I just couldn't let this go. It had to be said. The entire time I was watching the series I just wanted someone to smack Kid because I love the stripes in his hair. Maybe that's just me, though?
I own nothing. Literally nothing.
Death the Kid stood in the shadows, watching from the top tier of the classroom. Mifune was teaching a lesson on sword skills, the witch Angela perched on his shoulder as usual nowadays. Apparently, there were some new recruits that were especially promising, and Death had asked him to observe them on his behalf. He leaned quietly against the wall while students began filing in, not paying much attention to them. Liz was sitting in the back row in front of him, keeping Patty quiet with a coloring book.
Why did father ask me to do this? There had to be some more important mission he could be on right now.
"Why do you look so glum?" Liz said.
Kid sighed. "This is pointless."
"But your father thought it was important. There has to be some reason he wanted you here for."
"I guess."
"We're sparing today," Mifune said without any further introduction. "Mr. Ford, Mr. Eclair, if you would."
Ox and his weapon partner stood up and walked to the front, both with confident smiles. As some of the more experienced pairs in the room, Kid was sure they'd have little problem against most in the room. This was sure to be a dull fight.
"And . . . Mitsuni. Why don't you three take a shot."
Three?
Kid stood up straight and moved away from the wall to get a better look at the Meister and weapon team Mifune was calling up. The only other three-person Meister Weapon team Kid knew were Kilik and Fire and Thunder. Which means these must be the new recruits Death had asked him to keep an eye on. How interesting.
Slowly, a young woman stood from the bottom level of the classroom. Her blond hair was pulled into a tight braid and she wore an emerald trench coat buttoned from her stomach to neck with tight black pants covering her legs. The way she moved was graceful and balanced, as if she was constantly on a tight rope. Despite going up against a much more experienced Meister, it didn't seem as if she was nervous at all. For a moment, she was alone at the front of the room and Kid was confused.
Where are her partners?
"I guess that's us, Karou."
"Might be fun, Hikaru."
Kid turned as two boys got up from the back. He hadn't noticed them until that moment, but he was certainly paying attention now. Twins. Identical twins.
Within a minute, Hikaru and Karou were standing on either side of Mistuni. Their red hair was swept to opposite sides and matching amber eyes sparked with mischief. They moved in perfect sync, each cocking a hip and brushing a hand through their hair. Perfect mirror images. Perfect symmetry.
"Kid? Are you okay?" Liz asked quietly.
Tears were streaming down Kid's face, but he didn't care. "They're perfect!"
"Oh boy," she said.
Patty started giggling manically in her seat even as she kept coloring. "Kid's in looove."
He didn't hear her. He watched avidly as the two teams got ready for their spar.
"This doesn't seem too fair Mr. Mifune," Ox said with a cocky smirk. "Sending up a little girl against a Second level Weapon Meister."
"You scared?"
It took everyone in the room a moment to realize it had been Mitsuni who spoke. Her eyes were on the ground so Kid couldn't see them from where he stood but there was a small smile on her lips.
Ox growled and reached out a hand to his partner. With a flash of white light, Ox was holding a golden spear that he spun around over his head. "Just thought I'd give you the chance to back out gracefully."
"Huh. I definitely think he's scared, Karou."
"Definitely, Hikaru. What do you say Mitsu?"
She tilted her head slightly and let out a short laugh. "I guess we should give them a reason to be. Ready boys?"
"Always," they said together.
"Let's begin," Mifune said, stepping between the two Meisters.
Angela jumped down from his shoulder, holding a white cloth in her gloved hands. "Ready!" she shouted.
Kid waited for Hikaru and Karou to change as Harvar had but they just stood earily still as Angela counted down from ten. Mitsuni wasn't even looking at Ox. Her eyes were closed and her hands clasped together as if she were praying. Her bangs lifted off her face and her coat lifted as if caught in the wind even as the air was still. Was she really not worried?
Ox on the other hand was tense, his fists clenched on the shaft of the spear.
What were they waiting for? They needed to change.
"Go!"
Ox only hesitated a moment as they were given the go ahead but it was enough. She moved like lightning, darting forward with her arms stretched out behind her. Hikaru and Karou changed faster than he'd ever seen any Weapon. The blue glow of their souls arched out and slipped into Mitsuni's hands, so she was holding two long blades.
