Yay! Well, here is chapter 2! Not much to say other than enjoy!
Soul Eater (c) Atsushi Ōkubo and Studio Bones
Original characters (c) Me
Chapter 2: A Pressing Announcement
The crowd gathered around the large plaza for what Lord Death had said to be an important announcement. Kid looked around the area, along with his weapons Liz and Patti. Something just didn't seem right. He pushed through to the front where he could see an empty clearing. They were outside of the school for something important, he could tell. His father had mentioned there was some grand new development in the extermination of the witches. Kid scoffed. He hated the idea that all beings of one particular species were evil. He knew for a fact that Kim was a witch, and she was a part of the DWMA. They had worked together before, to defeat the Kishin. So why start another war? None of it made any sense.
"Hey Kid," someone said. Black Star, Kid's personal friend and fellow technician approached him along with his partner Tsubaki. "Do you know what all the commotion is about?"
Kid shook his head. "I can't say," he said, his eyes narrowing. "But it has something to do with the war."
"That's stupid. The only reason people should be gathering like this is to see me! The great and powerful Black Star!" Black Star shouted.
Tsubaki put a hand on his shoulder. "Black Star, don't be rude." She smiled at Kid, noticing his worried face. "I don't suppose you know why we were sent out here?"
Kid bit his lip. He knew there was something they had to do. His father was keeping secrets again. He wasn't sure how he was going to handle it this time. "I don't have a clue. That's what's worrying me."
"It's okay, Kid," Liz said coming to his side. "I'm sure Lord Death knows what he's doing."
He sighed. "I hope so."
***
Soul entered the plaza feeling uneasy. Maka had pushed through the crowd to get a better look at what was happening. He wanted to find Black Star and the others. He hated being in large groups alone. He tried to find Maka in the giant mass of people. He called out to her a couple times, his voice lost over the loud clamor of whispering voices. Finally, he spotted her over by one of the pillars. He sighed. At least they would be able to be together through this. He made his way past the great numbers of people until he reached where his partner was.
"Would you slow down? We're not going to miss anything," he stated in a calm tone. He looked at his partner, but noticed something strange. Her eyes were wide, almost with fear. "Hey Maka," he said approaching her. "I thought you wanted to get closer. Is everything okay?"
"I have a bad feeling," she whispered. Soul couldn't hear her over the crowd.
"What?" he projected.
"Something's not right! I can feel it!" she said clutching her chest. Soul looked over the heads of the crowd to the clearing.
"Did you sense something? A Soul?"
Maka shook her head. "No, nothing like that. Lord Death hasn't called everyone together for a meeting like this since..." her voice got quiet. "Since we fought the Kishin." She lowered her head. "And now we're in a war."
"You think he's gonna send the students out to battle?" Soul asked curiously. It wouldn't be the first time, but even the members of the NOT class were there. He recognized them. This was confusing.
"I don't know." Maka clenched her fist. "But the way things are going now I wouldn't be surprised."
"You knew this was going to happen eventually," Soul reminded her, but his stomach felt queasy. He knew he would have to go back to battle on the front lines as soon as his recovery period was over. He didn't realize that the entire school was preparing to fight as well. He gulped. A war against the witches was indeed in their immediate future. Soul scowled. Then why are the non-combatant students here?
Suddenly, there was a flash of light and fog. The students of the Academy covered themselves with their arms for protection. All except Maka, who continued to stare straight at the clearing. There, before them, was Lord Death. Kid and Black Star looked on from their positions with their partners as well. Kid's jaw fell slightly. The wavelength his father was emitting was not calm like it usually was. He was worried about something. Kid could feel the tension in the air.
"Hiya Students!" The God said with his usual cheerful demeanor. What was he trying to do? Kid couldn't figure it out. "Thank you all for coming. Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of time to explain why you are all here. It goes back a long time in our history." His tone grew more serious. "You are all aware of our continuing fight against the witches. Every little bit of information counts toward a positive, evil-free future. I am happy to say that there has been some new development in our struggle! Hooray!" The crowd roared, but Kid and the others stayed silent. What exactly did that mean? "To explain more," Lord Death continued, "We have brought in Professor Lloyd Ansom. He claims to have the key to our success! So none of you will have to go into battle now! Isn't that wonderful?" With that, he disappeared, leaving behind only a man in a black suit. He was a fairly young-looking man slightly younger than Spirit. Maka's heart stopped. No one would have to go into battle? What kind of solution was that?
