So a new chapter, its got a bit of action, some fun and even a hint of romance. I hope everyone enjoys, and as always, reviews are love.
After the failed attack, Ryuu got attacked three more times over the course of several weeks, the last involving Crona. All three attempts ended with the attackers in the hospital. By the final time Ryuu dragged his attacker to the courtyard of the school, hung him on one of the DWMA's giant spikes, with a note that said what would happen to anyone who bothered Ryuu or his partner again. That last attack had almost gotten the reformed weapon expelled.
Ryuu was walking through the halls when he heard a painful gasp, followed by a hard thud. The weapon jogged towards a large crowd to see a three star meister hitting Crona. Ragnarok was screaming at Crona to fight back, but the three star meister was unarmed, so Crona refused to fight back with his weapon. Something inside Ryuu broke at the sight of his meister in pain. "Yo!" roared the weapon as he smashed his way into the crowd. One student was literally thrown out of the berserk weapon's way. His arm blades appeared as he pointed one at the attacker. "Touch my meister again and I'll eat your soul!" Ryuu's bright red hair stood up on end, and his black eye had changed to sapphire again. The weapon felt his madness rising to the surface, but he couldn't care, he had a job to do.
The three star meister, a master of using his spirit wavelength as an attack grinned as he stood up. "Is that so one star? You fucked up my friend; I'll make you pay for that."
Ryuu grinned; his fangs glinted in the half light. "You can try." With a wild roar Ryuu charged forward.
When the boy was removed from the spike, both his arms were broken, his ribs smashed and over a dozen cuts and stab wounds covered his body. None were lethal, all were extremely painful.
Since then most students openly avoided them, and even more whispered whenever they approached. For his part, Ryuu barely noticed, but Crona began to shrink further and further into himself. At least in school, in private the meister was starting to open up slightly. His smile was becoming more common and he even tried to hang out with others of his own volition. Still he hated being the center of attention and whispering students can be so cruel. But, luckily for Crona, the best meisters in the school all happened to be his friends, and surrounded Crona whenever he was out of class.
Today though, those thoughts were forgotten. Crona and Ryuu had been summoned to the Death Room by Lord Death. "I-I-I'm s-s-scared," whispered Crona as they walked through the halls.
Ryuu glared at some snickering girls but spared his partner a smile. "Don't worry Crona, we got this. We've been training, you're getting better, and worst comes to worst, we got Ragnarok."
"He's got me! Not you crazy eyes, we don't even need you!" cried the weapon as he sprang from Crona's back.
Ryuu sighed as he bonked the weapon. "Be nice chibi demon, I don't feel like fighting."
Ragnarok glared as he rested on Crona's head. "Where we going anyway, is it to get food cause I'm starving."
"We're going to see Lord Death, we got a mission. Which means you get to eat a tasty kishin egg," replied Ryuu.
Ragnarok cocked his head to the side. "A kishin egg? To become a Death Scythe? But I want"
Ryuu grabbed the demon. "You want to be a Death Scythe, you get more powerful, and hell you might even get your own body."
Ragnarok paused as he thought about that. "Hmm, maybe. Get me food Crona!" he cried as he hit Crona in the head.
Crona nodded. "Ok, ok, just stop hitting me!"
Ryuu grabbed Ragnarok's hand and pulled him off balance. Ragnarok thrashed as he tried to get away, Ryuu didn't so much blink and Crona blushed as people stared. "Let me go, let me go!" shouted the demon weapon.
Ryuu just sighed as he stopped at a snack machine. He snagged a bag of chips and handed them to the demon. "Now shut up and eat." Ragnarok grumbled but ate all the same.
Crona's hand had latched onto his other arm as he walked; his eyes roved the halls, his face nervous as people pointed. Ryuu fell into step with him. "Crona, people will always stare, it's what they do. A person is smart, people are stupid, so walk tall, let them judge, in the end it's their loss if they turn away from us." Crona nodded slightly as he tried to lift his head up, but a giggle from some girls sent his head back down. Ryuu sighed. He swung around Crona and slowly pried his fingers off his arm. "You'll bruise yourself if you grip too tightly."
