Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater and never will. This is just a story I wrote for fun because I'm a fan of Soul Eater.

However, I do own various of the OCs used in this story, including Astrid, Leslie Acker, Sabrina, Master Cura, and more to come. The plot of the story itself is also mine.

A/N: Ta-dah! Another multi-chapter and OC-oriented story, this time with Soul Eater! cx Don't worry, though, I'll keep up with updates on both stories, and this one is going to be much shorter than Unwritten.

So, I initially started planning this story when I was like 15, and this chapter was written around the time I turned 16—which was two years ago. I updated the writing and all that as my skills improved over time.

I'll leave my incoherent rambling for the afterword. XD Please enjoy the story!

Prologue: Astrid's Pursuit - Is The Witch Innocent or Guilty?

All eyes were fixed on her.

Glares. Leers. Wide eyes and gaping mouths. They were all directed at Astrid as the crowd of agents parted, creating a path between her and the older man before them all. Taking a breath, she approached him, her pale purple eyes gazing at him with strong determination.

She lowered herself onto one knee before him, placing her right hand over her heart and bowing her head respectfully. "Master Cura," she stated solemnly, "I would be honored to carry out this mission. I vow to protect the planet Earth from this evil organization."

Cura's pale red eyes examined her. Then, behind the high collar of his black cloak, he smiled. "Very well, Astrid. We are all counting on you."

As the train barreled through the barren Nevada Desert, a woman's scream sounded from one of the cars, silenced by an ear-shattering crack that followed.

Two men stood in the aisle, smoke rising from the bullet hole of the first man's black pistol. They grinned in satisfaction at the glowing light blue ball that floated before them.

"This is the hundredth soul today, James," the second man said, roughly snatching the orb.

James snickered as he began to place his pistol back in its holster. "Excellent. Good work, Cassidy."

"Stop right there," a girl's voice said from behind them.

Surprised, the two men whirled around. Two younger people, a boy and a girl, stood in the doorway of the train car.

The girl appeared to be around fourteen or fifteen, her expression lacking any emotion. Her dead eyes were a pale shade of purple, almost blending into the white sclera. Her waist-length brown hair was held in two low pigtails, her bangs parted down the center and hanging down to her chin to frame her pale face. She donned a tight, long-sleeved, dark blue dress that reached the middle of her thighs; black padding covered her shoulders, chest, and the upper parts of her arms. She wore a pair of dark blue, knee-high boots. A white belt hung loosely around her slender waist. Around her wrists and the tops of her boots were rounded white cuffs, seeming to be constructed of metal. Holding her pigtails were a pair of pale yellow rings that seemed to float around where the hair was held.

The boy was probably around the age of seventeen, standing around seven feet tall—almost two feet taller than the girl. He had dark orange hair in a buzz cut, dark brown eyes, a dark tan, and a bit of stubble on his chin. He wore a white muscle shirt, a dark green camouflage jacket that was unzipped halfway, faded blue jeans with several holes ripped in the knees, and dark brown boots with mud stains. He grinned darkly at James and Cassidy.

"Hey! Who the hell are you?!" James demanded, directing his pistol at them.

"Astrid," the boy said, his voice a thick Flatlander accent, "Ah think dese two guys are dose two outlaws we been hearin' about: Jesse James and Butch Cassidy."

Astrid nodded. "Yes, they are. They are well known for killing the innocent and collecting their souls. It would be doing this world justice if we rid it of these two evil humans."

"Hell yeah, we would!"

"Leslie," she said, her voice containing a scolding undertone. "Weapon form."

Leslie's grin widened. "Right!" He flipped forward; his large body began to glow a dull orange and quickly shrank, taking a different form. Astrid caught the glowing form, flipping it around once in her hand before the light faded. In Leslie's place, she held a Weapon resembling a pistol, with a dull gray coloration, a rounded body, and red circular extensions around the barrel and bullet hole.

Cassidy's black eyes widened. "Whoa. He turned into a gun!"

"I don't even think that's a gun," James said. "What the hell is it...?" His finger began to pull back on the trigger.