"Greetings, Students of the DWMA. I am Professor Ansom and I have some arousing good news for all of you!" He grinned. "Your teachers and Lord Death were gracious enough to allow me an audience with you. How very nice of them. I come from a land across the sea, you see, and we have developed something that might be useful to your situation. To carry out the DWMA's safety plan there really is only one option." His eyes grew narrow as a smirk crept across his face. "And that is to kill all witches unaffiliated with the DWMA." The crowd grew silent. No one could even hear the other breathing. It was dead. "Shocking! Yes, it does seem a bit extreme. But there is a way to do it."
Maka began to quiver. Soul felt a tug at his chest. Kill all of the witches? Was something like that even possible? Even still, it's genocide, she thought. Without knowing it, he found his hand making its way toward Maka's wrist. He latched onto it. He wasn't sure, but something told him today wasn't going to be cool at all.
"As we speak," Ansom continued. "Scientists are creating a machine. A deadly machine that will wipe out any witch within a 2,000 mile radius. It will not effect anyone else in this way because it attacks their magic wavelengths directly, rendering them helpless to attack. Soon, it will shatter their bodies and only the souls will be left! Now, there will be safe havens for any witch who desires to turn themselves in to the DWMA before the eradication. We shall give them 2 weeks. I am quite certain that our prisons will be filled with witches surrendering to us by the end of that time." He smiled. "The age of reckoning is upon us, children of Death City! Let us take what we have lost and make the streets safe for our children in the future!" The crowd began to cheer.
Kid cringed. What was his father thinking? Not all witches were evil. In fact, the majority of them were simply slaves to their nasty leaders or just sought revenge for the many lives the Academy had taken in the past. They had worked together before, he thought again. Why not now? Black Star seemed rather thrilled of the prospect of killing witches, while Tsubaki was mortified. Soul griped Maka's wrist tighter as a chill ran down her spine.
"Now before you are all dismissed, I do have one little thing I need you to do for me," Ansom said grinning from ear to ear. Soul tugged on Maka who was frozen in her position.
"Maka, come on," he whispered. Something didn't seem right. He felt the need to get out, now, before something happened. "Let's get out of here. I'm feeling sick to my stomach."
"You see, my machine takes a very specific form of power that is very expensive, so in order for your Academy to use it, I ask for something small in return." The whole group hushed. Kid grimaced as Ansom looked around. "And Lord Death did say I could have anything I wanted as payment."
"What?" Kid finally snapped. "My father would never offer up the student funds to a stranger! No matter what his claims!"
"Ah," Ansom sighed, looking at the young Grim Reaper. "You must be Lord Death's kid, right?"
"Death the Kid," he corrected. "What makes you think you can come in here and steal our money?"
Ansom laughed. "Money? Now who said anything about money? I have no use for such a petty thing." He walked over to Liz and Patti who were standing by his side. "How much do you think one weapon of a Grim Reaper is worth?" Kid ran between him and Liz. "Oh, come now. He said I could have anything."
"I'm sure he didn't mean a student!" Kid snapped. "And not my weapon!" Ansom shook his head.
"You have two of them don't you?" he said. Kid was appalled. Ansom shook his head. "Such a shame. I don't think your little weapons would satisfy me anyway." He walked away with his hands in his pockets. His eyes wandered toward Tsubaki. "Perhaps the Enchanted Sword would be a more valuable piece to add to my collection." He reached over and stroked her cheek. Tsubaki turned bright red and began to shake. Black Star jumped on him and kicked him to the side.
"Forget it! Creepo!" he shouted. "Tsubaki is my partner!"
