Flander set Sakutaro down on his back on her desk. She had an assortment of needles and buttons lined symmetrically at either end of the table. Sakutaro seemed tense, as if he was in for it. Flander smiled at him as she circled the desk.
"Don't worry, Sakutaro," she murmured. "You'll look so much cuter when I'm through with you."
Modified Soul; Sakutaro the Tortured Death Scythe?
"We're going to school today," Kid told Flander after breakfast, who had happily occupied herself in front of the TV watching anime. "We won't be home until about four, but I'll take you to the park after that, okay?"
Flander smiled and nodded. Kid didn't want to leave her inside all day, but seeing as Flander had little experience in the real world, he didn't see many other options. On the bright side, Flander had a lot more to do than she had before, so she didn't really mind that much.
Kid paused before he walked out the door. "What happened to Sakutaro's arm?"
The said character had a splash of red stitched into his left arm. Flander inspected the stitches and shrugged it off.
"We were playing," she replied. She was too interested in the anime playing to answer in detail. Kid shrugged as well. Maybe she had to stitch him up for some reason; it was an old stuffed animal.
"Alright, then, we'll be home later."
"Bye," Flander said.
She hugged Sakutaro impossibly closer as the commercials ended and the show came back on. It was a scene of two little girls running through a field of cattails. The scene changed to a much less carefree environment as someone handed the cute girl a doll. The other girl looked really disappointed even though she wasn't the type who liked dolls. Flander laughed a slightly creepy laugh that she had learned from the same anime.
"Hey, Kid," Maka greeted as her friends sat down at the desk in front of her. "How's Flander today?"
"Well, well, Maka," Kid sneered, faking disdain. "If I'd have known how much attention I would get from you, I would have gotten a sister a long time ago."
Maka laughed with him. "Sorry, but she's too cute to stop thinking about."
"I know," Kid agreed. "And, anyway, she was watching some anime when we left. Something-or other-cicadas-cry."
"When the Cicadas Cry?" Maka was suddenly wary.
"Yes, that's it," Kid nodded. "She seemed pretty happy about it."
"Are you sure she should be watching that?" Soul questioned, leaning over the desk with a serious look on his face.
"I don't know anything about it, why?" Kid admitted.
"There's just a lot of torture scenes and such," Maka tried not to shudder.
"But it could be the Kira season," Tsubaki tried to comfort Maka.
"That wouldn't be so bad," Maka agreed. She turned back to Kid. "Do you know what episode she was watching?"
"She couldn't pronounce it," Kid thought about it for a moment. "But I distinctly remember something about a doll."
"That's it," Maka put her head down on the table as if she was depressed. "She's going to go crazy."
"What's the worst that happens?" Kid asked.
"Besides killing all her friends in the most gruesome ways possible when you have an array of medieval Japanese torture weapons, she does it all while cosplaying her twin sister," Soul replied. By this time, Crona had his head on the table as well. "What was on next?"
"Coraline or something," Kid replied hesitantly. Soul put his head down on the desk.
"What kind of TV station do you let her watch?!"
"I guess I should put some kind of parental control on the networks tonight," Kid thought out loud.
"All taken care of," Liz said smoothly, filing her nails. "In America, all those scenes in Higurashi are censored. Besides, isn't Coraline naturally amined at kids her age anyway?"
Kid laughed nervously. 'Man I hope she doesn't try to kill me when we get home.'
"Professor Stein?" Maka asked after class when everyone else left. Stein paused and looked at Maka and Soul, who were standing in front of his desk.
"What's wrong?" Stein asked, lowering the book he was reading.
"Since we're training with her and all, I want to know something about Flander."
"Go ahead."
"How did Sakutaro turn into a scythe? Kid said something about tearing off a piece of her soul and enhancing it in him. Is that true?"
"Well, Maka," Stein said, turning the screw in his head. "In truth, it wasn't her soul at all. A few years ago, a former Death Scythe found her. He tried to rescue her, but she didn't understand. She wanted a friend who would never leave her, and the only way she saw that possible was if she bent his soul to kneel toward her every command. After a short amount of torture, Flander put his 'modified' soul inside her stuffed animal."
"Not cool," Soul whispered.
"Is the soul… is he still…?" Maka couldn't put it into words.
"The person is still somewhat alive in the lion, but given up after great lengths of abuse from Flander."
"Abuse?" What could sweet, innocent Flander do to harm anyone?
"Have you seen the stitches and markings on the stuffed animal?" Stein asked coldly.
Maka felt sick. The stuffed lion was a real person. And Flander tortured it every day. She remembered what Flander would tell her; Flander would cut him just a little, then stitch him back up as a reminder. Reminder of what? That she was in charge and Sakutaro couldn't escape this hell?! Maka's knees folded underneath her and she willingly crawled to her hands and knees.
