Music Recommendation: Progress by Ever So Blue (fragment)

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When Belle and Lucas pulled away from each other, Rower and Greed appeared who had been freed from the forbidden magic circle that Belle had placed on every creature of death so that they wouldn't try to cause any more harm than they had already done.

"Well look at your new robes," Rower stated looking at the robes that were on Belle right now. The last time he saw her, she wore lighter and murkier colour robes as she was an average and new reaper. "I am guessing you met Crane and Winston?" he asked Lucas.

Greed who was looking around, said, "I don't feel Winston here anymore." As Winston was Greed and other Grim's creator, they could feel the connection which right now had disappeared.

Lucas turned to look at the pile of ash that was on the ground, bits of the ashes floating on the water. Rower and Greed turned to look at Lucas' line of sight to find the pile of ash, "I thought there would be a trial before he would be evicted out of this world," commented Rower.

"The soul of the girl we found, she was Crane's lover before he turned to a Hawvert," Lucas revealed as when Belle was about to tell everyone about it in Winston's house, the house had blown up.

"Interesting," Greed said before he turned back to look at Belle and her clothes, "I guess I will have to tolerate you for the rest of eternity." He looked at her with certain glare and Belle wondered if Greed was still envious like a child who was not willing to share Lucas with anyone. "I will go and report myself in the high tower then. Unless the bounty is still on our heads."

"It should be removed now," Lucas confirmed. After Crane had turned Belle to a Grim reaper, the Hawvert had taken everyone else' bounty, "If you are going to the high tower, have some people get Baltimore back from the mansion."

Greed gave Lucas a nod and then left from there.

Seeing Belle stare at Greed's back, Lucas said to her, "He's happy that you are alive. He's being shy to tell you." Belle turned to Lucas and smiled. Maybe it was true.

"I guess I will need to go back to the land of the river if there's nothing for me to do here," Rower said, his scythe disappearing from his hand.

Before he left, Rower said, "Welcome on being the twelfth Grim reaper, Miss Belle," and in the blink of an eye, the reaper disappeared from sight.

Belle looked around, where the clouds started to disperse and finally after many years, something that never happened before, light shone from the sky, brightening the land of the dead to rid the darkness that was around it.

"What now?" asked Belle to Lucas. At the same time, she heard some clear their throat. She turned to the source from where the sound came from to see Edgar who was patiently tapping his feet on the ground.

"I did not forget the deal," Belle said for Edgar to give her a nod.

"I didn't say anything," the short Grim shrugged. Belle smiled before clapping both her hands together, touching each other before she whispered another spell in the air. Edgar who had been living as the short Grim finally started to grow in height and Belle stopped the spell when she felt the height appeared to be appropriate. "Thank you," Edgar bowed at her. Being one of the few reapers who was polite and behaved like he was part of the mortal world even though he had spent most of his time in the land of the dead, "Guilt," said Edgar to receive a nod from Lucas before he disappeared in thin air like Rower.

"Do you think we will be able to find Barron?" asked Belle, who could still feel the rabbit's presence somewhere near but she couldn't spot where he was.

"Crane ordered Gorron to find him. It shouldn't take too long," replied Lucas, "Do you want to go back home?"

"Yes," Belle nodded her head. At last, everything was over and all she wanted to do was to go back home and get some sleep. Finally, there was nothing more to worry about. No hellhounds, no reapers trying to attack them. With Crane asking Lucas to meet him in the high tower to discuss his new position of being a Hawvert, she could only tell that everything was back to normal.

Lucas picked up her hands in his, brought her close and hugged her. Belle doubted she would ever get tired of staying in Lucas' arms. It felt good and comfortable. The next second when she opened her eyes, they were standing right in front of the Adams' mansion's garden that was surrounded by snow.

"I forgot it was Winter," Belle murmured to herself, "Sweet home."

"Welcome back home," Lucas kissed one of Belle's temples.

Everything looked just as they had left. Belle and the others had been so occupied by the things that were going on in the land of the dead that they had forgotten they had left a mighoul in the mansion unattended.

They walked towards the door and stepped inside the house. Not much time had passed since they had left the mansion. Walking through the corridor, they heard a loud crash in the drawing room. Frowning, Belle wondered if Hector was giving the maids a difficult time as he had the tendency to call every walking person as his food. But with Hector, there was the fluff stuffed rabbit that was standing on the couch with both its hands raised up.

"Belle!" Barron jumped down from the couch.

"Barron!" Belle exclaimed, happy and at the same time a little confused as to how he ended up here. Quickly stepping into the room, Barron launched himself on Belle for a hug, "I thought you died!"