"Hm, yes I suppose you're right. Nothing I can really do about that is there, especially considering that I am a weapon myself." He grinned. "I'm just pulling your leg little ones, there's really only one thing that would satisfy my desire enough to give this Academy the use of my glorious machine." He walked back to the middle of the clearing and shouted. "Attention! All students! I have but one request."
The whole room was white with fear. It could be anyone, Kid thought. Kim was a witch, he might want her to run experiments. He could ask for him, after all he was Lord Death's only son. That'll be fine, he thought. As long as no one else gets hurt. His eyes widened. Then there was Soul...who had just became a Death Scythe and had the power of black blood coursing through his veins. Kid's heart began to pound. There was only one person who was truly safe from the selection process, or so he thought.
"I want, no, I require the one who defeated the Kishin," he said proudly. "Bring them to me, and I promise my plan will be a success." No one moved. Maka stared straight forward. Soul grabbed her by the arm and pulled her behind the pillar, sitting her down on the cold pavement. Her body coursed with sweat. She started to speak, but he placed his hand over her shoulder, pushing her against the pillar wall. He and Maka had defeated the Kishin, but he wouldn't allow her to be found. "Come now," Ansom called again. "Come forth. I don't really know what you look like, but I'll know if you're lying to me. There's no use in hiding."
"S-soul..." she stuttered. He kneeled down to her and wrapped his arms tightly around her shoulders.
"Don't move, do you understand?" he whispered calmly. He looked around, seeing if anyone was going to point out their location. It seemed like everyone was facing forward, not moving a muscle. Soul sighed with relief. What did that man want? Why was he interested in students and not money like everyone else in his trade? Or maybe...Soul began to shudder. Maybe he really is only interested in one particular thing.
"No one knows?" Ansom said. Kid stepped forward.
"Idiot!" he exclaimed. "We all defeated the Kishin together! So what you desire is the entire student body of the DWMA, which of course you can't have!"
"Oh?" Ansom replied. "Well then I'll be more specific. I want the girl. The one with the anti-magic wavelength."
Maka's breathing became heavier and heavier. Soul could hear the shallow hiss of fear. It is her. He grit his teeth. They want Maka. He let his arms release from around Maka and stood.
"Soul!" She whispered, trying to stand, but he pushed her down.
"Whatever happens, do not speak, do not move from this spot. Do you hear me, Maka?" The girl wanted to protest. What was Soul doing? He was going to do something reckless she just knew it. But she was too scared to move. If she did, they would both be in trouble.
"This is getting ridiculous! Who here has seen this girl? I know you all can't be blind to what I am asking!"
"Move it!" Soul shouted as he pushed through the crowd of people. "Get off! I have to see the-" Suddenly, the people opened a pathway for him to reach the stage. Suddenly he found himself face to face with Ansom. Soul wiped the drool off his mouth. "Ansom, is it?" he spat. His hands were clenched into a fist.
"You are not a girl, demon weapon. And you have the opposite of an anti-demon wavelength. In fact, I'd say a demon sleeps within you."
"That may be so," Soul said between his teeth. "Nevertheless, I can't let you have what you want. So I offer myself as compensation." The entire crowd watched in silent dazzlement.
"And...who are you?" Ansom asked.
"I am the Death Scythe who was used to defeat the Kishin," he declared.
Kid walked hesitantly forward. "Soul Eater! What do you think you're-"
"The girl you want is useless. She is weak without me, Sir," Soul explained. "I'm the one who made her who she is. Trust me, it's me you want."
Maka was listening from her spot. No! He wasn't going to do that! Soul always had to sacrifice himself for her! Not this time! She began to stand up, but was stopped by many of her surrounding students. Her heart began to pound faster and faster.
"You won't work!" Ansom snapped, before regaining his cool. "I see, you're her weapon aren't you? Giving your life to save hers, how very touching." His face grew dark. "Your performance was very convincing, but your concern is not necessary. I don't want to hurt her, Death Scythe. I simply want her to stay with me for a while."
"Why should I believe that?" Soul shouted. He calmed himself down and took a deep breath. "If that's the way you want it," he said. He lifted his arm and it turned into a scythe blade. "I am willing to fight you for her. Right here, right now. I won't let you take my meister away where I can't reach her."
