high-pitched grinding noise filled the air until Genesis was able to yank his sword back.

Cloud's eyes widened at the sight of the large groove in the edge of the sword and the deep scratches running up the length of the blade. Rapier was supposed to be indestructible. Nothing could cut through it. And yet...

Genesis' eyes grew murderous at the sight of the damage. Even at a distance, Cloud could see him shaking and he knew he had to stop this somehow. If he didn't, Sector 7 was going to be little more than a charred hunk of metal. He moved instinctively, wrenching a drainpipe off a nearby wall, and ran up behind the redhead. Cloud misjudged his own strength, however, and hit him with much more force than anticipated. A normal person would've no doubt collapsed to the ground in a pool of blood, but the redhead simply squawked angrily and dropped his chainsaw. Holding the back of his head, the redhead whipped around and bared his teeth at Cloud.

"How dare you attack a lady from behind!" he shrieked. "What kind of a monster are you?"

Before Cloud could delve too deeply into a pit of self-loathing, Genesis grabbed the redhead and pinned his arms behind his back. "And what do you call assaulting us from the rooftops in an alley?"

"I was just trying to be friendly!"

"Then I'm sure we'll be good friends once I'm finished with you." Genesis slammed the redhead up against the wall. "Who are you working for?"

"Ah! Yes! That's right; get rough with me, darling!"

Genesis made a disgusted noise at the back of his throat and bent down to retrieve the chainsaw. He dug one knee into the redhead's lower back and fisted his left hand in his hair, using his right hand to flick the switch on the chainsaw. The alley was filled once more with noise and Genesis drove the machine's blade into the brick, dangerously close to the redhead's neck.

"Oh, believe me, I can play rough," Genesis hissed near the redhead's ear. "Now, are you going to answer my question, or shall I put an end to your noisy chattering?"

The redhead seemed decently frightened now, eying his blade with no small amount of panic. "Y-You wouldn't believe me if I told you!"

"Oh, no? Try me. Are you with Wutai? Were you sent by ShinRa to test me?" Genesis dug the chainsaw further into the wall just for good measure. "It's an interesting weapon, to be sure, but Weapons Development is going to have to work harder if they want to stand up against me."

"Please, not my face—please! Anywhere but there!"

Cloud shifted his weight from one foot to the other as the redhead's blubbering fell on Genesis' deaf ears, the metal pipe growing heavy in his hand. "Genesis..."

"If you're not going to tell me anything, there's no use in having you around anymore."

"Wait, no!"

Before Genesis could slice their assailant's head off, Cloud grabbed his arm and yanked back. The chainsaw went flying, skidding when it hit the ground. Cloud darted to retrieve it—to keep the redhead from reclaiming it, of course, but also to defend himself in the event that Genesis decided to kill him instead. As it was, his mentor turned to him with barely constrained rage. The redhead swooned and slumped to the ground.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Genesis snapped.

Cloud swallowed thickly. "W-We're not supposed to kill civilians."

"Excuse me? Did you miss the part where he tried to kill us?"

"Well, no, but... But you can't just kill him! We don't even know who he is!"

The redhead took the opportunity to scramble to his feet. Genesis reached out to grab the back of his coat, but he was too fast. He darted behind Cloud, clinging to the blond.

"This isn't exactly what I had in mind," he said, sliding his arms around Cloud's waist, "but I suppose it isn't every day I have two men fighting over me."

Cloud felt mildly uncomfortable having the redhead so close, but there wasn't a whole lot he could do at the moment. "So, um... wh-who are you, exactly? If you don't mind telling us, that is..."

The redhead giggled and Cloud began to understand what life was like for a teddy bear. "Since you asked so nicely, I suppose I'll tell you. My name is Grell Sutcliff, actress extraordinaire."

Genesis' eyes narrowed. "An actress? I've never heard of you."

"You wouldn't have, which is a bloody tragedy. I just know I would've been destined to play the role opposite you; you and I would've been flawless! But I'm afraid my talents are wasted on the human world. I'm a shinigami."

"A shini-what?"

"A shinigami. It roughly translates to 'death god' or, as you sometimes refer to us, 'grim reaper.'"

Cloud nearly dropped the chainsaw. "Wait, really? You're a grim reaper?"

"Of course he isn't," Genesis snapped. "Grim reapers don't exist."

"I see, so that's the kind of man you are. You get a lady all hot and bothered and then you just leave her hanging. What was the point in asking if you weren't going to believe me?"

"I didn't realize you were going to resort to outlandish excuses. I usually only get those from Cloud."

"Hey!"

"Oh, but I'm deadly serious. I'm a grim reaper, and that there," Grell pointed at his chainsaw, "is my deathscythe."

Even though he was in danger of being molested by a potentially psychotic stranger, Cloud couldn't help getting excited. "You're really a grim reaper?" he asked, twisting in Grell's grip.

"Really, really, my dear."

"Do you live in the Lifestream? Are you made of Lifestream? What happens to people when they die? Do you take their souls to the Lifestream? How do you do it? Are you invisible? Why can we see you now?"

