Priesthood, Saints, and Love

Finally! I have returned! I'm sorry that I've been away for so long readers; I just can't get any time to sit down and write Fan-Fiction anymore. Ugh, I shall prevail! Right after I finish that Biology project… and that paper for American History…sigh. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own Soul Eater. I have read all the Manga chapters though, and watched all the Anime episodes.

"…"-Talking '…'-Thinking (…)-Anything else I feel like saying

Oh! And shout outs to:

-oxCuteKataraox

-twirlgirl4life1

-corticarte apa lagranges

-AngelInTheSky26

-Awesome

and

-Moniker Slash

Thank-you guys and gals some much for the comments, support, and patience with me and most of all your love for the story.

Ok! Chapter 3 Starts…NOW!

Chapter 3: Connection of the Souls

"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it emotionally. A higher paradox confounds the emotion as well as reason and there are long periods
in the lives of all of us, when the truth as revealed by faith is
hideous, emotionally disturbing, downright repulsive. Witness the dark
night of the soul in individual saints . . ."

-Flannery O' Connor

"Seriously!?"

"But of course."

"Argh! Justin! Go away, I don't need any help."

"True, you may not need any help. I am simply offering it."

"Then I'm declinin' the offer."

"Then I'm insisting…you can't turn away someone who is insistent."

"I can and I am…now shoo!"

Anna Saint tried (again) in vain to push the guillotine priest out of the small laundry room at the back of her parents' home. For the past five days her normally silent and solitary life had been invaded by another. The overly shy and insecure youth would never have had anyone else in her home like this. Unfortunately after five days of loafing around as he waited for his wounds to heal the blonde Death Scythe had begun to insist that he pay her back for everything she had done for him. Not only had she saved his life (it wasn't every day an angel jumps through the trees to defend you) but she had re-bandaged his wounds multiple times, feed him three meals a day, and just kept him company in general.

She had been so nice to him, a total stranger for no other reason than the fact that she was a kind and caring person. Justin knew that he could never say or do anything that would truly express his gratitude and thankfulness for her appearing to save his life. The powers of his Lord often seemed to work in strange ways and him being saved was surly no exception. Regardless, he still felt the need to do everything he could to repay the debt he owed to the green eyed Saint.

However, even though she was kind and caring Justin was quickly learning that Anna Saint was also not the type of person to ask for help with anything or to accept any help that was offered to her. Indeed he was almost certain that Shinigami-Sama had granted his savior a fiery nature and tenacity that no one else in the world had. After seeing and hearing everything that the people in the area had to say about her (none of it good) he realized that she had to have such a personality in order to not go totally crazy from despair and loneliness. But on the other side of the coin her personality combined with her strong streak of shyness made Anna Saint a book that had been padlocked shut so that no one could get inside ever again. This meant that even when he tried to assist her with the simplest of tasks to show his gratitude she would have none of it and tell him that he needed more rest so that he could recover fully. Fortunately for him he would not be turned away so easily.

"But Miss Anna, I have done nothing but sleep in your home and eat your food for the past week. I have not properly thanked you for your help in treating my wounds and above all saving my life. I'm sure that that is something I will never be able to truly repay you for. However, the least I can do is help you with your daily tasks, not matter how mundane or simple."

"I appreciate the offer…really. But I can handle this. Trust me; I've been ridin' this bull for a long time now. I can put up clothes on my own. And stop calling me 'Miss'…"

"I am certain of that, but I must repay you for everything you've done. Even if the payment is something simple, it would bring me great joy if you would allow me to help you."

He had put on that sweet, boyish smile and Anna had almost broken right there. But her wary nature prevented her from giving in and she merely scowled at the thought of the Death Scythe Justin Law having to help her put up laundry. The half-meister had been on her own for over three years now. She was used to doing everything on her own; laundry, cooking meals, washing dishes, everything. She didn't dare burden anyone else with even the smallest of tasks (not that anyone else in Death Grove would have helped her anyways). To have someone around who actually seemed to what to help…to care even, it sort of boggled her mind. Deep down Anna was truly touched by her blonde guest's kindness and willingness to help her. But her stubbornness wouldn't let her accept it anytime soon. Besides, she didn't want to be repaid for her actions in saving the loyal priest of Lord Death. She had just been glad to help him out of a fix and seeing him restored back to health was enough for her to be satisfied. Huh, if only she could convince Justin that she needed no payment for her deeds.

"Come on, you stubborn priest…get…out of here." Anna muttered and huffed as she tried to push the blonde out of her way.

"But Anna, it is my duty as a Death Scythe and faithful follower of Shinigami-Sama to repay all debts that I may owe. How could I look My Lord in the eyes again if I didn't repay someone? Especially someone who saved my life and protected a servant of Lord Death himself."

"I thought Shinigami expected the Death Scythes to watch over the world and defend it from the Madness and evil spirits. I don't recall paying back a debt being a requirement of a Death Scythe."

"Maybe not officially… but repaying someone, especially if they save your life is a smart decision. Even if you are not a follower of my Lord."

"Oh for the love of Death…"

"Yes, the love of our Lord is a magnificent thing indeed."

"Not…What I meet."

It was comical really, a tiny little thing like her pushing as hard as she could on the other teen's back. Despite using all of her strength Justin had planted his booted feet firmly against the white tiled floor and all her shoving and pushing was in vain. Her socked feet held no traction on the titles and Anna almost fell over a few times. After a few more moments of shoving to no avail Anna lost her balance and fell against Justin's back almost knocking him over with the sudden force. For a moment neither teen moved from their positions, too shocked at the position a simple slip had put them in. It wasn't that bad really. Hell it wasn't even suggestive at all and the most it looked like was as though Anna was hugging the blonde from behind. But the two reclusive teens hardly touched anyone else at all so it was more than slightly awkward for them both. Anna's cheeks (already pink from the warmth of the washer and driver running) turned tomato red and burned furiously as she drew away from the Death Scythe as fast as she could move. The warmth and pressure on his back sent a warm tingle through Justin's spine and he felt heat rise in his own cheeks. The closeness hadn't been intentional he knew but it was still a shock to his system. He had felt the same thing five days earlier when Anna had grabbed his hand and pulled him away from some of her tormentors. It was a strange feeling but not an unwelcomed one and it was something that he wouldn't mind getting used to. Scolding himself for his wild thoughts the blue eyed teen turned back to Anna who looked as though she was getting ready to have a heart attack.