Crona looked away. "It's fine, Ragnarok usually takes care of stuff like that."
"Yea crazy eyes! Crona can do whatever he wants…cept when I tell him to do things, then he needs to listen, right Crona!" to make sure his statement was true, the demon pulled on Crona's hair.
"Ragnarok stop, I can't deal with losing my hair!" he cried.
Ryuu bonked Ragnarok again. "Stop doing that!" he hissed. Ragnarok stuck his tongue out at Ryuu and faded into Crona's back. Ryuu laughed slightly. "Come on, let's get our mission."
The pair eventually made their way into the Death Room where Kid and his father were already talking. "Ah, perfect timing you two!" said Lord Death as Crona and Ryuu walked in. "You're just in time for the mission briefing. You'll be going with Kiddo here, he'll be providing some back up, just so everything works out ok. We've been receiving disturbing reports of killings in the north of the US along the southern Canadian border; something has been going around and brutally murdering then eating people." Lord Death passed out a folder with crime scene pictures in them. "Definitely the work of a prekishin, and as such it is the DWMA's job to hunt down the monster and kill it. So Ryuu, Crona, this is your mission, so do remember you're representing the academy! You are to leave at once, good luck, and try not to get killed! Oh and have fun! You two never seem to get out the city, this will be the perfect opportunity for you!"
Ryuu took the folder, bowed and left, dragging Crona with him. Kid fell into step with them as they walked out. "We have transport prepared; it'll be leaving in two hours. You might want to pack a duffle of clothing. Also, from what we gathered this kishin has a taste of the souls of teenagers, be careful."
"Y-y-you're n-n-not c-c-coming Kid?" asked Crona.
"I am," replied the reaper. "But I've been ordered to only intervene if you're in serious trouble. You're on your own basically. Afterwards, I'll take you guys out to celebrate." Ryuu smirked as he read over the mission details, Crona sent Kid a blushing smile which the reaper hesitantly returned. Kid eventually broke away from the pair when they returned to their rooms.
Ryuu turned to his meister with a smirk. "Remember those special clothes we bought? Time to get them, I'll meet you in 20 minutes ok? If you start having trouble dealing with anything, give me a shout alright?" Crona nodded slightly, looking nervous, but Ryuu flashed him a smile that the meister returned, somewhat.
Ryuu walked into his room and peeled off his long coat. Since he started training more, he had taken to wearing simple long sleeved tees and black jeans, as opposed to his button downs and slacks. Now though, he was determined to make a good impression. He grabbed a crisp silk crimson shirt, followed by a satin onyx vest. A pair of black slacks and combat boots completed the look. He went under his bed and pulled out a large trunk. The weapon took a deep breath and opened it, inside were the remnants of his old life. On top was what he wanted, a thick leather scabbard and sword belt. Ryuu picked up the leather, hands almost caressing the worn stitching and faded exterior. He stood up and shut the trunk. Sheathe in hand, Ryuu went to pick up Crona.
Surprisingly Crona didn't need help with his mission clothes. He looked nervous, but ready. The clothes were simple, cargo shorts, long enough to make Crona feel somewhat comfortable, but still short enough to allow better movement. A tight fitted long t-shirt, combat boots and an over coat similar to Ryuu's and Maka's completed the look. The only real difference was Crona's had artwork. It had Demon Swordsman written in brilliant purple, with a picture of Ragnarok's weapon form underneath it. Ryuu spent three days working on that coat, he stitched letters and a patch made by Tsubaki onto the back. Ryuu walked around the meister, a smirk on his face. "You look good Crona, how do you feel?"
"N-n-n-nervous, wh-what if I m-m-mess up?" replied the meister.
Ryuu fixed the coat as he smiled at his meister. "You'll be fine, we got this. Don't worry. Oh, here," Ryuu handed Crona the sheath.
