Anime world setting. I have not read the manga or anything, just the 51 episodes of the anime. So everything's based on that. Just felt like starting this on a whim. Bear with me. And reviews? Thanks. :)
PS I believe Crona's a girl. Er, I just wanted to get that out. LOL
It was a regular school day.
Death City was back to its proper place, and classes at Shibusen had resumed. If not for the minimal repairs still being carried out in some parts of the city, one would not have a clue that there took place a war just a week ago.
"I suppose it's time to bring her back~" Shinigami-sama said in his signature comical voice as he sipped his tea. Opposite him were Death Scythe Spirit and the zombie teacher Sid. Both sputtered out their drinks upon hearing the death god's words.
"Shi – Shinigami-sama! You don't mean – her?" Sid's hoarse zombie voice sounded panicked.
"Yes, yes, I mean her."
"But what about Stein?" Spirit exclaimed, his arms flailing in the air. "And Kid!"
"Are you suggesting that I pass up this chance to defeat the enemy just to avoid confrontation within our ranks?"
As always, Shinigami-sama's voice was gentle and almost affectionate, but the two men in front of him could tell that he was serious, and when Shinigami-sama makes his mind up, it was probably for the best.
Spirit sighed, "I guess you're right."
"When I was still alive, I made decisions for the greater good. That is the kind of man I was."
"Saa~ Please send word right away that Izumi-chan shall return from exile as soon as possible."
The war from the week that passed might be over, but Shinigami-sama knew that the real enemy was just warming up. That is why, he needed Izumi back in Shibusen, no matter how chaotic it would turn out for everyone.
Death the Kid ran up the stairs and out into the balcony that overlooked the school entrance. This place had always been his private spot when he needed to get away for some peace and quiet. Well, not so private since Maka and the others frequented this place, too, but at least it was not so crowded up here as they all watched the episode taking place at the grounds below. Many other students littered the entrance, wisely leaving space in the middle for the newcomer approaching the building.
"Who is he?" Liz asked no one in particular from Kid's right. All of them were leaning against the railing in order to better see. "Or she? I can't really tell with the clothes."
"I heard Sid-sensei telling Stein-hakase that someone…" Maka's voice trailed off.
"Maka, what?" Soul asked impatiently.
"Someone was going to be brought back from exile…" Maka almost whispered.
"Exile?" Ragnarok now exclaimed, suddenly emerging from Crona's back. "Doesn't that mean he's done a very serious crime?"
"Yeah, like what you did – "
"Oi, Black*Star!" Tsubaki warned her meister.
"Eh? Minna! Look!" Patty's childlike voice interrupted the bickering as she pointed downward at the grounds. They could see Sid-sensei and Maka's father coming out of the school building, stiff and rather nervous.
"What is this, really?" Kid said in an undertone, still observing closely. Black*Star, however, was growing impatient.
"Ah, screw this!" the assassin yelled, jumping off the balcony. The others only followed him with stares, but Soul followed suit.
"Well, we can't hear anything they say from here!" Soul said before jumping off himself.
That got everyone, including a reluctant Kid, to follow and run up to the middle where they could see and hear everything. Up close, Kid noted how the newcomer's clothes looked rather… familiar. The hooded flowing black garment, tattered at the edges… Surely, this person wasn't…?
"Izumi," Sid-sensei said in a low voice, nodding at the person.
Slowly, this "Izumi" lowered the hood of the black coat to reveal shoulder length jet black hair. The person's hair was parted at the side, covering one eye – no, covering half the face – but Kid could tell it was a girl, from the soft facial features he could see. And her hair… her hair annoyed Kid. Why did she have to part her hair in such an asymmetrical manner? Kid's hands balled into fists, restraining himself from jumping into the scene and fixing the atrocious hairstyle in front of him.
"Welcome back, Izumi-chan," Spirit nodded with a small smile.
The statement confirmed Maka's information, though. This person, whoever she was, had been exiled and, for some reason, has been called back by Shinigami-sama. It was another of those decisions his father made that Kid did not comprehend. Clearly, the rest of the students did not understand what was happening either, as all of them just stood there, watching and waiting in silence.
