I do not intend to garner any revenues from the use of the Soul Eater universe or its characters.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Parisian Misdirection

Act 1

A day at the Louvre

---

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It had taken awhile for him to grasp why she slunk away in the mornings. Of course, he didn't mind it. Being jail-bound for decades taught one how to deal with being alone. Still he would've liked to watch her work her specific brand of witchcraft. It wasn't a laser light show, but that was what made it fun to watch. Especially with the way she used it.

Humming a tune from "Les Miserables" as he meandered down the banks of the Seine River, Free wondered why Eruka had wanted to come to Paris. She hadn't seemed like the type to travel on a whim. That was more of something he would do. Maybe people from Paris were fun to play around with? Nah, she never said anything about liking certain types of humans. Come to think of it, she didn't really say much about herself at all. Then again neither had he. Of course, neither of them had asked so it wasn't much of a surprise. Maybe he'd ask Eruka to tell him something about herself. What to ask though…

He found her lying in wait in the shadows just under an arching bridge, apparently watching a couple that had stationed themselves at its center. She had that look of mischief in her eyes. He smirked at the sight. This was going to get good. Not wanting to miss the spectacle, Free ducked into the shadows as well, taking care not to make too much noise. Far be it for him to ruin Eruka's fun.

It appeared that the two on the bridge were about to share a first kiss. He could tell by the timidity of the woman. The man was also unsure of himself from his inability to keep his hands still. However, he managed to gather himself and lean in for the kiss. That was when Free heard the first incantation. The fog thickened slightly, rendering the lovers as little more than silhouettes. Another incantation quickly followed as both the man and woman continued to lean in, oblivious to the tomfoolery that was at hand. There was a half-second's silence before the third incantation was invoked, unthickening the fog to reveal a giant tadpole, grinning enormously as it received a kiss on each cheek. Both the man and the woman shrieked in surprise, the man having a surprising contralto to his partner's soprano. The woman tried to run, but slipped on a puddle of frog gunk secreted by the tadpole. She continued to slide down the arched bridge screaming all the while. The man, in an effort to comfort his fair maiden, tried to follow, only to discover that a different sort of goo surrounded his feet. He fell forward onto tadpole with a surprised yelp. The tadpole blushed. Free was sure it would've giggled if it could as it leapt into the river.

Eruka, who had managed to keep quiet throughout the entire escapade, burst out laughing. It was not long before Eruka noticed the roaring baritone guffaw coming from behind her.

The frog witch whirled about with a yelp. Her surprise turned to resigned annoyance when she found a grinning Free on the ground laughing. She sighed, "I told you not to sneak up on me like that."

Free smiled apologetically as he replied. "I didn't want to interrupt."

---

Later that morning, the frog witch and the invincible man sat down to breakfast at a sidewalk café. Eruka had ordered some form of tea along with a croissant and some assorted fruits. Free, after learning that meat was not a part of the breakfast menu, had settled for three baguettes, six croissants, two cups of hot chocolate and a block of cheese. Onlookers at adjacent tables were amazed at the remarkable speed with which he'd managed to eat it all. Eruka was still finishing her tea when Free got to his last croissant. He'd offered her the crescent shaped bread, but Eruka had politely refused. With a nonchalant shrug, Free then went about the business of eating the croissant, this time at a much more deliberate pace.

Eruka gave Free an inquisitive look, opening her mouth to ask a question but never quite forming the words. That was enough to prompt an answer from Free.

"A guy might need to eat, but that don't mean he can't live a little while he does it." Free replied to what he supposed was Eruka's silent question. He could never be too sure sometimes. The young witch tended to have a lot on her mind. She probably had a lot on it right now by the way she was idly stirring the remains of her tea. As he reached across the table to grab a jam packet he decided it was best not to ask at the moment. It was too early for emotional stuff, or whatever it was she was thinking about. He gave his butter knife a little flourish before proceeding to spread the jam. "So what's on the menu today?"

"I'd like to go to the Louvre." Eruka replied, abruptly removing the spoon from her tea.

Free nodded in approval. "Always wanted to go there." He took a vicious bite out of his croissant "Eiffel Tower's high on my list too." Free added, arching an eyebrow hopefully.

Eruka shook her head. "No, just the Louvre. There's something there I want to see."

Had he been in werewolf form his ears would've perked up at that. She was looking for something specific in a human museum. Probably some form of witch's tool or like that. He smiled as he wrenched another bite out of the croissant. Even the most mundane of things could be a magician's tool, though he suspected this one was not common, as the item in question was stored in the Louvre. It'd probably be fun to steal the object (whatever it was) in broad daylight.

Eruka must've caught the dangerous glint in his eyes a she proffered her hands in a mollifying manner. "We're just looking around Free." She cast a wary glance at the other nearby tables. "No souvenirs."

Free dampened, but only for a moment. He had always been one for new experiences. Going to a museum as a paying customer, rather than as a crook would certainly be a change of pace, if a little boring. Then again, it could be exciting in its own way right? "Can I at least get a calendar?" Free asked with a grin as he finished what was left of his croissant.

Eruka stifled a giggle as she replied "We'll see."

---

It was early afternoon when the pair arrived at the Louvre's Sully. Located just under the glass pyramid that stood at the center of the main courtyard, Free and Eruka stood on the mezzanine that surrounded and overlooked the very lowest floor of the Louvre. The shadows cast by the lining of the glass structure that stood above them traced an endless pattern of triangles on the people packed floor below. It was an interesting sight to Free's eyes. Not flashy, but pleasing nonetheless. He was going to make a comment about it to Eruka, but she was already halfway to the history section.

"Hey, wait up!" Free cried as he hurried to catch up with her.