Grell gave Cloud's head a pat. "Inquisitive, aren't you?"

"You have no idea..." Genesis muttered. Cloud stuck out his tongue at him.

"Well..." Grell sighed. "You're not exactly my type, but I suppose you'll have to suffice for the moment. If you really want to know, I'm here on assignment."

"And this 'assignment' involved attacking me?" Genesis asked.

"No. Someone around here is next on the To-Die list. I came to collect their soul. But then I saw you and I couldn't control myself!" Grell tossed a flirtatious wink at Genesis. "I just had to come and say hello. You see... I love the color red. To see someone wear it with such passion and conviction is to die for."

Genesis glanced down at his coat, seeming torn between pride and repulsion. "If that's all you wanted, couldn't you just introduce yourself like a normal person?"

"And have you brush me off like you've done to hundreds of other women? No, I think my way was much more entertaining."

"So," Cloud interjected, tugging on Grell's sleeve, "about this soul you have to collect. Who is it?"

"Hmm? Oh, I don't know." Reaching into his coat, Grell pulled out a small, leather-bound book and flipped through the pages until he found what he was looking for. "Some old woman named Mary Smith. Says she's going to die of heart failure at the Sector Seven train station at precisely four-ten."

Cloud tried to sneak a peek at the book, but Grell snapped it shut.

"Humans aren't allowed to look at the list. Although, if you'd get your friend to kiss me, I think we could come to some sort of agreement."

Genesis audibly choked. "Please don't."

"Four-ten?" Cloud pulled out his PHS to check the time. "That's in fifteen minutes."

"Ah, alas, I must be going, then..."

"O-Oh. Um... H-here..." He handed the deathscythe back to the reaper. "I guess you'll need this."

Grell shouldered his chainsaw and gave Cloud's cheek a pinch, smiling widely. Those teeth didn't seem quite so frightening anymore. "Thank you, darling. Ta-ta."

Cloud squirmed in place, knowing Genesis was glaring at him, willing him to not even think about it, but the bubble of his curiosity had grown to the point of impossible to quash. How often was it that he got to meet real supernatural creatures? Although, if he opened his mouth, there was always the possibility that he'd be meeting Grell in the afterlife anyway.

"Wait!" he called as the shinigami neared the entrance to the alley. Grell paused, glancing back over his shoulder. "Let me come with you!"

Every once and a while, Grell would glance back towards him and wink, and it was really starting to piss Genesis off. Cloud was enraptured with the so-called "grim reaper" and hadn't stopped chattering with him since they'd left the alley. Apparently, "has he attempted to kill my mentor?" wasn't on Cloud's list of questions to consider when picking a new best friend.

Genesis wasn't bitter. He wasn't. He was only walking several meters behind them because the sound of Cloud's voice had begun to grate on his nerves. It had nothing to do with him being irritated about how quickly his apprentice had latched onto Grell. Absolutely nothing.

That man, that thing, had ruined his poor Rapier! It didn't matter how pretty Grell was. Not that Genesis was using "pretty" to describe his own opinion of the reaper. When one had waist-length red hair, and wore fake eyelashes and high-heeled shoes, one was bound to have that descriptor applied. Although, Genesis did have to admit he cut a rather striking—deadly striking—figure in that red coat... But of course Genesis was drawn to red.

A little boy stared up at him in wonderment as he passed and Genesis, still deep in thought, misread the staring as silent judgment and snapped, "What the hell are you looking at?"

The degree to which the boy flinched and went running for his mommy was passably satisfying, and Genesis returned to his sulking.

They arrived at the train station two minutes before the time Grell claimed Mary Smith would die. If asked, Genesis would've said he'd only tagged along to make sure nothing bad happened to Cloud, but even he was curious to see if Grell's prediction would come true.

"It's not a prediction," Grell said as Genesis halted beside them. "Once Mary Smith dies, I'll use my deathscythe to pull out her soul to review her life. In rare cases, a human who proves beneficial to this world might be allowed to live, but... as I said, highly uncommon."

Genesis folded his arms. "Are you trying to say that, on a whole, we're not beneficial to this world?"

Grell glanced over at him and although he was smiling, his eyes had grown more somber. "Those are your words, not mine."

The train finally arrived, screeching into the station with a loud whistle. People on the platform hurried towards the cars only to be pushed back and forced into orderly lines by the porters. The doors on the train cars opened and passengers began to spill out.

"And there's our dear Mary."

Grell pointed to an elderly woman being helped out of the train by a young man, presumably her nephew or grandson. Genesis glanced at the large clock on the nearby station. Only twenty seconds to go.

Nineteen, eighteen, seventeen, sixteen...

The man offered to take the lady's bag, which she adamantly refused to give up.

Fifteen, fourteen, thirteen, twelve...

After the altercation, the man managed to calm the woman down and begun herding her away from the train.

Eleven, ten, nine, eight...

A distressed look crossed over the woman's face and she coughed.

Seven, six, five, four...

The woman stopped walking and the man started to ask what was the matter.

Three... two... one...

