Yo. Um, do you guys like detective/mystery stories?

And KiMa?

Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater, its characters, or any other products/brands/works mentioned in this fan-fiction.

Chapter One: Introduction

"I won't say it was nice knowin' you, 'cause it wasn't."

The figure approached the teen, brandishing a rusty sword as he backed his target into a corner.

"I- I don't know how t-to—"

"You don't know how to deal with it? Is that what you were going to say? Pathetic. Scum. Useless. That's what you are."

In one fell swoop, the villain slashed his weapon across his prey's neck. There was gurgling for only a few seconds before the victim collapsed, and soon after, died.

"I—I just can't believe it!" Maka sobbed, latching onto her boyfriend's jacket as she mourned the loss of her best friend. "Chrona was so—so young, and so nice—how could anyone do this?! Chrona d-deserved this least of all!"

"I know, Maka, I know." Rough hands massaged her back in an attempt to comfort her as they stood in front of the apartment complex where their delicately shy friend was murdered.

"Another murder?"

He sighed, leaning back in his recliner as he shooed his agents out the door.

The eldest one cautiously peered back into the room, before adding "They're requesting you specifically and will leave the scene untouched until you arrive."

Death the Kidd raised an eyebrow, before sighing and issuing instructions.

"Liz, Patti, pack your bags. We're going to Death City."

He arrived two hours after he'd been called for (he made a mental note to try and be quicker next time), and although the local law enforcement was skeptical, he was quickly admitted into the building.

The room smelled like death, but Kidd had grown accustomed to that over his years of work. Most of the mysteries these days were killings, after all. He cast a low gaze over the occupants of the room when he finally arrived; boring, generic, cop, cop, stressed, stupid—symmetrical?

His left eyebrow rose significantly as he noticed the puffy-eyed woman, and he stuffed his hands in his pockets before clearing his throat.

Most of the people looked up—the important ones, anyhow—and one of the policemen scowled.

"Listen here, kid, this isn't the time or the place for you to be wandering around. I'm not even going to ask how you got in here. Hurry up and get out, before you contaminate evidence."

Kidd rolled his eyes and pulled one of his wallets out (he kept one in each pocket to preserve symmetry), unfolding it and sticking his identification in the man's face. "I would insult you, but I'm sure the fight with your wife is still eating at you, so I'll leave you to your thoughts."

"Hey, knock it off. Don't go around spewing information and expect us to believe you," the other officer spoke up, folding his arms and frowning.

He swiveled his outstretched arm in the direction of the speaker, a cocky smirk donning his face. "But you did call for me, no? I'm a bit put off by your face—try using a corded razor instead of a battery powered one; you'll forget to replace the batteries and it'll die on you midway again, and you'll have to use your mother's hair-cutting scissors to trim at the other side of your face. That is why you were late this morning, isn't it?"

Kidd leisurely strolled over to the grieving couple nearest the body. Paying no attention to the gruff white-haired male, he bent over to get a peek at the female's face.

"I'm impressed. Even in your state of grief you paid enough attention to your appearance to evenly tie your pigtails. No makeup though, so I assume you thought you'd be crying a lot today."

She growled low in her throat before snapping her head up to glare at him. "Listen up, Dick Grayson—"

"I'm flattered, but the name's Death the Kidd. Private detective. Nice to meet you. And if I may say, you are very symmetrical." He flashed a grin, offering a hand.

It was Soul's turn to growl, his grip on Maka tightening. "Watch it."

Both of Kidd's eyebrows raised, amused, before he turned to the first officer he'd debunked. "You may want to get your wedding ring refitted. Anyone can tell you've been taking it off recently. You're not having an affair, are you?—No, your fight's probably still too recent. You've been thinking about it though, haven't you?"

At this point, two women rushed in and stood beside Kidd, quickly bowing and offering apologies to anyone he'd offended. "He'll loosen up once he gets to know you all better!"

Maka scowled. She didn't want to get to know this man better. She wanted to fly across the world right then, just so she wouldn't have to look at him. But, she rationalized, she needed to be polite. This man could help find the culprit who'd killed her friend.

"Then let me introduce everyone," she started, detaching herself from Soul and facing towards the detective.

"Medusa, Chrona's mother and my aunt." She pointed to a blonde woman with a relatively emotionless face, glancing up at the mention of her name, but almost immediately back down to the tarp that covered her child.

"Asura, Chrona and I's uncle and teacher." Next was a black-haired man with a tattoo of a third eye on his forehead. He, too, looked unfazed by the death of his family member.

"Officers Law and Rung." Each of the policemen, respectively.

"My father and Chrona's uncle, Spirit." She scowled at this one (Family issues? He speculated, not seeing another woman that could possibly be his wife.), a red-haired man with a grieved face and a handkerchief in his right hand that looked to be used.

"My boyfriend and one of Chrona's best friends, Soul." The one who'd been holding Maka so protectively before glared at Kidd with eerily red irises.

"And me, Chrona's cousin and best friend, Maka." She rested her finger on the 'v' of her collarbone, her voice growing softer and weaker as she drew her introductions to an end.

"Pleasure to meet you all," Kidd said, bowing slightly before striding over to the yellow tape and stepping over it. "Gloves?"

One of the officers—Law, he remembered, because of the name-job coincidence—tossed him a pair of latex gloves which he quickly pulled on.

He peeled back the black tarp, causing everyone else in the room to turn away. He examined the body as thoroughly as he could with his eyes, before lifting clothing and limbs to piece together a picture.

A few minutes of inspection felt like hours to the mourners.

"Did any of you see this?" Kidd voiced, eventually. Both of the policemen rushed to the body, peering over his shoulder to catch a glimpse.

One bloodstain on the floor, underneath the body, had been dyed black. Beside it sat a message written with the newly darkened gore:

'Let the game begin'

Oh shit! Chrona's dead, Kidd's a Sherlock Holmes-tier detective, and Soul and Maka are dating?!

This is quite different from my previous KiMa. I'm excited to see how everyone feels about it.

P.S.: Gonna do my best to keep Chrona gender-neutral in this. Some people think he's a guy, some people think she's a girl. I'll try and satisfy the lot of you by not using gender-specific pronouns.