Crona stared at the belt and scabbard, confusion on his face. "What is it?"
Ryuu laughed. "It's a sword belt, and my sheath. Figured when we start chasing this guy down it might be easier to stay in weapon form, this way you don't have to carry me, but I'll still be close by." He took the belt and slipped it over Crona's shoulder. Crona frowned slightly at the weight, but it didn't feel too bad. "You'll get used to it, I promise."
Together the two walked to the entrance of the DWMA where Maka and Soul were waiting. "Crona! Wow you look fantastic, Ryuu where did you learn to sew?" asked Maka as she looked at the lettering.
Ryuu shrugged a small blush. "Around. The clothes do fit him though, don't they?" Maka nodded. With the exception of the one dress Ryuu altered, Crona had started to wear more male clothing, though he still felt most comfortable in a long robe/dress. Still it was progress.
Maka settled her hands on Crona's shoulders. "Alright, you're going on your first mission, just stay calm, trust yourself and you'll be fine."
"Maka, Crona kicked our asses enough times, he'll be fine. Just avoid the madness bro," said Soul as he thumped Crona's back. Crona nodded as he hugged Maka. Soul high fived Ryuu and pulled him close. "Look after Crona, cause if you don't, forget Stein coming after you, he'll have to deal with the remains after me and Maka get done with you," whispered Soul.
Ryuu nodded. "Will do, I'll take care of him." Soul flashed his trade mark crooked grin as the two backed away. "Maka its time." Maka nodded as she straightened Crona's coat and smiled.
"Good luck!" she said. Crona smiled slightly and Ryuu smirked as he stuck his hands in his pocket. The pair walked off, off to adventure and mystery. Unbeknownst to the pair, another set of eyes watched as they left.
Suzaku stared down at the two from the roof of a building, a twisted grin on her face. The weapon stood up. She wore a simple tunic of red, with white cotton pants, but his boots were menacing. Built to resemble the talons of a bird of prey, the boots would slice anything that got underneath the weapon. Like Ryuu she had bright red hair, though her had highlights of yellow mixed in, and her eyes were gold. "Well Seiryū, let's see how well you and your new partner do. We'll be watching, oh, oh yes we will." Behind the winged weapon two others laughed. "Byakko, make sure their trip is…eventful." A pale haired vixen stepped forward. Clad in a simple striped robe, the woman grinned, pointed fangs glinting in the bright sun light.
"It'll be nice to see an old…flame as it were," giggled the girl. She jumped off the building and trailed the pair, determined to make their little adventure, much more interesting.
Ryuu stopped in mid step, his head cocked to the side. Crona looked back. "A-a-a-are you ok Ryuu?"
Ryuu nodded slightly as he scanned the buildings. He felt…something, but the weapon couldn't put his finger on it. He turned back to Crona with a smile. "Sorry 'bout that, I'm fine, thought I felt something, must have been my imagination."
Ragnarok appeared out of Crona's back. "And you're worried about our madness, you're the crazy one!"
Ryuu looked over his shoulder again. "Quite possibly, quite possibly." Unconsciously an arm blade shot out, but Ryuu retracted it when Crona noticed it. "Sorry, just thinking." Crona nodded slightly.
Then Kid met the pair, his traveling cloak and mask in place. Liz and Patty were both there too, patty tackled poor Crona in a fierce hug while Liz tried to rein her younger sister in. "Are you ready?" asked Kid.
Ryuu nodded. "Yea, as ready as we'll be. Patty, let my partner up please." The weapon pulled out a tiny plushy giraffe key chain as incentive. Patty sprang up and took the key chain, laughing as she played with it. Ryuu hauled Crona to his feet and dusted him off.
"T-t-t-thanks," said the meister, he flashed his weapon a smile. Ryuu noted Kid turned away slightly and his hand clenched.
Ryuu suppressed his smirk as he answered. "No prob, Liz darlin' shall we?" Ryuu held out his hand to the older girl who laughed as she took it. The two climbed into the car, followed by Patty and finally Kid and Crona.