"I will not fight you, Boy," Ansom said raising his hand in protest. "However," he announced kicking up and slamming his foot into the side of Soul's face. "I will use you." He tackled him to the ground and changed his hand into a barrel of a gun. "You didn't know I was a Death Scythe, did you? Hahaha!" He pressed the barrel to Soul's forehead. "Maybe if your technician won't come out on her own, we can persuade her. What do you say?"
"Soul!" A voice called out from the crowd. Soul hit his head against the stone. Dammit. "Get off of him!" Maka ran toward him, punching Ansom square in the face and kicking him in the chest. The Professor went flying the opposite direction. Soul glared at her angrily.
"What the hell are you doing? I told you not to move!" he sneered.
"And do what? Let you die for me again! I don't think so!" she said ferociously. "It's me he's after! He wasn't going to stop until I gave myself up." She looked at her partner in the eyes. "I won't let another person get hurt for my sake."
"I don't get it," Soul said, sitting up. "What does he want with you?"
A hand reached out and grabbed Maka by the wrist and pulled her close to a black-suited body. "That is a very good, question," Ansom's voice rang sinisterly. "So you're her? The little prodigy who killed Asura?" A group of men came and grabbed Soul to hold him down as Ansom tossed Maka into a group of three men who held her back. "This is the one. Be gentle with her, men. She is a lady." A giant flying blimp suddenly appeared over the heads of the students.
"Liz! Patti!" Kid shouted to his partners, who knew the command well. He prepared to fire. "Release the girl or I'll shoot!"
"No!" Tsubaki ran in front of Kid. "You could hit Maka!"
"Tsubaki! Enchanted Sword mode!" Black Star shouted. Tsubaki transformed into her weapon form.
"Right!"
"We'll get Maka!" Black Star said confidently. "You go help Soul!" Kid ran and started shooting the men in black suits, enough for Soul to break free of their grip. Black Star used Tsubaki to attack two of the men holding Maka, so she was able to uppercut her captor in the jaw, breaking free. Soul ran to her, gripping her hand tightly.
"Let's go Maka!" He shouted, transforming into a scythe and spouting wings. Maka hopped on as they rose into the air. The blimp was half way to the ground by now and the pair had trouble getting around it.
"Soul!" Maka shouted. "Fly close to the blimp!"
"You got it!" he said as he made his way toward the edges.
"Let's pop this balloon!" she exclaimed as she signaled for Soul to lower his sharp wings down and slice the material on the blimp.
"...seriously? You couldn't have thought of anything more clever to say?"
Maka frowned. "I kind of have more important things to be worrying about!" she snapped back. They made it around the balloon before it began to deflate.
"Good, now they don't have any way to escape with you." Soul sighed in relief. Maka, however, was quiet. How could Lord Death have agreed to something this terrible? And what did this guy need with her anyway?
Meanwhile, Kid and Black Star had finished off the henchmen down on the ground. Only Ansom was left, or so they thought. From out of the school came an army of men with guns came running out. What kind of man is this? Kid had to wonder. He certainly had power. He wondered what possessed his father to give up a student for such a gruesome purpose. And not just any student, he relented, Maka: the anti-magic wavelength he went out of his way to protect. What is he planning? His thoughts were halted by a man coming at him with a gun. He kicked it out of the man's hand and placed Liz and Patti at the ready.
"Don't mock me," he spat. Either way. He wasn't going to let anything happen to Maka or anyone else.
Ansom looked up and sighed. He really had hoped this wouldn't be this difficult. That Death Scythe was becoming a thorn in his shoe. He pursed his lips. He didn't want to have to do this. "Lock targets on the girl," he shouted. Suddenly all guns were pointed toward Maka. Soul raised her up higher and higher as they began to fly away, but a wave came and grazed Maka in the ear. She keeled forwards and winced in pain.
"Maka! You okay?"
"Yeah. It's just a scratch," she said. But then another bullet came and shot her in the shoulder. This time she wasn't so lucky. She leaned backwards and slid off of Soul.
