Spoilers: after the Anime and sort of from Manga chapter 62/3. You have been warnied.
Warning(s): Possible swearing, mild/medium gore level potential, fluff.
Pairing(s): SoMa, possibly some TsuStar and/or KidxLizxPatty
Brief: With the Kishin defeated, what new threats will rise up to face the heroes from Shibusen? Will Kid's words of warning when the Kishin was killed come true sooner than they thought? And can the Madness be eliminated completely before it consumes the world?
Disclaimer: Atsushi Okubo owns Soul Eater, not me.
A/N: Ok, this is a little new to me. Bleach fans will be aware that my only link with Soul Eater thus far is in the form of a crossover, otherwise it has been near-completely about Bleach for me.
Anyway, since a story on my Bleach side of affairs is going, for lack of a better term, terribly, I've decided to take a new turn and go to Soul Eater as a separate story. Hopefully my work will go down as well here as it has done elsewhere (here's hoping).
Anyway, without further adieu, let's begin this story!
Soul Eater: The Next Step
Chapter One: The New Specialist Team
The blast of light cleared from his view, allowing the white-haired weapon to see his Meister stood overhead where Asura had been moments before, a cluster of blue souls drifting freely through the air as they made their way out of the Kishin and into the now clearing sky.
"You did it," he said, a smile spreading over his lips as he gazed upon her from where he sat. "You really are amazing."
Over to his right were Black Star and Patty, both of whom were proclaiming it to be the end of bad weather as if it were the true source of the Madness which Asura had utilised so readily. Kid, Liz and Tsubaki walked over to the seated weapon.
"Are you okay, Soul?" the Meister of the group asked, receiving his acknowledgement in the form of a small nod.
"We have fixed this problem," Tsubaki said somewhat happily.
"But we still have a lot of trouble ahead," Liz sighed, hands behind her head.
"Death City and Shibusen both need rebuilding," the Demon Shadow Weapon agreed.
"Well," Liz replied with another sigh. "Let's be happy that the Kishin is gone."
"We can't be that happy," Kid said solemnly. "As long as there are people in this world, negative feelings won't disappear. This time was fine because of Maka, but another Kishin will rise up in the future."
The Demon Scythe knew he was right, and could not help but notice the ominous tone; it was as if he were predicting it, not stating a warning.
"It's ok," Maka replied from her place above them in the cloud of souls which was now clearing. "We'll be ready for it. Besides, negative feelings are not the only ones inside people." She closed her fist tightly around the postcard in her hand, uttering the single word written on it. "Courage... Everyone has courage... in here." She tapped her modest chest on the left side, indicating her heart.
Soul smiled up at her; even after all they had been through, his Meister's courage and want to protect her friends shone through clearly. She cracked a smile and leapt off of the platform she was on.
"Maka!" Soul yelled, running into the path of his descending Meister and ending up flat on his back with her atop him. "Baka! What were you thinking?"
Maka just giggled and grinned up at him. Looking at the joy on her face, Soul felt his heart melt and his face reflect her jovial attitude. He pushed her off of him lightly and stood before helping the green-eyed girl up.
"Come on, guys," Soul announced. "Let's get back to Shibusen before they start worrying about us."
The group walked away from the wreckage and headed for Death City, which was stood metres from the battlefield, a look of elation on all seven of their faces, despite Kid's warning.
Three Months Later
London, England
The creature ran through the dark, cold cobblestone streets, pounding across the uneven surface quickly and without staggering. It closed the distance between itself and its prey, a single strike enough to crush their head into the ground at full force, leaving a bloody husk with a single blue soul floating over it. The creature licked its misshapen, black lips behind its mask and swallowed the soul in one great bite, the new energy coursing through its veins. The once human beast sprang upwards on its partially mechanical legs, landing with its heavy left hand against the rooftop, giving it the look of a gorilla.
A sudden change in the air alerted it to the presence of an albino with sharp teeth grinning, his hands shoved into his jacket pockets.
"You know," Soul said both loudly and clearly. "You really shouldn't have done that. Now you've made yourself look very guilty."
"What's that?" the beast growled. "What are you talking about, pip-squeak?"
"Tell me," said a more feminine voice from behind the weapon. "Are you or are you not Spring-Heeled Jack?"
"Aye, the very same," the creature replied, eyeing Maka's soul and licking its disfigured chops. "Tell me, lass, why is it you're looking for the scourge of London?"
"You have strayed from the path and now your soul has become a dark remnant of what once was," she replied, raising her right hand as Soul's body was imbued in an aura of bright blue. "We're here to collect your soul!"