She moved so quickly that her weapons blurred. Ox barely had time to guard himself before she was on him. Kid stared transfixed as Mitsuni held the blades evenly as she moved in a whirlwind of steel. It was over before it had even really begun, both weapons resting against the sides of Ox's neck.
It was so beautiful Such perfect symmetry in their technique. The two blades perfect mirrors. Both—
No!
"No! No no no no!"
The entire class jumped as Kid screamed and ran down the stairs to the front of the classroom.
"How could you? How could you ruin such beauty with your blasphemy?" he screamed, pointing at Mistuni and her Weapons.
Mitsuni looked completely baffled though she didn't look away from Ox.
"What the hell is he talking about?" she said.
"Uh. Excuse him," Liz said as Patty giggled behind Kid. "He has a minor obsession with symmetry and, well, your swords."
Mitsuni looked down at the blades with Hikaru and Karou's reflections staring back at her. They were near perfect imitations of each other down to the rose filigree in the metal. Except Hikaru's was polished onxy and Karou's a luminescent silver.
"You've got to be kidding me," Hikaru said.
"What an idiot," Karou answered.
"Uh." Mitsuni dropped her weapons away from Ox and took a step back. Her eyes flicked up to glance at the still shouting Kid before dropping to the ground once more. "Sorry? But if you're so big on symmetry what's up with your hair?"
"Oh no," Liz said right before Kid lost it.
"You're right! I'm an abomination. I'm garbage. Asymmetrical garbage. I want to die!" he shouted, throwing himself down on the floor.
Liz and Patty crouched down next to Kid and tried to console the Reaper.
Mitsuni smiled and looked down at her weapons. "Thanks boys."
"You got it, Mitsu!" They said, changing back.
"It wasn't totally boring."
"Less boring than most classes."
With a roll of her eyes, Mitsuni stepped away from the boys and made her way over to Kid. She knelt down next to him and Liz and Patty stopped their rambling to stare at her curiously.
"Hasn't anyone ever told you asymmetry is beautiful too?" she said.
Her words stopped Kid in the middle of his suicidal mutterings.
"Of course not! That's blasphemy!"
"And yet you chose Weapons that couldn't be more different."
"My Weapons are perfectly symmetrical!"
Mitsuni sighed. Was he serious? "In Weapon form maybe. But they aren't just Weapons. And their differences make them more beautiful, not less."
"I don't understand," Kid said.
Standing up, Mitsuni held out a hand and waited. Hesitating a moment, Kid placed his hand in hers and let her pull him from the ground. She smiled and closed her eyes.
"Your Weapons are true twins in their souls and so they look the same despite their differing looks and personalities. They compliment each other in that way. Hikaru and Karou are different. They look the same down to every freckle. But inside they couldn't be more different; complete opposites. Light and dark, fire and ice. And their souls reflect that in their weapon forms."
"But how is that beauty?"
"Because, silly. It reminds us that we're human. Of course, symmetry is beautiful. There is a reason we use circles to symbolize marriage after all. But to have real symmetry something has to be perfect and perfection is impossible. It's imperfections," she said, running a hand through the white stripes in Kid's hair. "that make us human."
"But I am a Reaper!" he said. "I must be perfect."
"Half, Kid. Your half human as well. Don't forget to think about your human half every once in a while. Okay?"
Mitsuni smiled widely and lifted her head. In that moment, Kid got his first look at her eyes. One was a clear sky blue, but the other was red. Bright scarlet. Kid was so surprised he didn't have a chance to freak out before she turned away.
"Come on, guys. I think they're serving strawberry short cake today," she said, walking slowly up the stairs.
"I hope there's extra whip cream."
"Try not to hog it all this time, Hikaru."
"Of course, Karou. Wouldn't dream of it."
The twins both crossed their hands behind their head and followed their Meister to the door. Both turned at the last moment, pulling at their eyes and sticking their tongues out at the staring Kid.
"Well, I'd say that's it for the lesson kids," Mifune said. "Until next time." He left with Angela but none of the students moved from the room.
"I . . . don't understand what just happened."
"Oh, Kid," Liz said. "I'll explain it when you're older." She patted him on the head and Patty laughed madly.
Up at the top of the room a pink haired Meister curled up in their seat. "A girl with two different eyes? I don't know how to deal with this."
Oh Crona...No one can deal with this. ;)