"S-s-sorry…" Anna squeaked out, her dark green eyes wide like saucers.

"Don't be sorry, it was only an accident after all." Justin assured her with a warm smile.

"R-right! An accident, yeah that's it."

The blonde Death Scythe for all of his wondering and thinking could not figure out why the young Saint was so shy. Must people who had gone through what he had seen her deal with (for most if not all of her life) would have crumbled into depression or become an embittered soul full of anger and hate. Yet Anna had fallen into neither of these categories. She was a wary soul, hyper aware of the intentions of the people around her (although the same was true of himself but not for the same reasons). And she was a shy soul as well, reluctant to even dare reach out and connect to another. She had been nothing but kind and helpful to him but she still kept her distance emotionally. He couldn't blame her though, not after seeing how the people in town treated her. Still…something about her made the priest want to reach out to her and truly befriend her; help her with anything she needed. It was the least he could do with all she had done for him.

"But you know, embarrassment it what will befall those who do not accept the help offered to them. Perhaps you should change your decision about me not assisting you?"

Anna gapped at the priest; at first she thought she was going crazy. But that sparkle in the depths of those blue eyes and the hint of a smirk tugging at his lips proved it. Justin Law had just poked fun at her…what the hell?! Was the world ending, should she be concerned about the sky falling or watching out for flying pigs?! Since when does a priest of Death himself joke around. Had she not been so thrown off Anna would had shot back some witty counter like she did when dealing with those insensitive jerks at school. But then Justin wasn't one of 'those jerks'. He was an awesome guy, and nice to boot. To have such a straight-laced person joke around with her seemed almost as likely as the Gresham boy's not bothering her for the rest of her life. Her cheeks burned and the Saint stamped her foot against the tiles; immature maybe but she didn't really care. The priest was still trying to get her to relent and let him pay his debt of gratitude; she had already said no…several times but he refused to listen. With a huff of disbelief Anna grabbed a stack of her brothers clothes from off the top of the dryer (Justin had been wearing them ever since he had been staying in her home). Shoving them into the other teens chest her muttered a 'Fine…you win' and gave him directions to her brother room 'Upstairs, second door on the left'.

"See, that wasn't hard at all."

"Hush..."

"Don't be angry with me Miss Anna, I only wish to help."

"I don't need to be helped with anythin'."

"Everyone requires assistance at some point."

"Pfft, yeah right…you and I both know that neither of us asks for help with anything or for any reason."

"Hmmm, I suppose your right. We both simply prefer to work alone I guess."

"So how come you have to insist on helping me when you know that I do not need it?"

"Repaying a debt, remember?"

"Don't you think if I wanted to be repaid I would demand a payment or something? Like…how about some cash so I can buy me some new strings for my bass?" Anna said eagerly, holding out her hand in hopes seeing some Benjamin's resting in her palm.

"Would it really be so bad for me to make things a bit easier around here for you?"

"…When you go for so long without anyone giving a crap about you, you'll become very wary of someone just swoopin' in saying they'd like to help you out."

"Do you honestly think I would try and trick you in such a cruel, heartless way?"

"…Doubtful…truly unlikely."

Then it's settled, I'll do whatever I can to thank you for saving my life."

"*Sigh* I don't need to be repaid you know? Just knowing that I was able to keep you amongst the leaving so the Shinigami wasn't coming to collect your soul is enough payment for me. As far as I'm concerned you and I are square…there is not debt to be paid."

How could someone who had been shunned and hurt so badly still be so pure and sweet to those around them? Lesser people would have fallen and those who hadn't would harbor nothing but hate and contempt for the world and all those in it. Even when someone truly owned her everything they had to offer to her they had no debt and expected nothing from them in return. It was rare to see such selfless behavior in the world anymore, it being filled with Madness and everything else. Justin wondered how the powers of his Lord could have allowed a truly pure soul like Anna Saint to have been dealt such a bad hand in life. Again the guillotine priest considered how much better off she would be if she were attending the DWMA. There she would be more accepted…at the very least. This subject had haunted the teen's thoughts ever since he had met the green eyed meister. The more he stayed in Anna's company the more Justin wanted to sweep her away from all of her worries and tormentors. It was all so simple in his head; he would ask Lord Death about it of course. His Lord needed to be informed about everything that his faithful servant did and all that was going on. He would tell his Lord about Anna; her skills as a meister, as a medic, and her willingness to help people and protect them from the Madness. His Lord would agree to it of course, Justin was certain. Shinigami was a kind and just leader. The Death God would see how wrongly Anna had been treated and allow her to attend the DWMA; with Madness spreading quickly throughout the world his Lord would want all the help there was available. Anna would definitely return to Nevada with him if he told her Lord Death was going to allow her to fulfill one of her longest held dreams. She had told him often how awesome it must had been to be a part of the DWMA and how she wished she could attend the academy as well. There was nothing in Death Grove holding her back…well, almost nothing.

"Hey! Are you spacin' out again?"

"H-huh?"

"Ugh, were you even listening to me Justin?"

"Absolutely, and your mindset just proves that you would be an excellent addition to the DWMA."

"Ha, wishful thinking at this point my friend. Besides…I can't just pull up stakes and disappear into nothingness on a whim. Besides, there's no way I'd get into the Academy. Not only do I not have the skills as a meister but I wouldn't even have a weapon partner. And no one would ever ask to be partnered with me anyways."

"Right…of course."

"Still don't agree with me on that one do you?"

"No, I truly don't. You're a superb meister Anna…or have you already forgotten about the fact that you saved my life?"

"I haven't…and I didn't forget about your insistence on making up for a non-existent debt either. Normally I'd whack someone around if they kept insisting on something that I just don't want to hear about. However, since you're still not back to being 100 percent better yet I'll let it slid. And if helping me out around this place makes you feel better then so be it."

"I must sincerely thank-you for not hitting me, although I figured you being as stubborn as you are wouldn't give in quite so easily."

"Well…don't get used to it. Just put the clothes were they belong…upstairs…"

"Second door on the left."

"Exactly. And…thanks, for the help I mean."

"Indeed, it is necessary to pay the debt after all." Justin told her with a grin was he shifted the stack of clothes in his arms.

""Right…oh, and one more thing Justin."

"Yes?"