"Maka!" he shouted as he tried to fly down and catch her. They had already lost altitude after the first hit. Soul transformed back into a human. He appeared underneath her but the weight of the fall was too much and sent them both crashing into the ground. Maka was on top of Soul, but there didn't seem to be any broken bones for either of them. Most of the students had evacuated the building. Kid and Black Star fought hard, but no one else came to aid them so eventually even those two were outnumbered. Surrounded by guards, they were forced to drop their weapons. Tsubaki, Liz and Patti transformed back into humans watching the scene. Ansom came and stood over Maka, picking her up by her good arm and putting his gun hand to the side of her head. He backed away with her, slowly.
"I don't want a fuss now," he said bitterly. Soul tried to stand up and go after her. Another pile of men ran and tackled him to the ground, holding him there. Ansom's hand turned back into a human's and wrapped itself tightly around Maka's waist. "You will come with me." Maka stopped struggling. How could she even protest? Her friends were under the mercy of this man who was given permission by Lord Death to take anything he wanted. And what he wanted, for reasons she didn't understand, was her. Ansom let go of her and threw her to one of his men who wrapped his arm tightly around her shoulder. Maka began to feel her wound and let out a grunt of pain.
"Let's go, Little Lady," he said calmly.
"Maka!" Soul shouted. No! They couldn't have lost! He couldn't have! He struggled to get away from the men holding him down, but couldn't. For some reason he couldn't turn his arms into scythes. He watched as a man in a black suit escorted her away from him. A car pulled up then, a black shiny limousine. Soul cringed. It looked exactly like the kind his parents always used. Of course this guy didn't need dough! He was rolling in it! Was there really nothing he could do? His heart grew cold. "W-wait! Please! Mr. Ansom! I'm begging you!" Soul felt himself grow more and more desperate. His voice was quiet and shaky. "D-don't! Don't take her! Take me! Please! I'll do anything you want! Just let her go!" He felt his eyes grow sticky with something he hadn't felt in a long time.
"Soul..." Maka turned around. He could see she was weak, but managed to smile. "You don't have to worry about me, okay? I'll be fine." Soul's eyes widened as he sat up as much as he could. "I don't want you to lose any more sleep." Her smile cut right through his soul.
"Maka!" he screamed as the car door opened. "I swear I will find you! I will bring you back! I promise!" The man shoved Maka into the car and slammed the door. "I will not let go of you!" A man slammed his head down on the concrete.
"Take him to the dungeon," Ansom said gesturing to Soul. "He needs time to cool down."
"Cool down?" Soul spat. "Cool down! I'll show you cooling down! Give me back my meister you Son of a Bitch!" The men picked him up and dragged him off, while he was screaming.
"You can't do that!" Kid shouted, as the men released him and the others. "I demand conference with my father at once!"
Ansom smiled and went to the front of the limousine. "Yes, of course. Men, you may return back to the base. I have what I came for."
"Bastard!" Black Star hissed. "What are you going to do to Maka?"
"Simply put," Ansom chuckled. "Whatever I wish." Black Star came ready for the attack, but Kid put a hand on his shoulder stopping him.
"That's not how we're going to win this fight," he said bluntly. He watched as Ansom got in the limousine and rode away. "We need to use politics."
"Ugh. I hate writing," Black Star complained. Tsubaki slapped herself in the forehead.
"Politics, not poetics!" Kid said exasperated, but not even Black Star's stupidity could quell his worry. Aside from the fact that Maka was his dear friend, she was also the key to defeating the witches in the war. And now with Soul put away as well, their chances of surviving an attack grew slim. Nothing made any sense. "I have to talk with my father."
"We'll go too," Liz said.
"Yeah! Totally! We've got your back, Kid!" Patti added. Kid smiled.
"Thank you, Girls," he said sweetly. "I don't know what I would do without you." He had been right all along. Something terrible was going to happen. But he couldn't believe his father had a hand in it. This simply would not stand. Suddenly, a chilling thought passed through Kid's head.
Did I remember to fold the toilet paper into a triangle?