In the blink of an eye, Astrid's foot connected with his right cheek. He tumbled onto his back, groaning; when he looked up, the Weapon's bullet hole was pointed between his eyes. She pulled the trigger, and a glowing ball was fired from it, ripping through the outlaw's skin. In seconds, his entire body disintegrated, leaving behind a glowing red soul.

Astrid felt a prick in her shoulder from behind; she winced. Glancing behind her, she saw Cassidy leering down at her, the tip of his dagger digging through her skin.

"Astrid!" Leslie cried.

She watched as the man's smug expression changed to one of stunned confusion. She jerked away, the blade pulling from her skin. Cassidy retreated, staring at her in awe.

"The hell...?" he muttered. He examined the tip of his dagger, his black eyes wide as he noticed a thick, pale yellow substance slowly drip from the point. "How did that not hurt you?"

Astrid's eyes narrowed at him. "That is classified information."

The outlaw snarled, darting at her with his dagger directed at her, the silver blade gleaming in the sunlight that leaked through the train car's windows. "Y-you freak... I'll kill you!"

Astrid reached for the cuff on her left wrist, her fingers swiftly moving across the metal surface as if she was pushing multiple invisible buttons. The spots lit up in various colors as she touched them. The man stopped in his tracks as his body grew lighter, drifting upward toward the ceiling.

"What the hell?!" he shouted, squirming in mid-air and trying to return to the floor. "What's happening?!"

"I disabled the gravity," Astrid stated simply. Still grounded, she paced toward him.

"W-what?! But how—? Who—?!"

Leslie laughed loudly at Cassidy's loss for words. Astrid directed him at the older man; she yanked on the trigger. A glowing ball of energy ripped through his chest. His body tore apart, vanishing into thin air and leaving behind a second red soul.

The Weapon shone brightly; Astrid released it as Leslie did a flip, returning to his human form.

"Hell yeah!" he shouted, throwing his hands in the air in victory. He snatched the two souls in his large hands. "Two mo' souls. Great job, Astrid!" He shoved the first soul in his mouth, happily slurping it down.

"Thank you, Leslie. You were rather impressive yourself." Astrid reached behind her, gently rubbing the small wound on her left shoulder blade. It managed to heal in the short amount of time since she was stabbed, and now it was merely a tiny slit.

"Are you alright?" Leslie asked. "Dat really looked like it hurt..."

"I am fine."

"Can Ah ask ya somethin'?" He swallowed the other glowing red orb whole, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. "Are ya allowed to tell me how ya heal so fast, or is dat 'curlified infermation'?"

"You mean 'classified information,'" Astrid corrected. "I believe it would not hurt to tell you. You see, my race has plasma flowing through our bodies. The blood that your human heart pumps through your body contains plasma, but it is in lesser amounts and serves a different purpose. The plasma that flows through my own veins acts similar to armor. It prevents me from being hurt by minor wounds such as this." Though I have to say, she thought, it did hurt somewhat when that man stabbed me.

Leslie chuckled, plopping down on one of the seats. "Cool. It's awesome how much yer alien powers come in handy, Astrid!"

The train soon pulled to a stop at a small town in the midst of the dry Nevada Desert. There were only about twenty houses, all constructed from brick and seeming to only contain one room each. They were lined in a lopsided, partial oval-shape, surrounding an empty area. Outside the station, a worn wooden sign read, 'Welcome to Salem.'

Astrid exited the station, Leslie following close behind.

"Well, dis seems like a really borin' place," Leslie commented.

"It appears we'll be here until the train to Death City arrives," Astrid said, pale purple eyes examining the landscape as she paced through the barren town. "This is rather inconvenient. I had hoped we would be enrolled in the academy by now. I cannot afford to waste any time."

He heaved a sigh. "Astrid, Ah don't get why yer so serious all da time. Loosen up a bit."

"Leslie," she replied, "I have a mission to carry out. Of course I am going to be serious."

"What is dis 'mission' ya keep talkin' about?"