"Don't call me Miss…" Anna told him for the hundredth time as she shut herself inside the laundry room once more; Justin merely shook his head at the now closed door as he headed for the stairs.

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'Foolish thoughts…such foolish thoughts I've been having lately.' Justin contemplated in his mind as he headed to the room Anna had directed him towards.

Justin knew that his thoughts were really nothing but fruitless wishing. True Anna had saved his life and taken care of him but could he really expect her to drop the rest of her life in Death Grove to join the DWMA? He had obligations to his Lord and she had plans and goals of her own; the two teen's paths had crossed for a time but seemed destined to diverge again soon…most likely forever. For some reason this bothered the priest, much more than it should have. Even if the blonde could gain the approval of his Lord would Anna really be prepared to accept the offer of becoming a true meister? The young Saint had school and of course family in Death Grove, there was no telling how keen they all would be on letting Anna leave this cruel mountain town. Speaking of Anna's family Justin wondered where they were exactly. She had mentioned her mother and father several times and she obviously had a brother (seeing as how the clothes he had been wearing for the past week all belonged to said brother). But despite hearing a bit about Anna's family Justin had never actually seen the rest of the Saint's in the whole week that he had been in Death Grove. Where were they exactly? Perhaps he would ask Anna about it later.

Anna's older brother (Dylan she had said his name was) kept his room oddly clean for a teenager; although Anna had said her brother was about five years older them himself so he wasn't really a teen anymore. The only person whose room was this clean was probably the priests own apartment back in Death City. The beige carpet muffled his footfall as the priest went about finding the proper places to return the clothes to. The dark stained wood of the furniture stood out against burgundy walls covered in posters. The guillotine priest was really hoping to meet Anna's family, especially her brother. If his taste in music was enough to go by then the two would get along very well. After a bit of searching Justin managed to find all the places where the clothes belonged and return everything to their proper locations. After everything was put away Justin lingered in the room for a few moments, his curiosity about Anna's brother getting the best of him. He didn't touch anything but made sure to observe everything of interest in the room with extra care.

A cherry red SG Gibson bass guitar stood probed on a stand in the far corner, the case nearby under one of the bookshelves. Several plastic cases were stacked next to the case, containing everything that went along with the instrument. Extra strings, picks, and cleaning kits all arranged neatly for future use. The bookshelves were filled with DVD's, videogames as well as books and magazines; everything neat and nothing out of place. A few of the posters in the room were for certain videogames but most were for bands. Justin had to admit, Dylan Saint had pretty good tastes in music. Posters of Breaking Benjamin, Falling in Reverse, Avenged Sevenfold, and Disturbed covered the walls. Nothing else stood out to the Death Scythe until he noticed two framed photographs resting on the low bedside table. Upon closer inspection Justin realized that the pictures were of Anna and the rest of her family.

The one to the left seemed to be from several years ago, as Anna only looked to be around twelve or thirteen at the time the photo was taken. The younger Anna stood with a man and women both in their early thirties who were clearly her mother and father. The woman looked like an older version of Anna, aside from her bright blue eyes and dark blonde hair. Anna had obviously gotten her hair and eye color from her father; a bulky man with short choppy hair and a neatly trimmed goatee. The three stood close together, smiling wide as their picture was taken. Anna holding her mother's hand and her father resting his hand on her shoulder as the younger Anna grinned and made a peace sign with her right hand. Anna's brother stood next to her in front of their parent's his face sporting a smirk rather than an actual smile. His black hair (dyed) hung in his face and down over his ears, his left eye was completely covered by the shaggy mop on his head as he stood with his arms crossed and his chest puffed out. Two other people stood with Anna, her parents and brother; an elderly man and woman with grey hair and wrinkles that showed their age. Justin wasn't sure who they were but he figured that they were both members of Anna's family, perhaps her grandparents. All six of them were smiling widely as though it was the happiest day of their life and Justin found his own lips turning upwards at the sight. Anna seemed to have such a nice family; at least that was one thing about her life that he knew was a good thing.

The other picture was much smaller but more recent than the one with Anna's whole family. This one seemed to have been from only a year or two back and only Anna and her brother were in it. They were both goofing off it seemed; Anna with her tongue sticking out and was latched onto her older brother's back while she used her fingers to give her brother rabbit ears. Her brother's hair was a bit longer and once again fell in his face as he wrapped his massive arm around her shoulders and tried to haul her off his back. Anna smiled like a loon as her brother seemed to roll his eyes and her childish behavior. Justin hadn't seen Anna smile the way she did with her family in the entire time he had known her; he momentarily wondered when that last time it was that Anna had been so happy.

"You get lost or somethin'?"

Anna's voice made Justin jump a bit as she spoke from right behind him. He spun to face her as she held for hands up as though to show she meant no harm. Smirking the half-meister practically skipped over to Justin's side. Anna gave her guest a questioning look which the blond returned with a slightly raised eyebrow.

"No, I did not get lost. I was merely observing."

"Observin' what? There's hardly anything of interest here in my brother's room."

"I disagree, from what I've seen your brother seems like an interesting person." Justin stated simply as he gestured to the various posters around them.

"Ah those… I figured you'd like them. What a sight it would be, my big brother Dylan and 'The Executioner' comparin' and contrastin' their favorite songs and artists. What a scenario."

"Indeed, I would very much like to meet him and the rest of your family. If my time here will allow it of course."

"Yeah… my family…"Anna replied slowly, her voice sounding lost in thought; sad and hollow almost.

Justin's small smile was replaced with a slight frown at the tone of Anna's voice. It confused him; the thought of her family should have brought joy to her heart… not sadness. Anna had not talked much about her family in the week that Justin had been in her company and he himself had not really asked much about them. It was rude to pry into someone else's life and the blond already felt as though he had invaded her life enough at this point. He hadn't bothered to question where her family had been during this time; assuming that they were simply away somewhere and would be returning soon. However, the few times that Anna did speak of her family she seemed to go from content and happy to withdrawn and melancholy in the span of a few moments. As though thinking and speaking about them brought her a great sadness… why? Justin did not know and he hesitated to ask, but curiosity was quickly getting the better of him.

"You seem to care for them all very much; especially your brother. If these pictures are anything to go by at least." Justin informed her as he pointed to the two photographs on the nightstand he had been surveying when Anna had snuck up behind him.

