It was late at night and all was quiet throughout the manor. The girls were sound asleep, and much as I longed to join them and sleep myself, I just couldn't. There was a strange feeling that I couldn't quite get out of my mind. I spent a while drawing. It was a rather feeble attempt to keep my mind preoccupied. The feeling just grew stronger until it evolved into a sense of dread. Something was going to happen, something that would turn my world upside down. I just knew it. Gripped by this strong premonition, I made my way out to the living room.
The only light in the room was the pale light from the moon. Strange shadows cast by the furniture caused my imagination to start to run wild. The shadows in the corners of the room seemed to be watching me, and this only added to my sense of dread. That was the final straw. I had to get out of the house for a bit and clear my mind.
I had barely taken two steps towards the door when it happened. A horrible feeling raced through me so strongly that I physically felt pain, and I collapsed onto my hands and knees. Two things had happened at once. One, something very important had vanished from the world. Two, power began coursing through my body. The left side of my head where the lines of Sanzu were began to feel warm, and then hot. The feeling spread until I felt three bands of heat wrap completely around my head. The heat soon faded, and the surge of power was pushed back, ready for me to call forth at my own will. I started to stand again when it fully hit me what had happened.
After that realization, everything was a blur of pain and grief. I'm not sure how long I was on the living room floor before my cries woke Liz and Patty. Even though I didn't look up to see them, I could sense their soul wavelengths as they approached. Liz's was nervous and apprehensive, and even Patty's was much more serious than usual. Before I knew it, I could feel their hands on me, wrapping around me to try to comfort what they couldn't understand. It took several minutes before Liz's worried voice came through to me. "Kid! Talk to us! Tell us what happened!"
I shook my head. I didn't want to say it… I couldn't say it. Once those words were spoken I had no choice but to admit to the reality of the situation. That was not something that I could do. I felt her hands grip onto my shoulders and shake me a little as she forced me to look up at her. Her eyes widened in shock as I blinked tears out of my eyes to see her more clearly.
The hand on my right shoulder went up to my hair, likely examining my now complete Sanzu lines. Swallowing hard and looking down again, I knew I had to explain what happened. "F-father…" I said quietly. "It's Father. He's-" I had to pause when my throat tightened. From the emotions that I could sense from my weapons' soul wavelengths, I could tell that they both knew where I was going with this. "He's go- gone!" I finally got out, breaking down on the last word. Once again, I felt arms wrap around me.
Heedless of them, I yelled and screamed, trying to express my grief until my voice didn't work anymore. The rest of the night I spend sitting there limply, held by the girls who were trying so desperately to offer me comfort. I know that at some point in the night, the girls had brought me back to my bedroom and placed me in my bed. Beyond that, the next few days were a blur.
I can only recall small snippets of clarity in the days leading up to Father's memorial service. I remember the very next morning Liz and Patty trying to force me to eat something. That attempt ended with Liz yelling at me and storming off and Patty staring at me sadly. I remember Soul, Maka, Black Star, and Tsubaki showing up, all trying to offer me comfort. What was said and how I replied to them, I have no idea. Sometime after they left my room I overheard Liz and Maka discussing their concern over me. Spirit tried to visit me as well and get me to start stepping into my father's role, but I ignored him until Liz and Patty finally made him leave. The rest that time I can only recall through a haze of grief and anger at my father for leaving me like this.
Soon, the day of the memorial had arrived. Liz and Patty finally succeeded in making me eat, the first time in three days. Once I had dressed myself, the three of us headed out together. As his son, I was the first allowed to view his body. It was surreal. The man in the casket did not look like my father at all. They had removed the cloak and mask, revealing that I did get my looks from somewhere. The lines in his hair had faded away when his power transferred over to me. It all seemed so wrong. Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I turned to face the people lined up behind me. The hour long visitation soon became repetitive with handshakes and robotic responses to condolences. It was clear my mind was elsewhere, and who could blame me? In my opinion the service couldn't start soon enough. I was starting to get sick from lying to everyone and assuring them that I was fine.
The service itself was long and filled with speeches as each of the teachers and even some of the students offered tribute to my father's memory. During the eulogy that Spirit had prepared I started to grit my jaw in an attempt to remain strong. I wasn't going to break down and show my grief to all of these people. That task became harder still as the casket was shut and we began the procession to the cemetery.
My emotional façade lasted through the end of the burial, but there was one more formality I was not expecting. At the end of the burial Stein and Spirit approached me with a bundle in their arms. I broke down as soon as I saw what the bundle was. It was my father's mask and cloak. Shakily, I took them from their hands, quickly donning the apparel as I formally accepted my father's role as the Grim Reaper.
Hours later, I remained hunched over at my father's grave still crying freely. I had long since sent Liz and Patty home, assuring them that I would return later. As I stared at the freshly turned earth, a glow formed and a yellow orb floated in front of me. It was my father's soul, much smaller than I ever recall seeing it, but still larger than a human's. Gingerly, I grabbed the soul and hugged it to my chest, the thought that this was the last thing that remained of my father entering my mind.
Unbidden, I could hear my father's voice again. "When I pass on there is one thing you must do to complete the cycle. You must send my soul off." I shook my head, trying to deny the voice I heard. "If you fail to do this, the shinigami's power will be broken." I looked at the soul in my hands, the last piece of my father I had. "Don't worry, son. I'm sure you'll make a fine shinigami."
My hands shook as I took a deep breath and imbued my power into his soul. The soul began glowing so brightly it hurt my eyes to look at. After a moment of glowing like that it began to fade. As it faded away, I placed my hand on it. "Goodbye father…" I whispered as his soul vanished completely, now passed on to the other realm. Sighing and fighting back tears once again I looked up at the sun as I placed the mask on my head. "Now… It's time to get to work," I said to myself as I turned and pulled the mask down. I was no longer Death the Kid, but now Lord Death.