"That is classified information."

Leslie's eyes narrowed. "Ah thought you would say dat..." A cloud of dust blew past, hitting his eyes and filling his nostrils; he coughed, waving the airborne sand away with his hand. When he opened his eyes, he took a moment to observe his surroundings. He realized that the town was disturbingly empty, and he and his Meister were the only ones walking the streets. "Hey, Astrid," he said, "do ya think it's weird dat we're da only ones outside?"

"That does not matter to me."

Of course it doesn't. "Well, it matters to me!" He faced the nearest house, marching toward the front door.

"Leslie," Astrid scolded.

Ignoring her, Leslie raised his leg, slamming the sole of his boot against the door. The weak wood flew off of its hinges from the impact, clattering onto the floor. "Hey! Anyone home?!"

The screams of a shocked family—a mother, father, and two children, both boys—answered his question. They gazed at him with wide eyes.

"Leslie," Astrid's voice said from behind; her boot struck the back of his head. He cried out in agony, holding his aching skull. "I told you I have a mission to carry out. We must reach Death City as soon as possible. Quit your foolishness."

The father of the family sighed; the other three seemed to relax as well. "Thank goodness," he breathed. "We thought you were the Witch for a second."

Leslie blinked. "'Witch'? What do ya mean?"

The youngest son raised an eyebrow. His older brother leaned toward him and whispered, "They're not from around here. I can tell."

"You see," the mother explained, "a Witch named Sabrina lives here in this town."

"She's bad luck," the father added, his expression grave. "Everyone refuses to leave their homes out of fear."

Leslie shuddered.

Astrid's eyes focused on them, growing interested. She must be a threat if the residents of this town are frightened by her. "In that case, we will rid of her, so you can all return to living your lives in peace."

"What?!" Leslie cried. "B-but what about dat important mission ya keep talkin' about? Like ya keep sayin', we can't get sidetracked." He chuckled nervously, hoping his Meister would drop the subject.

"Leslie, the Witch they speak of sounds like she has malevolent intentions. It is our duty as a Weapon and Meister team to rid the world of those with evil souls, including Witches."

He moaned. "But Ah don't wanna fight a Witch. She sounds scary..."

"Be quiet." Astrid directed her attention back to the family. "Might I ask where this Witch resides?"

"She lives in the house at the other end of town," the eldest son answered, pointing in the direction opposite from which the Meister and Weapon team came.

"Thank you." She bowed respectfully. "I apologize for my partner's reckless actions. We will rid of this Witch so your town can live in peace."

Leslie whimpered, tears forming in the corners of his dark brown eyes. Oh, no...

"Leslie, quit your complaining," Astrid said, a hint of irritation in her voice, as they trekked across the barren town. Because of Leslie's refusal, she had no other choice but to drag him along behind her by the hood of his jacket.

"Please, Astrid," the Weapon pleaded the whole way, sobbing. "Please don't make me do dis. Dis Witch lady sounds scary..."

Astrid's eyebrow twitched in annoyance. "You are pathetic. There is a high probability that you are much stronger than this Witch, yet you are crying like a frightened child." She released her grip on his jacket as they arrived at a small house, identical to the brick structure of the other houses in the town. "I believe this is the Witch's residence the family informed us of."

Laying face-down in the sand, Leslie whimpered. "Dis Witch lady's probably got lots of magical powers. Ah won't stand a chance. Ah'm gonna die..."

"Quit worrying. We have easily defeated several humans with evil souls before, so we can defeat this Witch without a problem." The Meister examined the brick house before her. "Now, we need to formulate a plan to corner her..."

Leslie considered Astrid's words, slowly rising from the ground. He wiped the tears and snot from his face with his sleeve. "Let's get dis over with...!" His soft voice grew into a roar as he got to his feet and darted for the front door. His large, muscular body slammed against the wooden structure, causing it to fling open with a loud bang. "Come out, come out, wherever ya are, l'il Witch!"

Astrid blinked. "That method works," she stated simply, surprised by her partner's sudden bravery. She walked to his side, observing the inside of the home.

