It had all fallen to him.
The redheaded man had just been told the news, and no matter the façade he put up when he filled in for Sid's home class, it wouldn't make this any easier.
"Spirit… Sid was… He was in an accident." Shinigami-sama told the redhead, whose eyes widened.
"What?" he asked, taken aback.
"He was stabbed through the forehead… He's with Stein now, but he says that Sid… is brain-dead." Shinigami-sama's voice was small and solemn. Spirit ran his fingers through his hair, shaking his head.
"No… Death, no! That's… oh, Death. Has anyone told Mira?" Spirit asked.
The look that graced Shinigami-sama's mask told Spirit that no, nobody had told Mira.
And that he was going to be the one who had to do it.
There are few things in this world that are worse for a weapon than losing their meister. It's what is preached when they first arrive – your duty, above all, is to protect your meister.
Spirit took in a deep breath as he rounded the corner to the gymnasium, but as soon as he saw Naigus' face he wasn't sure he could do it.
"Spirit. What are you doing here?" Naigus asked. Spirit walked over to her and clasped his hands in front of him.
"Spirit, you're acting weird… What is it? Did Black*Star hit you again?" Naigus asked. Spirit's eyes widened and they seemed to tremble.
"Oh, Death, Black*Star!" his hand came up to his mouth, and at that point, Naigus knew.
"What's happened to Sid?" she asked, her eyes wide. Spirit looked up at her, his eyes filling with tears.
"Spirit, tell me!" she grabbed his collar and held it tight in her hand, and for the first time ever, Spirit saw tears forming in Naigus' eyes.
"Spirit…" her voice cracked with the tears, "what's wrong?"
Spirit blinked at Naigus and he dropped his head. He took a deep breath in and looked up at Naigus, barely able to speak.
"He was stabbed through the forehead. He's brain dead, Mira, I'm… I'm sorry." Spirit's voice wavered as Naigus released his collar, and she stood. As Spirit went to wipe at his eyes, however, Naigus collapsed.
"Mira!" he called, and he dropped to his knees in front of her. Her head was dropped into her hands, and her breaths were coming in short, sharp gasps.
"No… No!" she exclaimed, looking up at Spirit, her eyes wide and wild as she hyperventilated.
"Take these off." Spirit reached around to the side of Naigus' head and released her bandages, and as the unravelled down to her shoulders she held nothing back. She was always stoic and methodical – but this was too much. Sid had been her meister since she was twelve years old, and now he was gone.
She wasn't sure how she was going to cope with that.
It had been two days since Sid's death. Naigus had forced herself back to work – despite the fact that nobody thought she should be there. Her meister had died – though everyone was almost certain that they were a lot more than weapon and meister.
A knock on the office door did not jolt Naigus in the slightest.
"Come in, shut the door behind you." she said, and the person did just that.
"Mira." the gravelly voice said. It was unfamiliar.
"It's Naigus-sensei, please." she sighed.
"Mir."
Naigus' eyes widened. There was one person on Earth that called her Mir. And he was supposed to be dead.
She turned on her chair and was face with a large, blue creature that looked vaguely like her meister.
But her meister was dead.
"Zombie!" she cried, highly unprofessionally, and she grabbed the nearest drip stand and wielded it in front of her.
"Mir, no! Well… yes! I'm a zombie but I'm not a zombie… I'm not a bra-a-a-ins zombie…" Sid held his hands up in a surrendering fashion, and Naigus' breathing slowed.
"Who did this to you?" Naigus asked.
"Stein did! He's still here in Death City. He brought me back, Mir. He's coming back to teach here." Sid replied, and Naigus dropped the stand, shaking her head in disbelief.
"You… you died." she muttered, disbelievingly.
"Mir, do you understand what a zombie is?" Sid asked. Naigus gave a shuddery breath and looked out the window. The students were out at lunch, so she drew the curtains across. She then ran, full-pelt, at Sid, jumping up to hug him.
"I thought I was never going to see you again, you bastard." she hissed, hugging his tightly, and Sid supported her, a smile on his face.
"I'll try really hard to die less, Mir." Sid laughed, and she shook her head.
"Oh, wait! Your head isn't going to fall off if I hug you too tight, is it?" she asked. Sid shook his head.
"No. I'm basically all intact. My face is like this because of all the nerves that were affected, and the blue is because I haven't got surface blood flow. But, apparently, other than that, I'm good to go." Sid smiled, and Naigus hugged him again.
"I have to thank Stein." she whispered, finally falling from Sid's grasp. At that moment, a familiar-looking silver haired doctor entered the room, glancing at his two former classmates.
"Ah, Sid. I see you've informed Mira you're not de-"
Stein was cut off when Naigus hugged him, and he was shocked. He'd always known Mira to be nearly as pragmatic as him.
"These hugs and emotions are a one day thing. But you saved Sid. Thank you." Naigus murmured. Stein brought up one hand to frame around Naigus' back and he nodded.
"It wasn't much. Fascinating, though." Stein said. Naigus stepped back and took a deep breath in, regaining her composure.
"So, can Sid and I still resonate?" Naigus asked. Stein nodded adamantly.
"His soul wasn't affected. Resonance should be no problem." Stein stated. Naigus sighed and sat back down, nodding.
"Good. Anyway… how have you been? I haven't seen you for, what, four, five years?" Naigus asked.
"Nothing much. Conducting experiments, mainly. Occasional correspondence from Marie, but nothing other than that." Stein remarked.
"Well, it's about time you came to do your share. Sid and I have had to hold down the fort with these kids for the past years. I'm not sure how they're going to react to you being a zombie." Naigus turned to Sid, and he shrugged.
"In the same way they'll probably react to Stein with his stitches and screw. Nonchalance. They see it all the time." Sid stated. Naigus nodded, and Stein sighed.
"I need to go and see Shinigami-sama. I expect I'll see you around." Stein said before leaving the room, and as he did, Sid glanced at Naigus.
"I'm sorry I scared you, Mir." Sid's voice was gentle and sombre.
"Yeah, well, you do it again and you're dead." Naigus said. Sid smirked at first. But, after a second, it became full blown laughed, and Naigus didn't' realise the slip of her tongue until a moment later.
"Yes, very funny, you're already technically dead, I know. Shush." she brushed off his laughter, feigning annoyance, but really, she was just extremely glad to have her meister back.