She gripped the newly formed scythe handle tightly in her gloved hands and allowed the dark soul to lunge at her, striking at his fist and deflecting it as it came down on them. Jack growled in rage and leapt high, the jump cracking the roof beneath his feet and sending a weak shockwave which barely impacted the duo. As their target came downwards, the momentum of his attack deadly, Soul and Maka timed a Soul Resonance and took to the air too, using the Witch Hunter to pierce the heavy fist and cut it off completely. Roaring in abject pain and anguish, Jack rolled off of the damaged roof and leapt through the air until a searing pain caught him in the right shin. The brace which housed the piston and allowed the man to move so rapidly had been shattered and the leg deeply cut. Unable to jump again or use the braces as a suspension to save his bones, the creature hurtling to the street floor, shattering his legs in three separate places. A quick swing of the red and black curved blade ended his miserable life and the pain he was in. Soul grinned as he gripped the red soul between his thumb and forefinger, looking over at Maka.
"Here we go again," he said, remembering when he had swallowed Blair's cat soul and had the last ninety-nine souls confiscated. "Soul number ninety-nine collected." He swallowed it in one mouthful.
"Job complete," Maka confirmed, walking towards the nearest window and breathing on it so that she could write the combination '42-42-564'. The pane of glass rippled briefly before lighting up. "Hello, Lord Death? This is Maka Albarn and Soul Eater."
"Oh, hello, Maka, Soul!" came the cheery voice of the Grim Reaper himself. "How goes you assignment?"
"Spring-Heeled Jack has been defeated, and that is our ninety-ninth soul," Maka acknowledged. "We just have to locate and kill a witch to complete Soul's transformation."
"Now that is good news! However," Soul and Maka stopped smiling, a look of confusion on their faces as they heard the next sentence. "I would like you to report back to Shibusen immediately."
"Problem, sir?" Soul asked.
"No, nothing of the sort, Soul," the masked man waved his cartoonish hands before the screen. "Stein-sensei has an important announcement, that's all. Everyone involved is being called back to Shibusen for briefing about a special assignment."
"Assignment?" Maka questioned, confused further.
"That's right. All will be made clear when you arrive, got it?"
"Yes, Lord Death, sir," she bowed while Soul merely waved and turned to where his bike was parked. "I wonder what this assignment is?"
"The sooner we get to Shibusen, the sooner we can find out," Soul replied, revving the engine once both he and his Meister were aboard the cycle. "It'll take a few hours to get to Death City, you should get some sleep, Maka."
"I'm-" She stifled a yawn. "I'm not tired, Soul."
"Suit yourself, Tiny-Tits," he shook his head dismissively, pulling away.
"MAKA CHOP!" Down came a rather thick, heavy book, the spine of which was coated in dried and fresh blood.
"Ow! Fuck, Maka! Not while I'm driving!" Soul protested, using one hand to keep control of the bike while the other nursed the fresh rectangular wound in his skull.
Ogijima Island, Japan
The blue-haired boy crouched in the darkness, his breath silent as he oversaw the gathering of Yakuza and Triad members. From the vantage point above them, both he and his partner could see the foul work the collection of beings were up to. Since the incident three months prior, Black Star had become more in tune with the Enchanted Sword, as well as becoming more able to control his needs as a 'big star' on missions, which had enabled he and Tsubaki to catch up to their scythe-duo friends in the same time span.
"Tsubaki, are you ready?" Black Star asked silently.
"When you are," his weapon confirmed.
"In that case, smoke bomb mode." Black Star threw the grey sphere into the tabletop around which the evil souls were gathered, producing a pitch black smoke around it and hiding his presence until he called upon the Enchanted Sword.
With the smoke clear, the mobsters were revealed with their blades drawn, ready to attack if the need arose. No sooner had this been done did Black Star vanish from sight, the sword in his hand protruding from the chest of the head of the Yakuza. As he fell, the others advanced, crossing blades with the assassin only to be cut down or punched away under his soul wavelength. The sheer skill difference alone guaranteed success, but his cool, calculated approach and use of his wavelength meant his victory was much quicker. With the battle finished, Tsubaki absorbed the souls, feeling her own soul count reach ninety-nine as the final one was consumed.
"Black Star, we should go back to Shibusen," she said. "Their followers will be here soon, and I cannot hold any more souls without first consuming a witch's soul."
"Gotcha, Tsubaki," the blue-haired boy nodded, making his way back out without blowing his cover. They escaped to the boat a few metres from the building and started on their way back to America.
Agra, India
The creature ran quickly, limping all the way for its left leg had been shot through. Its attacker laid eyes upon the beast and fired through the right leg in precisely the same place with pin-point precision and accuracy. He smirked slightly as the Kishin fell down a short distance from where it had been shot, the twin-pistol wielding Meister touching down on his hovering skateboard.
"Any last words?" he asked plainly, but receiving no response. "It's a good way to die, seeing such a symmetry before you go." Kid chided, shooting the creature with two simultaneous blasts through the head, collecting the single soul in the right pistols magazine. "Ah, superb. The Taj Mahal..."
"Hey, Kid!" a mechanical voice called from his left hand. "I know you like being one with the symmetry and all, but my back is getting sore!"
Kid sighed as he allowed the Thompsons to return to their human states.