"How could she do this?"
Soul Eater
"You wanted to see me for something?" Kid asked as he walked into the Death Room. Liz and Patti had already left school, so Kid was alone.
"It's about Flander," Lord Death replied seriously. Kid was surprised at his father's tone. The Grim Reaper was usually so cheerful, but today he looked depressed and almost angry.
"Is something wrong? Has something happened?" Kid thought. He was unable to speak, so he just patiently waited in silence for Lord Death to continue.
"Do you remember Flander's stuffed animal transforming into a scythe last Saturday?"
"Yes, I've been meaning to talk to you about that, actually," Kid replied. "Have you figured out anything new regarding how she does it?"
"A few years ago, a former Death Scythe by the name of Sebastian found where Flander was being hidden at Scarlet Death Mansion. He wanted to help her, but Flander didn't want him to leave, even if it was only to get help. She tortured him to death and put his 'modified' soul inside her stuffed lion, Sakutaro. He's the weapon she used to kill her mother."
Kid stopped breathing. Flander would actually….
"Modified?" Kid forced himself to speak. "What does that mean?"
"She's reformed his soul," Lord Death said quietly. "He doesn't have the zeal to fight her anymore, you see? He's totally given up."
Kid was shaking. He needed to go home.
"What should we do?" Kid whispered.
"We haven't thought of anything yet."
"Why are you so carefree about this?" Kid thought silently, a dark aura beginning to surround him. "She's killing someone, isn't she like… a Kishin or something?!"
"I need to go," Kid said, composing himself and turning his back.
"Kid wait," Lord Death cautioned. Kid didn't listen; he was walking briskly out the door and down the hallways. He was going home. He was going to do something about Sakutaro.
Flander put the needle through the soft fabric near Sakutaro's eyes, fastening the little black button in place over his eyes. Flander lifted the lion in the air. Left… right…. She smiled at the symmetry, unaware of her growing passion, and finished sewing the last button on. She was so happy.
When she heard the front door open, she clipped the last string and sprinted down the stairs with Sakutaro in hand. She slipped around the corner a few feet in front of Kid and paused.
"Nii-nii," she greeted. She smiled and held the lion up. "Look, isn't Saku-chan cute?"
Kid felt sick again, despite the fifteen minute walk from the school to Gallows Mansion he had to calm his nerves. Without thinking, he dropped his schoolbag and lunged at her, knocking Sakutaro out of her hands. He pinned her to the ground, gripping her shoulders so hard that it caused pain.
"Nii—you're—!"
"Shut up!" he yelled. "Why are you doing this? No more, stop it!" He started shaking her roughly. "Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!"
Flander stared at him, the corners of her mouth turning down in a wide frown of horror. Why was Kid crying? Why was he so upset?
"Kid, please stop!" she whimpered. "That hurts. I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" she wailed. Kid stopped shaking her. No, calm down, don't hurt her.
"Kid, what are you doing?!" Liz demanded as she and Patti walked through the front door. Liz tore the two apart and Patti pulled the still-crying Flander away for good measure.
"Kid, what did you do to her?" Patti asked.
"Kid, what's going on?" Liz spoke slowly. "Kid, answer me. Kid, are you okay?"
He didn't answer; he stared straight ahead, trembling. Liz wrapped an arm around her and turned her head.
"Patti, get Flander upstairs," she commanded. Patti nodded and guided Flander to her room.
"Come on, Flan," Patti tried speaking softly. "Let's go. Please don't cry."
Flander sat down on her bed, sniffling and wiping her eyes.
"It's okay, Flander," Patti said, rubbing her back. "Kid's just a little upset, that's all. He didn't mean it; it's going to be all right."
"Flander," Kid whispered as he opened the door halfway. "Are you okay?" He crossed the room and knelt on the mattress next to her. "Hey, I'm really sorry, Flan. Please stop crying."
"Nii-nii," she whispered. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I'm so sorry."
"Shh," Kid hushed, pulling her close. Flander gasped. He was hugging her… after he tried to hurt her? "Stop apologizing, you didn't do anything."
After what seemed like hours of Flander crying, Kid was able to calm her down enough. She fell asleep in Kid's arms. Kid sighed; at least Flander could relax. He would try to talk to her tomorrow.
Hence the psychopath learns the element of forgiveness.
HEYY LUCKIES! This was the first psychotic chapter that I'm publishing. How will the others react when they see what Flander does to Sakutaro? Will Flander ever give up her insane ways, or will they have to destroy her? Or maybe… what do you think Saku-chan feels?