Peering over the taller teen's shoulder to get a better look at the pictures Anna snorted and rolled her eyes. "Ugh…really? Those old things, I had sworn that Dylan had gotten rid of them a long while ago. Guess not…"

"Why would your brother do away with something as precious as this?"

"Ha, my mom and I were always the ones trying to 'capture the moment' as it were. My dad didn't mind it much but my brother thought it was completely ridiculous. He always hated posing for pictures… most of the time anyways. These are some of the few times were he didn't really complain 'bout it. Still, he was never the type to keep mementos or anythin' like that."

"I see; you all seemed truly happy in this one. Who are the older men and women if you don't mind me asking?"

"My grandfather and grandmother, they would have liked to you an awful lot. A 'proper and respectful young man' they would say. The one of my whole family was taken at my thirteenth birthday party you see. My mom had to beg my brother up and down to get him to stand in front of the camera; threatenin' to take his Gibson away for a month finally did the trick." Anna told Justin with a small crooked smile.

Justin chuckled slightly at the mental image, glad that Anna seemed to be happy again rather than upset. Anna went on to speak about the second photograph of just her and her brother. How is had been taken only a little bit over two years ago when she was fourteen and her brother nineteen. The two had just been goofing off in the woods near their home when their mother had come out onto the back porch and snapped a picture of them. It was a silly photo with no real importance or meaning behind it but Anna had long considered it to be one of her favorite pictures in her home… a truly happy time. Their mother had made several copies of the photograph including one for Anna and another for her brother. According to Anna she had been overjoyed by this and had instantly placed the framed memento on one of the many wall-mounted shelves at the head of her bed.

"I remember my mama given it to him, the photograph I mean. Humph, he just rolled his eyes and looked at her like she was crazy. It was a few months before I saw his copy again; sittin' right where it is now. Before then I had been convinced that he'd just thrown it away or at the very least shoved it to the back of the drawer somewhere. I had no idea he'd kept it until after he left for good of course."

"Left for good?" Justin questioned in confusion, what in the world did she mean?

"Yeah…"Anna trailed off in a sad whisper.

Justin watched as the happy, chipper girl from moments ago withered and faded into a somber and melancholy shell once again. The change was drastic; so much so that Anna lightly tanned skin was nearly chalky white and her bright evergreen eyes had dulled to a sickly olive color. These changes in Anna's behavior and attitude (though he would never admit it) had a powerful way of making the blonde death scythe truly worry for her well-being. Such a feeling, like many that Justin felt when around Anna left the blond feeling highly anxious. Anxiety was definitely not something 'The Guillotine' was used to experiencing and when it came to Anna this anxiety caused a hollow nagging feeling to form in the pit of his stomach. As though he were being eaten alive from the inside out by thousands of nasty, wriggling insects.

"Anna… are you alright?" Justin inquired hastily as he turned towards Anna fully; trying but failing to meet eyes with the younger meister.

Anna's head remind lowered as she mumbled out a reply "Don't worry 'bout me none. I'm just fine... as much as I can be I suppose."

Justin would have completely missed the last of Anna's words if he hadn't been listening for her response so intently. Normally the priest would never accuse someone of lying, but he didn't believe a word that Anna had uttered about 'being fine'. Something was off… she was hiding something from him. He had no idea what it could be but it almost certainly have something to do with her family. The blonde's gnawing anxiety was quickly being replaced another feeling deep in his gut. This emotion Justin had no specific name for, but it was far worse than anxiety. He could feel it… physically almost (although he knew such a phenomenon was impossible) a hot burn that lit his gut and chest aflame. A wild twisting inferno intent on scorching the Death Scythe into nothingness from the inside out. The sensation was so real and intense that it almost brought Justin physical pain, his heart feeling as though these invisible flames would burn the organ to ash.

Panic and confusion overtook his mind as he continued to burn from within. What was going on? Where was this pain coming from!? His physical injuries had almost completely healed by now and the physical discomfort they had caused had never even been centered in his chest. It wasn't until Justin took a deep breath and tried to balance himself mentally that he realized what was causing him such hellish pain. In his mind's eye Justin could sense not only his soul wavelength but Anna's as well. The young Saint's wavelength was distorted and broken, almost fluctuating in and out of existence right before his eyes. More concerning was the reaction that his own wavelength was having to the thick, blanketing sorrow emanating from Anna's soul. His very soul seemed to tremble at the despair it was experiencing, blocking out the pain in his chest as best he could Justin addressed Anna's well-being with concern once again.

"We both know that something is bothering you Miss Anna. I would like very much to help you, but I can't do that unless you tell me want his causing you such distress."

Anna's wavelength calmed and evened out quickly after that, completely shutting up as the young meister sighed deeply and flopped down on her brother's bed. The even shirts crumpled and sagged under her weight as her back rested against the bed, her legs dangling off the side as her deep green eyes glared at the white ceiling above her. Justin said nothing as the younger teen internally debated whether or not to share anything with him. His own soul calmed almost instantly after Anna's wavelength dissipated and the guillotine sighed quietly as the burning in his chest and stomach ceased in moments as though it had never occurred at all. Finally with a huff of defeat the Saint patted the empty space next to her on the bed, a silent request for Justin to sit next to her. He complied, siting just on the edge of the mattress his feet planted flat on the carpeted floor and his elbows resting on his knees as he hunched forward. His head rested against his knuckles as he eyed the meister silently waiting for her to speak. Anna hauled herself up from lying down on the mattress, pulling her legs up and sitting cross-legged instead. She flicked her eyes quickly towards the priest who was watching her expectantly. A final sigh of exasperation fell from her lips before she slowing tried to explain her sudden wave of sorrow.

"I suppose there's no point in tryin' to hide it anymore. You still shouldn't be so concerned 'bout it though; nothin' that can be done for it now. Like I said before, my brother left for good a long time ago. Over two years now actually. Still can't believe it's been so long since I last saw him. Dylan was…troubled you could say. He was a good fellow, no drugs or alcohol or anything like that. He just never could find his groove in life at it were, he always said that Death Grove wasn't meant for him. I haven't heard from him at all since he left, the only thing that I know is from a letter he left for me. He snuck away in the middle of the night without anyone noticing. All his letter said was that he loved me more than anything and that he was thinkin' about heading for California. I've tried to contact him or someone who knows anything about where he is now but no one seems to know about it."