A girl appearing around sixteen sat on a couch, an open book in her hands. She had straight blonde hair that loosely hung down to her mid-back and a slender figure. She wore a white, short-sleeved shirt; a short, pink, pleated skirt, held up with matching suspenders; white, knee-high socks with light pink frills at the top; and black ballet flats. A pink ribbon tied in her hair pinned her long bangs back from her face, the neat bow it was tied into sticking up to resemble cute rabbit ears. Her large, innocent brown eyes gazed at the pair in bewilderment.

"H-hello," she greeted softly, closing the book. "How may I help you?"

"Quit with the innocent demeanor," Astrid said. "Sabrina, we are aware that you are a Witch. My partner and I will rid of you, so you will no longer terrorize the citizens of this town."

Letting out a shriek, Sabrina dashed through the town's streets, stumbling over her own feet as she avoided the glowing orbs that continuously struck the ground not far behind her. She stopped beside a house, leaning against the brick wall. Panting, she turned to Astrid, who approached her with her Weapon in hand.

"P-please..." Sabrina begged between breaths. "Please, just stop and hear me out!"

"I cannot do that," Astrid replied. "It is the duty of a Weapon and Meister to rid the world of humans with evil souls, including a Witch such as yourself." She directed her Weapon at the girl. "I will be doing this world justice by taking your soul."

"No! I-I'm not..." Panicking, she glanced to either side of her. The residents of the houses near her began to emerge from their front doors, curious of the commotion taking place. With the people closing in on either side of her, Astrid before her, and the wall at her back, there was no escape.

"Hey," one citizen announced, "that girl has the Witch cornered!"

Another snickered. "Poor little Witch," he said sarcastically. "She's defenseless."

"This is our chance! Let's get her!"

The townspeople began crowding around the three, preventing Astrid from delivering the finishing blow on Sabrina. Two men appeared at Sabrina's side, taking her by both of her arms. She struggled against their grip, crying out for them to stop as tears streamed down her face. A third man's fist struck her jaw, silencing her. The two men dragged the girl away, the mob following in a chorus of shouts and violence.

Astrid sighed, her free hand rubbing her forehead. I did not anticipate this... This may take longer than I had hoped.

The townspeople formed a circle around the center of the town, where Sabrina—covered in blood and bruises—was tied to a wooden pole. She had given up on fighting and allowed the men to constrict her wrists and ankles tightly with a rope behind the stake. Hopeless, she hung her head, awaiting what was to come from the loud, hateful people surrounding her.

"Let's burn the Witch!" a man shouted, his voice standing out from the clamor of the crowd. Several shouts of approval followed.

"Stop," a voice exclaimed. The townspeople quieted as Astrid shoved her way passed them, approaching the girl tied to the stake. She stopped about a foot before her, aiming her Weapon at her target's head. "I will rid of her myself and collect her soul."

The crowd began hollering again—half of the citizens yelled profanities directed at the Witch, while the other half were orders for Astrid.

"Make her death slow and painful!"

"Damn Witch! Rot in hell!"

"Burning her alive would be more torturous! Stop!"

Sabrina lifted her head, looking at the Weapon pointed at her face. Sadness clouded her large brown eyes; a single tear slipped down her cheek as she braced herself for her imminent death.

Leslie's face reflected in the Weapon's barrel, his eyebrows furrowed at the girl's innocent face. Her desperate pleas for mercy echoed in his mind. An actual Witch ain't like dat.

Astrid's finger nudged the trigger.

"Stop!" Leslie cried.

The Meister froze. "Leslie, do not panic now. We must—"

"No, we don't." The Weapon shone and lurched from Astrid's hand, transforming into his human form. "Actually, we can't."

Cries of disapproval sounded from the mob.

"Why is that?" Astrid questioned calmly.

"Because she's innocent. She ain't no Witch!"

The townsfolk instantly exploded into an uproar at his proclamation.

"What?!" one man shouted. "How can you tell?!"