Izumi nodded at Spirit, but Kid noticed something was off. Like… the girl's movements were somehow restrained. Kid knew the Death Cloak* could be used as a binder for enemies. If she needed to be bound, why at all was she here in Shibusen?
A gasp from behind him, probably from Tsubaki, stirred Kid away from his thorough observation of the newcomer and, raising his gaze, he saw something that he had not witnessed in quite some time.
"Okaeri nasai, Izumi-chan~"
Shinigami-sama, the Death God himself, was walking out of the Shibusen castle and onto the school entrance, seemingly in a welcoming gesture for this strange girl. Izumi bowed and kept her head so. At least, Kid thought, she was aware of how she should act and to whom she should pay respect.
"Izumi-chan," Kid's father spoke again in the same laughable manner. "Before you enter Shibusen, you are aware of the protocols that must be followed~"
The girl nodded, her head still bowed.
"Protocols? What protocols?" Liz said, receiving blank stares from everyone.
"Maka," Soul quietly asked so that only their group could hear. "What can you see from Soul Perception?"
"I – I – "
The group turned to Maka, who seemed unable to get her words out. She was staring at Izumi as well, her expression uncertain, almost fearful.
"What is it?" Soul asked again.
"I can't… see her soul."
"Are you telling me that girl has no soul?" Black*Star yelled characteristically.
Thankfully, some chatter among the spectators' crowd had begun upon the mention of "protocols," so that his outburst went unnoticed. Kid turned his attention back to the center, where his father and the strange girl remained standing. Kid knew that Maka was alarmed because the only other being she had ever failed to use Soul Perception on was Shinigami-sama himself.
"Soul Purification!"
Without warning, Shinigami-sama bellowed the incantation and raised one of his gigantic hands, resting it on the girl's head as if praying over her. Light emanated from his hand as the girl was slowly lifted off her feet, now apparently unconscious. Kid recognized this ability. It was one of the first he was taught, being the son of a death god. This power was used on people who were suspected of having souls on their way to becoming Kishin eggs! The purification ended as abruptly as it had begun, and Izumi landed back on the ground on all fours.
"If Shinigami-sama purified her soul," Maka's partner began, turning to the rest of the group as he went back to his cool demeanor. "Then she probably has a soul, right?"
Black*Star grinned, as always agreeing with Soul's logic. Kid could not, however, comfort himself with the fact that the girl had a soul. She was suspected to have an evil soul! How many times would he be asking why this person is being brought into Shibusen?
"It seems all is well, Izumi-chan~" Shinigami-sama said, looking down at the girl who still had not gotten up. Soul Purification can take a toll on the energy of the receiving party as well, Kid was sure.
Izumi finally stood up, the Death Cloak dissolving around her, as it normally would if donned by the proper owner who controlled it. Upon the disappearance of the cloak, the clothing that remained on the girl surprised Kid. She looked… civilized for an exiled student. She was wearing a white dress cut just above the knee, and Kid had to note that the A pattern was perfectly symmetrical. Around her waist and running down the front and back center of the dress were black stripes, forming a cross on both sides. Also symmetrical. At the center of the front cross was a metal skull, similar to the one Kid wore at the center of his collar.
"Oi, Kid," Patty suddenly spoke. "You look like brother and sister with those clothes!"
Liz and the others laughed at Patty's statement, but were hushed when Shinigami-sama spoke once more.
"Like I said earlier, okaeri nasai~"
"Arigatou," Izumi answered, now looking at Shinigami-sama head on.
Her voice was soft and reserved, pretty much what one would expect of such appearance, but somehow, Kid felt something bizarre with the way she talked, like it was forged, like the voice was not hers at all.
The girl looked Kid's father in the eye (or in the mask) and Kid felt chills go up his spine as Izumi's lips curled into a minute, aloof smile before speaking again,
"Tadaima, Chichiue."
To be continued...
*Death Cloak – just my shot at naming the thing Shinigami-sama (and sometimes Death the Kid) wears
Wrote this on a whim and will probably update depending on how it's received. It's not much but yeah, I've got a story going on in my head. 8D