Justin was silent as Anna told him about her brother and how he had just up a left her and the rest of his family behind. Her sorrow made the priest's heart ache; Justin mentally cursed himself for inquiring about her family realizing that it was in fact his fault for Anna's rapid and severe mood swing. He had dug too deep and asked too much about her broken up family then he should have. If he had had even an inkling of such a thing he never would have asked about such things. But it was far too late at this point to take it back.

"I'm sorry; I'm so very sorry Miss Anna. If I had known I would have never…"

"I've already told you Justin, it's okay. It can't be changed and you couldn't be expected to know about my brother. I try not to dwell on it too much and I never have anyone around that asks about it. It's just depressing to talk about, sorry for worrying you over it."

'She's apologizing to me for being upset!?' The priest shouted mentally, he couldn't believe it. The whole thing had been his fault but as kind and humble as always it was Anna that took the blame and resigned herself to suffering in silence.

"You have absolutely no reason to apologize to me Anna."

"Hmm, seems we're once again at a disagreement about things." Anna mused, thinking about how her and Justin had argued over the 'debt' he owed to her for saving his life.

"It does appear that way indeed." Justin responded, knowing exactly what the young Saint was referring to.

"Tell you what, how about we just agree to disagree and leave it at that."

"…Very well, agree to disagree."

"Really? You're gonna drop it that easily?"

"Would you prefer that we argue for twenty minutes again?" Justin asked; his smooth voice filled with the tiniest hint of amusement.

"Shut-up…" Anna snapped back but her tone was far more joking then it was annoyed or angry.

Once again Anna's mood had risen again; her despair gone as though it had never been. In a second she had hoped to her feet and grinned at Justin as he followed her lead. He smiled slightly as well; happy as a lark to see Anna's sorrow gone for the moment. Anna headed for the door telling him that her chores for the day were done and that she could start working on making them both lunch. She only made it to the doorway before the priest spoke up again, the question escaping him before he could prevent himself from asking.

"What about your parents?"

"…What about'em?"

"They couldn't have just let your brother go without a word so easily."

"Your right, they were just was upset as I was, even more so I think. All three of us did everything you could imagine tryin' to find my brother…but in the end they didn't make it long enough to even get the chance to see him again."

Silence pass between the two teens, another questioned burned in Justin's mind as his vocal cords twitched with the need to voice this one final question. He shouldn't though; really he needed to keep his mouth shut after having caused the young Saint as much renewed grief and unturned emotions as he had. But the question left his mouth anyways and it was too late to take it back now.

"Where are your parents Anna? I haven't seen them in all the time I have been here with you." Justin's hushed tone doing nothing to hide the anxiousness he felt at hearing her answer.

"Course not…their dead…"

"Dead?"

Dead… a single tiny word, but a word of grim truth and finality. The priest was not unfamiliar with death. Quite the opposite given that his Lord was the ultimate personification of death and the blonde had killed many heathens in the name of Shinigami-Sama. Still, to hear the girl who always seemed so positive and even fierce sound so broken and hollow made his gut twist into knots. Anna's wavelength again dipped into sadness and anguish, the burning in Justin's chest returned as well though not as all-consuming and painful as before. Anna cut off her wavelength completely a moment later having finally realized she most have been projecting quite a bit of her emotions by accident. A defeated shake of the head and a deep sigh escaped the Saint's throat before she spoke again.

"Yeah, dead…just another depressin' thing about my life. Nothing to be done about it though."

"I…my condolences, I'm truly sorry. I shouldn't have even asked… please forgive me."

"I'm not mad Justin, a bit depressed yeah but not mad. You had no way of knowin' about it; not like I ever came out and said it after all."

"…Why, why keep it a secret?"

"A private matter sort of thing, well…not so private in this hovel of a town. Everyone in Death Grove would know about it, not that they'd care or anything. Ya know, aside from the undertaker you're the only one to every extend your sympathizes. But, they were taken from this world…hmm, must of been over a year ago now. Such things are in the past though, come on…I've had enough mopin' for one day."

Anna disappeared quickly through the doorway and down the hall before Justin could speak again. The priest felt like hitting himself for his ignorance, he should have known something was odd about the fact that he had not once seen Anna's parents. Still, he hadn't expected her to say they were dead; nor that her brother had left home and hadn't been seen in years. His heart ached for her even more; she was an outcast in this town and she no longer had the support of her family to make that pain any more durable. Anger took over a second later (the priest was starting to really grow concerned at the amount of pure rage he was experiencing when it came to the heathens in Dead Grove). He could only imagine that some of her tormentors had taken the death of Anna's parents and departure of her brother to a new level of psychological abuse. Deep down he prayed to Death that no one had used these things to taunt Anna even further but from everything he had seen and what the Saint had told him he knew that his fear had been realized many times over. Of course they would have done such evil and disservice to the young meister, such is the fate of anyone deemed strange by the rest of society.

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Silence had stretched for nearly an hour between the two teens; the priest kicking himself mentally for his insensitive questioning that had torn open old wounds and the Saint merely remaining within her own thoughts. Justin poked at the food on his plate absentmindedly, his stomach not even up for actually eating. He just continued to damn himself for his words as well as begging his Lord and Anna both for forgiveness. The young meister after noticing her guests sullen behavior quickly got annoyed with it and plopped on the other side of the couch before fixing the blonde with a pointed look that said 'tell me what's bugging you or I'll smack you'. Although Justin doubted she would actually hit him he figured it wouldn't be out of the realm of things she would be justified in doing to him.

"Is something amiss?"

"Aside from you behavin' like a whipped dog? No…although I'd really appreciate it if you would stop it with the depressin' vibes. It's my job to have a sad story and be depressed about it, not you." Anna told him simply, cracking a slight smile at the part about her sad life story in a poorly attempted joke.

"I'm sorry to offend Miss Anna but only a monster could not be upset at hearing such a story from one of their associates; especially when they were the one who caused the whole subject to be brought up in the first place."

"That so? Well, luckily for you then…I'm not offended, I'm not 'Miss' anything either, and as far as I can tell we're the only two to in this whole Death forsaken town who can claim with certainty to not be monsters. You can't blame yourself Justin, I chose to keep my private life a secret and I ended up rubbin' the wounds raw again."

"And you can just…accept that, live with your parent's deaths and never feel sorrowful about it?"