"Can't we just enjoy the view for a while, girls?" he pleaded, though they were content being out of their weaponised states. The sun was slowly setting behind the Indian monument, casting a rich orange glow upon them as they stared out at the beautiful sight. After a few minutes, Kid sighed contentedly and stood. "Alright, I suppose I should tell father that the Cult of Shiva has been dealt with."
"Don't forget to ask where we can find a couple of witches," Liz added, turning to her close friend and Meister. "After all, both me and Patty are ready for them."
Kid flexed his hands into a series of gestures, conjuring a purple outline of Lord Death's insignia on the ground. The image of Kid's father popped up quickly to greet them.
"Hello again, Kid!" Death greeted his son in his usual overly-cheery tone. "How was it?"
"Pretty straight forward," Kid shrugged. "The Cult of Shiva wasn't that big a deal. I must admit though, I'm glad I was able to see such a magnificent sight as this; the Taj Mahal... such beautiful symmetry."
"Excellent. I take it you are wanting another high-level target?"
"Actually, I am in need of two witch souls," Kid corrected. "We've collected out one hundred and ninety eighth Kishin soul."
"In that case, congratulations to the three of you," Death clapped his large hands enthusiastically before becoming serious once more. "At any rate, I would like you to return to Shibusen first; Stein has a special task for your team, Kid."
"I understand, father," Kid nodded as the transmission ended. "Liz, Patty, we're going back to Shibusen. Transform back to your weapon modes."
"Oh great," Liz sighed. "Another trip halfway around the world in pistol form..."
Death Room
"Wonder what this assignment is," the red-eyed scythe mused as he and his Meister enter the Death Room, his arms crossed behind his head in a display of nonchalance.
"Yeah," Maka nodded, risking a glance at her weapon partner and smiling slightly. They had been through a lot together, but she still trusted him as he trusted her.
The screams of their friend at the plateau on which a mirror stood caught their attention, and they quickly ran up to see what was wrong.
"God dammit, Black Star!" Kid whined profusely. "Why won't you let me make you symmetrical?"
"Pah!" the assassin scoffed, arms folded in an arrogant display. "You don't have to make me symmetrical, Kid, I'm already a big star!"
"Damn you!"
"Now now, children," the light-hearted voice of Shibusen's greatest Meister came from behind Maka and Soul as Franken Stein walked in, the smoking butt of a cigarette between his lips as he walked over with Marie at his side. "There's no need to fight."
"Stein-sensei," Maka asked as both Lord Death and Spirit walked in. "What is this all about?"
"This is something we have been developing for the last three months, Maka," Stein replied, dousing the butt underfoot. "Lord Death, would you like to explain?"
"Sure," the masked man nodded, standing beside Stein. "As you three know, the Kishin Asura has been defeated, thanks to your work all that time ago." All eyes fell on Maka, who blushed at this sudden attention. "Well, we have noticed a significant reduction in the level of Madness in the world, so I felt it was only right to thank you for your work!"
"Father, we were just doing our duty as Shibusen students," Kid amended. "You know that."
"Yes, but it was an excellent feat nonetheless," Lord Death nodded. "But the real reason behind this meeting is not quite as good. You see, the Kishin's powerful wavelength was blocking our ability to detect any other Madness wavelengths. With it gone, we can now see that the wavelength did not travel very far at all."
"That can't be," Soul protested. "The whole world was on the verge of falling into Madness, and you say it wasn't the Kishin behind it all?"
"Soul," Maka started, but the principal raised his hand to cut her off.
"I understand your outrage, Soul Eater," he went on. "The fact is that there were a series of transponders which worked like a signal booster to increase the radius affected by the Kishin's Wavelength of Madness. It appears that some of them were not Arachnophobia's doing; there were many pylons which did the job, but some were found to be damaged prior to the spread of Madness, meaning that something, or someone, took their place. That is the reason for this 'assignment'. Stein?"
"Thank you, Lord Death," the screw-headed man nodded and turned to the Meisters and weapons gathered there. "We are actually starting a specialist group of Meisters and weapons who will be used to search for and capture or destroy the person or persons responsible for this work, which we have called the Specialist Armed and Tactical Operations Initiative, or Spartoi for short. From now on, you will all be granted the status of three-star Meister and have permission to leave lessons at will to search for anything which might help you find these people.
"Also," he added, with a small smile. "We purposely waited for your weapon partners to collect ninety-nine Kishin souls. Since the Baba Yaga's Castle incident, we have been gathering the souls of witches in surplus for certain students to have access to when they reach the right level." Stein grinned as he watched at the seven faces light up in a mixture of awe and confusion.
"We are officially making all Spartoi weapons Death-Scythes."
So, how did I do? Did you like it?
Feedback is appreciated, and feel free to look at my Bleach works if you want a better idea of how I work.
Anyway, I hope you liked it so far.
Oh, by the way, I hate the title myself, so any suggestions about what to call it would be appreciated and welcomed greatly!