The mansion floor shook violently. What was causing this? Liz and Patty had been talking all afternoon, enjoying each others company and doing girly things (as girly as things could get with those two) when suddenly the ground shook. They could hear the noise from whatever it was and they watched in horror as a few paintings fell in the hall.

"Kid!" the girls screamed simultaneously.

The black haired boy ran down the steps in his usual outfit. Unlike his usual self, he was panicked. It wasn't long until he noticed the fallen paintings and he looked like he was about to throw a fit.

The floor stopped shaking and the three looked at each other with worried expressions. Patty got over it and laughed, getting on her knees and patting the floor shouting "Do it again! Do it again!" while her sister looked back and forth from her panicked meister to the paintings on the ground.

"I'm going to visit father." Kid said, walking to the front doors.

"That was the worst earthquake I've felt all year." Liz glanced back to Kid. "You go. Patty and I can fix the paintings."

"Thank you girls." and the young grim reaper was off.

Maka and Tsubaki talked as they continued their way to Kid's house. Although they were shaken, they didn't have many places to actually head to.

"So, Maka, I thought you were traveling with your mother. Didn't Crona come along with you?"

"Yeah, Crona did. I was traveling for some time but Crona and I came back a week and a half ago because I felt like Soul and I could use some more practice, even though we've already progressed so far."

"You can never learn too much." Tsubaki sighed. "Where would Crona be now?"

"She's at my house. I would like to go check and make sure she's okay but... I can do that later."

"You worry about her so much. I do too, but I think with every day Crona gets stronger, she's able to take more things."

"She doesn't go into Mr. Corner that often." Maka laughed "That's definitely improvement."

"I hope everyone's okay."

"Me too, Tsubaki."

Kid came into the death room, walking up to his father.

"Father," Kid started, all seriousness. "That was more than an earthquake what we felt back at the mansion."

"I know. It isn't everyday a country splits in two." his father's voice came out in the usual sing-song tone the god used with his students. Kid was clearly unamused. "Many people are dead. We still haven't figured out the exact cause."

"I know you're unaware of a cause, father." The tone Kid was using worried Lord Death. He hoped the relationship his son and he had established after Asura's demise would be strong enough to carry them through this tough situation. "Father, do you have any idea of what's going on? Any fatherly intuition? Godly intuition? Some sort of idea of what may be causing this?"

"Perhaps it's continental drift." his father suggested. "I don't know. Calm down, Kid. You're acting cold."

Death the Kid instantly silenced himself, staring down at the floor. His father was no longer afraid to tell his son if Kid was being too serious or coming off rude and senseless. Even though this hurt Kid's feelings after the many unfortunate event that had occurred where Kid, for say, failed his father. "I'm sorry." looking back up "I'll try to calm down. It's just... so many deaths have occurred in such a short amount of time that everyone's a little bit-"

"Us leaders must stay calm in these situations. No matter what pressure." Lord Death chuckled "We're what hold these people together most of the time. Everyone has grown to depend on their leaders. This of course isn't really a good thing, not for them and not for us. But, it is what it is and it's what we must do."

"I understand." Kid sighed "I'll stay calm. I promise. I won't freak out, I'll be a good role model."

"By the way, there are important people from the government coming to have have dinner and talk with us. You need to come and show we have everything under control. If they see anything's wrong, they'll suspect us as if we're guilty of causing these tremors."

"Why?"

"If these earthquakes aren't being caused by some sort of natural process, only something with godly powers could create something so massive in destruction. On the other side of the world, there are countries that have already broken apart from one another."

"Seriously?" Kid was amazed. "When did that happen?"

"Today. Not big countries, but in any case this is causing much worry. When we're under investigation, you must show no signs that you know any inside details of what is going on that may make you look guilty or that you are unstable. If we're seen unfit to rule, I don't know what the government will do or the people none the less, we are being 'targeted'."

"Tomorrow... I'll be here at twelve so we can get prepared and such."

"Also, there will be a series of investigations so be careful. You never know who will approach you. Not like I'm worried you can't handle yourself but... you never know."

"Thanks for the heads up." Death the Kid began heading out of the room when his father spoke up and sighed with a non enthusiastic tone

"I love you, Kid. Don't worry too much, you're not yourself when you're stressed."

There was that familiar chill in Kid's heart when he walked out mumbling "I love you too, father." Maybe he was so upset because his father knew so little about the scenario. Why was this all happening?! "You're not yourself when you're stressed." Who is when they are? Of course... Kid wasn't always the most sane of people, although his laid back, all business personality would make people think otherwise. He was somewhat neurotic, as anyone who witnessed one of his 'symmetry spasms' may recall. Everyone was panicked and it was his duty to stay calm and lead them. To assure everything is alright. This wasn't alright. Kid had settled down and headed home appearing alright.

When he opened the mansion doors, he found Maka, Soul, Blackstar, Tsubaki, Crona, Liz, and Patty sitting on a set of couches by each other.

"What did Lord Death say about the earthquake?" Soul asked, calm and cool. "What's going on?"

"Nothing." Kid answered with a sigh. "Everyone just needs to stay calm. We can't take a worldwide panic. Other countries have split as well."

"Really!" Blackstar exclaimed. "Everyone will be alright as long as I'm around!"

"Something must be causing this." Maka said under her breath, practically to no one.

"It might be natural." Tsubaki suggested like Lord Death had. "Isn't there continental drift?"

"There is, but would it be so violent like this? I though that stuff happens over a long period of time." Liz asked.

"It does!" Patty giggled like a maniac "Haven't ya' heard of Pigpia?"

"You mean Pangea?" Soul raised an eyebrow.

Kid looked at how lightly his friends seemed to be taking it. He thought about how things would go tomorrow. Maybe he was tricking himself into thinking things were going to be alright? That things were going to settle? It's good to lie to yourself sometimes. Was this a good time? For the time being it was. Lying to himself would calm him down for now, but soon enough reality would hit him harder than it has ever done before. It would hit everyone. Things would never be the same again, but...

let's head on forward in an orderly manner.