"I hardly think that losin' control of my soul wavelength when thinking about the whole thing costs as 'accepting it'. No, I'll always remember their passin' from this world…it hurts like hell to be honest. But I suppose after so long of being beat down and shunned you start to grow cold and mean to the world. You know…since their funerals over a year ago…I have not shed a tear over any pain or suffering. S'probably not a good thing…growing that detached from feelings, even if they are negative and preferably avoided. I'm not mad, I've already told you that Justin… if anything, I should be thanking you."

"T-thanking me?" The Death scythe stammered, floored at the younger teens proclamation.

"Yeah, you helped make sure that I didn't grow totally numb to the world…you have my gratitude for it."

"You're…very welcome."

"Indeed…so now, you can consider that debt you own me paid in full."

Justin stared at the Saint, his bright blue eyes nearly popping out of the sockets and his mouth slack in disbelief. Anna turned her eyes away from the priest but a smug smile pulled viciously at the corners of her mouth. A small grin overtook the blonde's face shortly after and he simply shook his head at the whole thing.

'I can't believe it…an angel with a trickster streak in her.' The death scythe mused in his mind.

He had to admit though; Anna had played that one rather well. She considered the debt paid in full and in this case it seemed he would be unable to argue this time around. But that didn't bother Justin in the slightest; if helping her in this way was truly such a blessing to her then the priest would respect her declaration of his debt being paid.

"I must admit, I didn't think that a Saint like you would be so deceptive. Especially to a priest of Lord Death."

"Please, Saint may be my last name but a Saint I am most certainly not. I can be quite devious when necessary of course. So…are you still gonna argue over that debt of yours?"

"…No."

"Good…come on, enough of this mopping...for real this time."

Anna jumped up from the couch and padded across the room towards the stereo system that had served as her musical life-line for years now. The Saint beckoned the priest to join her as she began fiddling with the numerous CD's in the countless shelves before her.

"What is it Miss Anna?" Justin inquired, joining to meister in sitting next to the stereo.

"Music my friend, music is the best cure for all sorrows. And stop calling me Miss…"

"But of course. Wow…where did you get all of this?" Justin whispered in slight awe, gazing upon the countless CDs on the shelves below the fancy stereo.

"My whole family was really into music, all of this belonged to them. Of course now I'm the only one who actually gets to enjoy listening to it. Music's always the best cure for bein' bummed out… triggers endorphins in the brain and all that. Your sort of lucky ya' know? Few people aside from my family have ever seen this collection."

The priest ran his fingers over the different CD cases before him with a gentle reference; the knowledge that he was one of the few to ever see such a collection and that Anna trusted him enough to show him something so special to her weighing heavily on his mind. There were over fifty different CDs all from countless different artists and performers. Everything from classic Rock-n-Roll to Jazz and Swing to Punk Rock and Grunge made its home on these shelves. The priest had never actually seen so many CDs in one place before, all of his music being on a portable device and all. Anna popped open one of the cases and placed the CD in the stereo, it was one of the unmarked CD's that her brother had burned a ton of song onto. It had been her favorite for a long time because it had all types of music that her family had loved on it so that they didn't have to fight over which CD to listen to. The first song rolled up, 'Anthem of the Angels' by Breaking Benjamin.

"Awesome song…" Anna muttered with a grin as the haunting guitar rift kicked in.

"Agreed…" Was Justin's only reply.

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Mid-afternoon elapsed into late evening, the dry and hot mountain air slowly cooling as the sun began to dip down below the high tree lines of Death Grove. The sun yawned as sleep grew closer and closer, the laughing moon would soon be rising over the trees to take the sun's place…if only for a time. Above the darkened trees the sky was awash in reds, pinks, and oranges. The large house deep in the woods stood silent and still in the dying light, unless one drew close enough to hear the surprisingly loud music that seeped effortlessly through the walls and windows. The two teen's one a Saint and the other a Priest sat on the floor in front of the massive stereo that had been their entertainment for going on three hours. The priest rested with his back against the wall, his side injury still aching if he tried to sit up straight for too long. The Saint sat cross-legged only a few feet away her brothers Gibson bass that had long ago become hers balanced in her lap as she strummed away at the strings. She had only grabbed the bass about a half hour ago but the Death Scythe silently wished that she had decided to play the instrument earlier.

Her long thin fingers pressed the strings precisely as she gently strummed then with a pick. The notes flowed from the strings sweetly as she matched the notes of the song perfectly; Californication by Red Hot Chili Peppers a favorite of the Saint's deceased father with a slower more even bass line. Justin had been amazed at the skills Anna demonstrated with the bass guitar especially since she had taught herself everything she knew. 'Not everything' she had corrected him; 'my brother taught me all the fundamentals… although he'd hardly ever let me touch his baby'. The half-meister knew all the notes of the bass by heart but had always had the innate talent to play by ear as she was doing now. She had inquired if Justin played an instrument but his only response was that he merely listened to music but didn't make it. She had chuckled at that and he had smiled back in return. As if the priest's almost hypnotic enjoyment of Anna's voice wasn't disconcerting enough he had instantly grown enamored with her instrumentally skills as well.

It had shocked Justin when he glanced at the clock on the opposite wall that over three hours had passed since he and Anna had begun enjoying all the music either of them could even want to listen to. He had asked about the music instantly and she had answered all of his questions with the same enjoyment of music he too possessed. Anna's father had been a die-hard classic rock fan, while her mother had been a lover of classical symphony performances and opera productions. Anna and her brother of course preferred the darker alternative and post-grudge styles.

As the notes and lyrics buzzed through the air the priest found his mind wandering to Anna for what had to be the thousandth time by now. Before meeting her Justin would have never concerned himself this much with the fate of one person. But he would be damned by his Lord himself if he let such a matter slip by without taking action. The Saint didn't deserve to be stuck in a place like Death Grove, full of heathens who unjustly loathed her and by-standers that did nothing to stop them. Mere hours ago he may have let it go, but that was before he learned of the fate that had befallen Anna's family. Her brother was gone, her parents and grandparents dead; left all alone in the cruel world the Saint was. And yet, this new information brought with it a strange bit of hope. If she had no one left then she would have little reason to stay in a town that hated her. Perhaps she would agree to return with him to Death City and join the DWMA, becoming a true meister. The Death Scythe felt a moment of wretchedness at thinking about the situation in such a way but it passed almost instantly when he thought about all the people that he had seen treat Anna just as wretchedly if not more so. The idea of her accepting an offer to join the side of Lord Death brought Justin a great sense of joy although he couldn't fathom why.