The woman suddenly collapsed onto the platform. The young man began shouting, first at his grandma, then for help, and people crowded around, fighting to see what had happened. The only ones who remained motionless were Cloud, Genesis, and Grell.

"Well, looks like my prediction came true after all," Grell said cheerfully, starting up his chainsaw. "Time to go to work!" And with that, he vanished into the fray. Cloud hurried after him.

Genesis remained where he was, staring down at the pavement. So Grell was a grim reaper after all. It wasn't as surprising as it seemed like it should've been. He just... couldn't help wondering...

"Funny, isn't it?"

The voice startled him, and when he glanced to the right, his first instinct was to think it was Sephiroth. The man was garbed in black and had long, silver hair, but the voice wasn't right. This man wore a rumpled top hat on his head and had bangs that came down to cover his eyes. He tilted his head to smile pleasantly at Genesis.

"Life is so pitifully fragile. Death will take it away regardless, and yet people do everything they can to hold onto it for as long as they can."

"Are you saying it's pointless to hold on?" Genesis asked.

"Hehe... The question isn't whether it is or it isn't," the man replied. "The question is why. But the motive is left up to the individual, and that's what makes humans so interesting."

Several ShinRa infantrymen showed up on the scene to make way for the medical people. The crowd was pushed back and Genesis could just barely make out the lady as they loaded her onto a stretcher. Grell was nowhere in sight.

"So, tell me, Commander Rhapsodos, what is your reason for holding on to this ephemeral existence?"

Genesis returned his attention to the man beside him. His attire was incredibly somber, consisting of a black overcoat and a grey scarf slung over his shoulder and tied at his hip, yet his demeanor was surprisingly cheerful. And there they were, talking about death while a helpless old lady was carried off by ShinRa personnel.

"I suppose..." Genesis looked back at the ground. "I'm afraid."

"Of death?"

"No, not death... It's like you said. We can't escape it. I know that better than anyone." He glanced around the train station, where the crowd was already beginning to disperse. They would all go home and tell their families about day's events, then proceed to forget the whole incident occurred. Perhaps one or two of them would be scarred by the tragedy, and the grandson would be sobbing over the loss of his grandmother until time had sufficiently scrubbed her memory away. "I'm afraid of being forgotten. They'll remember Sephiroth, but what about me? Has anything I've done really been... beneficial?" he spat, using Grell's word for it.

The man laughed. "Memory is simply immortality of another type, you know. When your name fades, you will be well and truly dead." He paused, tapping one long, black nail against his chin. "Although, I do wonder what sort of divine judgment a creature such as yourself will face."

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing, at the moment..." The man reached into his pocket, pulled out a bone-shaped cookie, and handed it to Genesis. "Do take good care of yourself in the future, Commander. I hope to see you again someday."

Genesis wanted to press the man further—what did he mean, "a creature" such as himself? Was he referring to his genetic SOLDIER modifications, or was it... something else? But before he had a chance to ask, Cloud's voice rang out from across the platform and he turned to see his apprentice running back towards him. When he looked back, the man was gone.

"Can you believe it, Genesis?" Cloud asked, panting and giddy. "Grim reapers! Real grim reapers exist!"

Genesis turned over the cookie in his hand. "I guess so. Where's Grell?"

Craning his neck, Cloud pointed to one of the rooftops further down the street. The redheaded reaper had paused against a chimney and was waving at them. Cloud waved back while Genesis scowled.

"Do you think we'll see him again?" Cloud asked.

Stuffing the cookie into the pocket of his pants, Genesis grabbed Cloud's wrist and dragged him towards the exit. "I'd like to say no, but I have a feeling I'll be eating my words," he grumbled.

Cloud skipped along behind him. It was sickening how happy he was that he'd been proved right. "I hope we do. I like him." He shot Genesis a sidelong glance. "I think he likes you."

"No shit, Sherlock."

"I think you should give him a chance."

"What? No!"

"Awww, c'mon, Genesis! How often do you get a chance to date a grim reaper? I mean, you have lots in common! You like plays, you like the color red, you like killing people..."

"That is, without a doubt, the worst idea you've ever had. Even worse than keeping a fish in my bathtub or summoning Bahamut Fury without my permission or deciding to tie me up and throw me in a supply closet."

"But he's so pretty! I totally saw you looking at him."

"I wasn't—he was attacking me! Of course I had to be looking at him!"

"Yeah, but loooooking?"

"..."

"Genesis?"

"..."

"N-No, wait, hang on, I was just joking! I'm teasing you, I wouldn't—no, stop! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

A/N: Dear Lord. Grell is like some sort of weird addiction. Both he and the Undertaker (that was the second character that I didn't name) are from the anmie/manga Kuroshitsuji. If you've never watched/read it, I highly suggest it. It's really good.

I'll admit, I just mostly wanted to see Genesis and Grell interact. That was probably a bad idea, considering how much grief writing it gave me, but now my curiosity is sort of sated and I can bring Grell back whenever I want. Just because I'm a terrible person. But hey, Cloud finally got to meet a supernatural creature! How about that!

Also, foreshadowing Undertaker was foreshadowing.

RegenesisX