Leslie stepped behind the stake, beginning to rip apart the tightly-knotted rope that constricted Sabrina. "It's obvious," he shouted over the crowd. "When y'all were fightin' her while tyin' her to the stake, she didn't use magic to fight back. A Witch as evil as y'all say would've mangled y'all with her magic fer comin' anywhere near her." He dropped the last pieces of rope onto the ground.

Finally free, Sabrina stumbled away from the stake, rubbing at her sore wrists. She turned to Leslie, smiling slightly. "Thank you."

He grinned in return. "No problem, miss."

The angry shouts from the crowd died down into soft murmurs, discussing his reasoning.

Leslie makes a good point, Astrid thought. If this girl was a Witch, she would have attacked us when we approached her.

"Alright," Leslie shouted, "y'all move on with yer lives now! Dere's nothin' to see here!"

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Sabrina said, tears brimming in her eyes, her grin so wide that her cheeks turned red. "Seriously, I can't thank you two enough for clearing my name!"

The Weapon and Meister pair stood in front of the train station with the teenage girl, a worn and rusty train awaiting the pair.

"It was no problem!" Leslie replied, waving his hand. "Ah'm sorry for breakin' into yer house and accusin' ya."

She giggled. "It's fine!"

"Astrid," Leslie said, eyeing his silent partner, "don't you have somethin' to say, too?"

Astrid nodded, her face remaining emotionless. "My sincerest apologies. My partner has a tendency to jump to conclusions."

"Hey!" he shouted, stomping his foot. "Don't turn da blame on me! You were da one who dragged me after her to go kill her!"

She directed her eyes downward. "I... may have accused you as well. I apologize."

"Don't worry about it. It's fine!"

The train's whistle blared, and Sabrina sighed. "I wish you two didn't have to leave just yet. I was hoping I could invite you both to my house for some tea after your rough day."

"We appreciate the offer, but we must leave," Astrid said. "It is mandatory that we arrive in Death City as soon as possible."

Sabrina's smile faded, curiosity filling her large brown eyes. "Oh, you're heading to Death City? What for?"

"We're goin' to da DWMA," Leslie answered cheerfully. "Ya see, Astrid has a mission, and—" He was interrupted by his own cry of pain as Astrid's foot slammed down atop his own.

"Leslie, that is classified information," Astrid scolded, "and I would prefer if you did not inform everyone. Our train is about to depart, and we must be going now."

"Okay..." he groaned, following the Meister aboard the train.

Sabrina fell silent, her darkened gaze watching the two. However, once she made eye contact with the Weapon through one of the windows, her expression transitioned to a cheerful beam. "Goodbye!" she shouted. "And good luck on your journey!"

Leslie leaned out the window, waving in farewell. "Thanks a lot! You take care of yerself!"

As the train started to pull away from the station, Sabrina ambled away, heading down the streets of Salem.

"The DWMA, huh...?" she mused as she walked. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, her nails digging into her palms. "Interesting."

After a few moments of remaining silent, she broke into a fit of giggles. Her hands loosened as dark energy began to crackle around them. Those two were so gullible, believing that I actually wasn't a Witch! Her laughter ceased, and she grinned malevolently to herself for the rest of her trip home.

"They're going to regret that..."

A/N: I really hope this makes for a good introduction. I tried to leave a lot of things about Astrid and Leslie a mystery so this entire prologue wouldn't be a crappy info-dump. I hope I succeeded in keeping readers enticed! cx

As I was proof-reading, I noticed that a lot of the content in this chapter is pretty much experimentation for me: the cold opening, characters with quirkier personalities, a main character who's not human, different dialects and manners in speaking... I hope I pulled off these aspects well, considering it's my first time using them. But if I didn't, please let me know what I can improve! c:

Well, I hope to update this story alongside Unwritten, which I've been keeping up with the plan of updating once a month. Anything can come up, though, so I won't make any promises!

Thank you for reading, and please leave a review to tell me your thoughts! :D

~Hayley

Note: Please read the notice on my profile before reviewing.