"I know it's here somewhere." Eruka mumbled as she entered the modestly sized exhibit. Old style antiquities from the Napoleonic era filled the room's white walls and much of its grey flooring. Eruka flitted quickly from object to object, her focused gaze swiftly examining each one. Free tried to keep up but found himself continually blocked by tourists. In the time it took for him to push them out of the way, Eruka would finish her examination and move on to the next antiquity. In the end, Free ended up stationing himself near the center of the room, watching the frog witch zip about the exhibit.

"She's just full a' energy today." He mused as he watched her examine the last of the antiques. Whatever it was she was looking for, it was definitely important to her. His curiosity as to what it could be was eating him alive. The fact that she was keeping it a secret only made him that much more interested. Lest he go insane, Free was going to have to figure out just what this mysterious item was. But how?

Free hadn't even realized that Eruka was heading towards the exit until she called after him.

"C'mon Free"

She always was good at avoiding detection.

"I'm comin'" Free replied as he caught up to her. The walls went from plaster to stone as they entered the Louvre castle exhibit. They were walking through the once filled underground moat as he began to wonder what else the frog witch was good at. Well, for one thing she was good at pranks. At least, she always made him laugh when he got the chance to see her pull them off. She wasn't much of a fighter though. Her friend, the mouse witch on the other hand…

"Hey Eruka, I ain't seen your mouse friend around lately. She's still alive right?"

Eruka gave him an amused look. "No the Mizunes aren't dead. They're actually very close by."

At this Free scanned the area. He hadn't noticed a luscious woman in their midst. Now, he wasn't the most observant guy on the block, but he was pretty sure he'd have noticed someone who flaunted their assets like Mizune did.

Eruka must have noticed his disappointed expression as she smirked and said "Their not in that form all the time you know. More often than not their bodies are a little more…subtle."

Free gave up searching for the elusive sisters. "Whatever, I guess. S'long as you know where they are."

For a moment, the only thing that could be heard was the sound of their footsteps on the wood flooring that held them just above the bottom of the moat. That bothered Free for some reason. Eruka wasn't a chatterbox, to be sure, but something about this silence was different. It felt oddly ominous, as though something direly important hadn't been said.

Then again it could've been the dungeon like atmosphere that pervaded the rock masonry underground. It reminded him of his time in jail, and how boring and uneventful it was. He'd have to remember to let himself get caught again sometime. This time in a place that had spoons. Then he could really reenact the "Shawshank Redemption". He chuckled to himself as a broad smile spread across his visage.

Suddenly, Eruka stopped walking. She turned to face her immortal acquaintance, locking her gaze with his. It was not the inquisitive stare he was used to. It was still probing yet, more directed. This wasn't just idle curiosity. There was something else laced in there with it…

"What?" Free asked.

Eruka swallowed, giving a quiet little croak. "Free, why did…" She stopped a moment. "Why did you follow me that day?"

"Which day?" Free asked.

"The day we freed the Kishin. The day we left everything behind." She paused. "The day we left Medusa."

"Oh, that day" Free replied, his smile reforming slightly, "Well, I didn't have much else to do at the time." He scratched his head idly. "I'd a' been bored to tears if I'd just stayed there." He started on his way into the next section of the castle exhibit dragging his hand on the rock walls

"But you could've gone back to Shibusen if you didn't want to be bored." Eruka rejoindered as she followed him. "They would've at least tried to fight you."

"That'd' a' been like kicking a dead horse. You don't get anything out a' it and you feel a little dirty when you're done."

"But really. Why me?"

Free grinned as he dropped a hand on the frog witch's shoulder. "Don't think about it too much. I sure as hell didn't."

---

Three exhibits later they reached the end of the castle section with Free no closer to discovering what exactly it was Eruka was after. Free decided it was time to go to plan B. With a decisive nod Free began the operation.

"Hey Eruka." Free asked as they entered a hallway lined with artifacts. "What exactly are you looking for?"

Eruka stopped walking, but didn't turn to face him. "Do you really need to know?"

Free took on a thoughtful expression "Well, I don't need to, but it'd ease my mind a bit. I mean, I'm here with you for a reason right? I can't help you find it if I don't know what I'm looking for."

At this Eruka turned to face him, wearing a sheepish expression. "Actually, I just, er…" She croaked involuntarily. "I just wanted your company." She swallowed. "I feel safer when you're around."

Free chuckled, "And here I thought you liked me for my upbeat personality." He crossed his arms "If you needed protection, all you had to do was ask."

The frog witch turned away from the immortal man. "I'll remember that."

Continuing down the hallway the pair came upon an archway entry that was marked off limits. Adorned with yellow do not cross tape, the archway framed a small sign that read:

ONE MONTH ONLY:

ABORIGINE ARTIFACT EXHIBIT

OPENING TOMORROW

"Free?" Eruka asked as she scanned the area for any nearby humans. "Could you keep watch out here? I need to check this out."

"A' course Eruka." Free replied as he found a wall to lean up against. "Don't take too long now."

"Sure." Eruka said as she transformed into a frog and hopped into the room.

---

The rest of their time at the Louvre was fairly uneventful, ending with a (in Free's case) large lunch in the right wing café. It seemed that Eruka never found what she was looking for, which, Free supposed was the reason she was so quiet on their way back to the apartment they'd rented in the area. He never did find out what she was after. It was just as well he supposed, though his curiosity was still peaked. He knew that if she wanted to keep a secret, he wasn't going to get it out of her. So he settled for discovering just how soft feather pillows and French bedding were to his relaxed form. He smiled as he drifted to sleep. He'd find out one way or another.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

More to come…

Tell me. Was it enjoyable? Or perhaps lacking in some manner? Good or bad, inquiring minds want to know.

Au Revoir