"Why would you think that?!" asked Barron in shock as he pulled back and went to hug her again, "No one can defeat me! I am Barron the fourth Grim. I don't know what happened. One second I was standing in front of Beezlebee and the next I ended up in the mansion. I tried to get back, but with the gates and the other paths closed, I decided to wait here."

Barron who was happy, continued to hug Belle until he noticed Lucas glare at him. The rabbit coughed loudly before climbing down, "I believe you have finished all the things you went to do in the land of the dead?" Barron had been happy when he had found himself back in the mansion.

Belle noticed a couple of vases that had fallen on the ground but it didn't matter to her. She was more than happy to see Barron alive where he still existed.

"So is the bounty cancelled?" asked Barron and Belle gave him a nod.

"For now yes."

"Great! I will miss hanging out here as all of us will need to go back to work," somewhere, there was sadness in Barron's voice as if he was not ready for the vacation he had been enjoying to come to an end. He then sniffed the air, "Something smells strange in here." His bunny nose continued to sniff while Lucas left Barron and Belle to go to Hector.

"It is time for you to return," said Lucas.

"Are you going to send him back?" questioned Belle. If Hector went back, the other creatures would turn him into their meal.

Barron's eyes quietly moved back and forth between Belle and Lucas. He then climbed on the couch to take a seat.

"You don't plan to keep him in here, do you? This is not his home anymore, Belle. His place is in the dead and not in the living," said Lucas.

"But he won't be safe there in the forest." The mighoul was an innocent one.

Lucas pursed his lips and then sighed, "When I go and meet Crane tomorrow, I will take Hector with me. Crane will know what to do with him. Maybe he can be of some use in the high tower." Belle gave him a nod of agreement.

"Okay."

Barron had not stopped sniffing and he asked, "Am I the only one who has sharp senses in this room?" Lucas shook his head and asked Belle,

"I will have the maids draw you a bath and prepare food-"

"I KNOW WHY! DID YOU-DID YOU TURN TO A GRIM?!" Barron shouted with his loud voice making both Belle and Lucas close their eyes. The rabbit had a look of shock on his face, "Oh, no. I think I am going to faint," he placed his hand on his head, "How the heck did I miss something like that?" he suddenly stood up on the couch again.

"Let me tell you about it as we go see Baltimore," Belle offered Barron. Lucas had already left the room and Barron shook his head as if to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

"Balti can wait!" said Barron, quickly getting down and following up the stairs, "Oh no! I am a junior Grim's servant! Belle, you cannot say this to anyone!" the rabbit shushed her, hopping up on the stairs.

"I promise not to utter a word about it," Belle gave her word but she wasn't sure if the other Grims who knew about it would keep quiet about Barron who shared a master slave bond with her.

"You know what? I should have put a soul bond!"

Belle who had reached the end of the stairs, walking through the corridors said, "I think I like you alive, Barron."

"Oh hush! I am not scared of Lucas!" huffed Barron, his tail moving back and forth as he walked next to Belle, "Who do you think I am?"

"Barron the fourth Grim of the cards," Belle answered. She noticed the clouds in Bonelake had disappeared, letting rays of sunlight pass through. She could feel the warmth of it and she smiled.

"That is right!" Barron agreed, "Lucas is just some silly Grim."

Belle decided to give out another information, "Crane has offered Lucas the position as a Hawvert."

Barron stopped walking out of shock and then asked, "Are you kidding me? When am I going to be promoted? They even had the audacity to raise my bounty to be the highest one until now. What else did I miss?"

"Once upon a time, Crane was in love with a witch," Belle said and Barron shook his head, his ears moving up and straight, "You know what? You can tell me all about it once we kick Balti back to the land of the dead. I will ask Emma to prepare tea."

Before they could reach the wall behind the cellar where the other Grim was held prisoner, Barron coughed, "Belle."

"Hm?" Belle turned to look at Barron.

"Um that, what about Ophi?" Barron looked like an earnest rabbit. His rabbit ears were ready to flop down as he waited for her to speak.

Belle offered Barron a smile, "She's with Rower. Safe. We can sneak back to take her soul?"

"I like that idea very much," Barron nodded his head.

Belle tapped on the wall before it gave them a way to step inside the cellar. Baltimore stood up, glaring at Belle in hate.

"It is time for you to return," Belle informed him.

"Wait until I tell them what all of you have been doing here. The way a mortal's soul was saved to be reincarnated by placing a blame on me," Baltimore snarked. Belle placed her hand on the closest wall and the lines around Baltimore started to erase and white light appeared as a circle

"You can take your complaints to Crane. I am sure he will be more than willing to hear what you want to say," Belle smiled at him politely, "I hope you enjoyed your stay in the Adams' mansion."