'I've grown rather attached to her and in such a short amount of time… but…why?' The Death Scythe mused to himself as the strum of the bass dipped even lower down. He wasn't the sort of person to become attached to anyone at all; he was a loner by nature. But then of course so was Anna. A mutual need for some form of true human contact perhaps? That seemed to make the most sense.

Justin shook himself from his thoughts; he was getting ahead by far too many steps at this point. He wasn't even sure if she would agree to travel from the place she had called home her whole life to a place like Death City. He hadn't even asked her about it really; although he had said many times she would make an excellent meister. His mind began working frantically…Should he really ask her to join him on his return to Death City? What would she think? Would she actually agree? He would have to ask Lord Death first though; the priest hadn't even contacted the Death God yet! His Lord would say yes though, the Death Scythe would almost be willing to bet his faith on that fact…almost willing mind you. He would tell his Lord how Anna had saved his life; the Death God would take an instant liking to the young Saint for sure.

The song changed over at that moment, the new tune far lower in octave, more electric sounding. Anna strummed along with the slow, deep bass beat knowing the song by its bass line alone: Angel by Massive Attack. Justin watched the Saint silently for a moment; she sat crossed-legged with the bass resting against her knees. Her face was turned downwards to look at the strings she was plucking gently, her dark brown hair falling around her face in waves blocking her eyes from his sight. It was amazing to the priest how at peace Anna could seem when she had dealt with so many hardships in her life.

"Would you consider returning to Death City with me, and becoming a member of the Academy there?" The priest asked suddenly.

Her fingers froze above the bass strings for a few seconds out of pure shock but Anna didn't look up when she voiced her response. "Still on 'bout that are you Justin?"

"Absolutely, it's practically a crime for someone as talented as you to not be seeking proper training."

"Like I said, I'm not in a position to just haul ass over half-way across the continent…no matter how much I might want to."

"Maybe, but you and I both know that there is nothing positive left for you in Death Grove. If you can escape such torture why not take the chance?"

"Do not suffer fools gladly*, is that it?"

"Good to know that even when you have been forbidden from the church you still continue to read from the Holy Book."

"But of course, got to do something other than play the bass to calm myself down so that I don't murder half the town."

"You should still consider it, I'm sure Lord Death would be overjoyed to have another faithful follower on the side of the DWMA."

"Probably…maybe I will think it over."

Anna missed the smile that had taken over the other teens face as her eyes were still turned towards the bass in her lap. The Death Scythe was determined not to let the matter go until he got a definite answer but for the moment he would leave it alone. As the lyrics floated through the air the young Saint began echoing the slow, haunting melody. In an instant Justin was lost in her voice, a feeling he was growing quite familiar with; like floated in the waters of a dead calm sea. The priest closed his eyes as the Saint strummed her bass with the music, allowing himself to indulge in the sirens voice once more.

"You are my Angel…"

Why, why did her voice haunt his mind so? More than any song alone had ever managed to do? He could not tell…wait...

"Come from way above…"

He could see then now, with his eyes closed and his mind open. The souls, his own and that of Anna. He had seen them before, when her sorrow had brought about intense pain for him. What? Her sorrow, his pain…her voice, his elation…her contentment, his peace.

"To bring me love…"

Their souls were in-sync, gently humming together to the same tune that only they seemed to recognize. Their souls were somehow connected, he was bound to Anna in a way he had never felt with anyone ever before and she too seemed to be bound with him. What had caused such a thing to occur? The Death Scythe had no answer, perhaps it was how alike they were to one another. Their souls may have seen the similarities in each other and reached out in connection. Or maybe the connection was all on his end, his gratitude to the Saint for saving him.

"Her eyes…She's on the dark side…"

Justin let the questions stop flowing through his scattered mind, all the what-if's doing nothing other than make his head ache. The questions dulled out the sound of Anna's voice, something that he wanted to be loud and clear and never blurred out. Once he returned to Death City he would ask someone about this feeling of connection he had to the young Saint. His fellow Death Scythe Marie Mjolnir was connected to many more people than himself and was very good with feelings and emotions; she might know the meaning behind the connection he had made. If necessary the priest could even ask Lord Death for answers to his mounting questions.

"Neutralize… every man in sight…"

Yes, that's exactly what he would do. And speaking of his Lord Justin really needed to get in contact with the Shinigami and let him know what had happened to himself and the mission in Death Grove. Soon, he would ring up the Death God very soon; but for now the Saint's voice was far too appealing to miss out on. Devotion to his Lord came first and yet the Death Scythe couldn't bear to move at all; he needed to wait till later to contact Lord Death anyway. After all…Justin didn't want to alarm the Saint by speaking to the Shinigami through one of the mirrors in her house. He would get around to it once Anna had retired for the night.

Justin didn't notice when Anna stopped singing along with the song, too relaxed to even register it. His brow furrowed when the strumming of the bass stopped as well, opening his eyes the teen turned to look at the Saint and ask why she had gone silent. The expression on her face made the words die in his throat. She was turned to the window above her head, her green eyes wide and her lips locked in a thin line. Her face reflected worry, confusion, and…fear? That was an emotion Justin had never seen Anna express before, he sat up straight when she reached up and clicked the stereo off. The silence was overbearing, one of the reason the Death Scythe almost never went without his own headphones (although he had been wearing them considerably less over the past week in Death Grove). The silence was brief however as a new sound filled the air. A low rumble almost like a roar, but broken up and sputtered out. A running motor, one that was loud and strained as if it were difficult for it to just run much less move up the steep gravel driveway towards Anna's home. It sounded eerily familiar though, although Justin couldn't place where he had heard it at the moment. Anna bolted to her feet in a flash, the bass guitar on her lap discarded on the floor and she yanked on the cord to pull the dark grey blinds up from the window. Justin joined her in peering out the window searching the darkening woods for the source of disturbance.

"What in the world is that and where is it coming from?" Justin muttered under his breath.

"Don't know, but its getin' louder…which means it's coming closer." Anna answered back just as softly.

The answer came into view a moment later, two bright lights shone from within the mass of trees inclosing the Saint's home, like two bright beaming eyes. Headlights, the headlights of a vehicle driving slowly up the driveway. The slowness of it was ominous for some reason, as though the driver was trying to be as quiet as possible but failing miserably. The vehicle turned around a curve in the driveway causing the headlights to shine through the window, blinding the two teens standing there for a second. When the light passed and their vision was unobscured Anna and Justin were finally able to get a better look at the vehicle.

"Were you by any chance expecting a visit from someone?" Justin asked the Saint although he highly doubted that was the case.

"Ha, no one in town comes to this house. Unless of course their planning to terrorize me for the duration of the night." Was Anna's bitter response.

Anna's heart sank as she got a better look at the unexpected vehicle; a white pick-up truck jacked up high on its axels and caked in dark mountain mud. The Gresham brother's truck to be exact, this wasn't good at all. The headlights cut out and the sound of doors opening and closing reached the Saint's ears. Darkness was coming to the mountain side town very quickly but the sinking sun still gave just enough light to give Anna a good view of the ones trespassing on her family's property. Of course the three Gresham boys were there but there was a fourth person with them, walking ahead of them towards her home. Clearly this person was the one in charge and whoever it was Anna was certain that they were female. Their vehicle had been parked quite a bit of distance from the home itself (to try and avoid detection no less) and the four would have to walk up past the properties wood shed and across the front porch to get to the front door.

"Damn it!" Anna cursed, releasing the blind cord and letting the vinyl smack against the window seal.

"Where are you going?" Justin called towards Anna's retreating back as she stormed in the direction of the door on the right side of the house.

"It's the Gresham boys; you remember them I'm sure. I don't want them here so I gonna force them and their ring leader to piss off. That's where I'm going."

"Then I'm coming with…"

"No you're not!"

The volume and tone of her voice nearly made Justin jump. He'd never hear her yell before, at least not in actual anger…in annoyance and frustration maybe but never rage. For some reason he really hoped that her anger wasn't directed at him although he figured it was more towards the people trampling around in her yard. When the Saint stopped her wrathful stomping and turned to look at him Justin knew she hadn't meant it at all.

"I'm sorry, but I can't let you get involved this time." Anna told him, her voice soft and even once again.

"Why not? Are you always going to refuse my assistance?"

"Hmm, maybe not always but this time I have to. They're my problem Justin, not yours. I know you want to help but I plan for you to leave Death Grove without having to deal with any of the idiotic mess that this place is soaked in. Besides, this wouldn't be the first time someone has come here with the intent to cause trouble. Just chill out for a while, they'll turn tail and run once I confront them. All of them do, too spineless to ever act on their insults. Just stay put, would you kindly? I'll be back in just a minute."

"But…"

Anna stopped the priest's objection without a single word; a slanted glare and a point of the index finger making him go silent all together.

"Stay…put… is that clear?"

"…Very well, as you wish."

"Good…"

Justin didn't miss the triumphant smirk Anna shot him before she turn and exited the living room. He heard the side door slam shut signaling that the Saint was gone. His mind continued to protest, demanding that he go with her and protect her. Of course he knew that she almost certainly didn't need his help, she was far more capably then she looked sometimes. But this knowledge didn't make it any easier to let her go out there alone.

'You didn't promise to stay here you know? You don't have to listen to her, there's no telling what damage those heathens could be planning. She may end up needed your assistance after all.' Part of his mind said.

'No, she asked you to leave it alone. She has trusted you with so much, more than she has with anyone else. You can't forsake that trust.' The other side argued back.

The Death Scythe's internal struggling only grew worse as he peeked through the blind once more. The three figures he knew as the Gresham brothers slunk through the yard along with a fourth person Justin could not recognize. He saw Anna out of the corner of his eye, sneaking through the back door to the properties wood shed. The seconds ticked by slowly, painfully slow…the silence was once again deafening. Justin could feel his chest burning once again, and he wished more than anything he could tell whether it was his heart or the soul in his chest. Perhaps it was a bit of both, he didn't want Anna to be out there alone, his soul itself seemed to be demanding that he go protect her. He watched the Saint emerge from the front door of the shed, right in front of the trespassers causing them to jump. Justin could feel Anna's soul wavelength even from where he stood, anger, annoyance, and fear were dominating her being as she stood before her tormentors. He couldn't stand it, Death curse him if he were to let something bad happen to her. The priest left his position by the window and headed out the door after the Saint.

Chapter End

ARRGGH! F**k me… it's been way too long. I'm-a sorry about that. Life 'n stuff…yeah.

I'm trying to get back into writing more but 24 hours just isn't enough time in the day for everything I want to do. I'm really sorry to all the readers out there for having to put up with my slowness. Don't fret though, I have been writing, just not as much as I'd like to. I plan to get a chapter out for my other Soul Eater story soon so if you're a fan of that story get ready for that. If you haven't read my other story, well…what the heck are you doing? Go read it right now! :) Also, the next chapter for this story will be out a lot quicker than this one. I was debating if I should include what is going to be in the next chapter as a part of this chapter but I decided against it in order to get this chapter out sooner. So yeah, the next chapter will be out sooner though but it may be shorter because it will be split up from this chapter.

Nothin' much going on in this chapter actually, just a lot of talk and more about Anna's past; the action will start in the next chapter so don't worry. I still liked how it turned out though, sorry though 'cause I think I suck at romance in general. I'm sort of going with the idea that Justin and Anna's souls have a deep connection, kind of like a soul mate sort of link…if that makes any sense. So their souls know the two are meant to be together but they haven't figured it out yet and are totally oblivious to it, hence the chapter title.

*- "Do not suffer fools gladly". Just a little something I thought was appropriate for what was being talked about, interestingly enough it's actually part of a bible verse. It basically just means don't put up with stupid people if you don't have to (the motto of my life right there!). Speaking of the bible how do the guys think that works in Soul Eater exactly? I mean, is there like a Lord Death bible or something? Clearly Lord Death is seen as a god in some form of religious nature so why not have a bible and churches dedicated to him? IDK, just a thought I was having…not really something explained in the Manga.

On an unrelated note I'm been playing a lot of Bioshock lately so I may have stuck a Bioshock line into the dialogue somewhere. Shout outs and cookies to anyone who catches it. ;) If you don't know about Bioshock then all I can say is what rock have you been living under?

Anyhow, enough of me talking…I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter and thanks for sticking with me and my horrid time management skills. Please review and let me know what you think, tell me what I could improve or change. Love you all!

PEACE OUT!

Virgo-24