AN: Sorry about the wait, my computer completely broke down. I tried to reboot it, but I lost all of my memory. So here you go. I should be able to get the next chapter up by next Thursday like I promised. It's just frustrating to have to retype eight pages. Now, on to the review response.

Chabeli05: Well Medusa couldn't resist a challenge. Sorry about the delay. Thank you for reading and reviewing.

Requiemist of the Dead: Ohoho! A fan of madness are we? Well, I'm glad you're enjoying their naïveté. Thank you for reading and reviewing.

Moonlightpheonix-xX: I know I'm evil for leaving a cliffhanger this long. Well hopefully you're satisfied with this chapter. Thank you for reading and reviewing.

B01: I'm glad you think so, I really do think that Soul Eater could benefit from a little more character development in all characters, and romance, oh well. After the recent chapter of the manga, I have my fingers crossed. Thank you for reading and reviewing.

Deidara4ever: I'm glad you like it. Thank you for reading and reviewing.

B01's reply reminded me that this story has spoilers for the manga from about book eight on, just a warning. I only have two OCs in the whole story, one of which is technically Eibon, just so you know that most characters are canon. Now on to the story.

Kid thought about what happened earlier that morning, the cold wind lost to his thoughts. 'Shini-kun, I found more information about Grimoire!' She had cheered. 'The Sekaigami had been using the brew and the book of Eibon to build something through sorcery. Shinigami-sama through it was dangerous and destroyed the temple.' He had wanted to know where the information had come from, but she wouldn't tell him. 'I'll tell you when you get back.' She had whispered. There were so many questions he wanted to ask her, but he had to go.

"Kid, we've got company!" Black Star shouted from his perch. Arachnae's soldiers marched toward them from the East. The bitter wind nipped at their faces as they scrambled for a plan. "We have to fight!" Black Star insisted.

"But what about Marie and Stein? They've already been in the field for seventeen minutes, they're almost out of time!" This was what his father had tangled them into, a battle for the brew left behind so many years ago.

"Then ya' go after 'em." Kilik suggested.

"Don't worry about us," Ox added, "We'll hold the soldiers off." Kid looked to the others.

"I agree. We should see if they need help." He said.

"So it's settled," Maka concluded, "Kid, Black Star, and I will go check on Marie and Stein. Ox; you, Kilik, and Kim hold off Arachnae's troops. If we're not back in fifteen minutes, shoot the signal."

"But that won't happen." Black Star boasted.

"I sure hope not." Maka agreed.

-8-0-8-

The trio emerged from the magnetic field to the site of the ruins, but the ruins weren't there. In their stead an intricate temple gleamed in seemingly warm sun light. Crystals had been decoratively set into the stone in bizarre patterns.

"What's going on here?" Maka mumbled in wonder.

"I found them!" Black Star called from a few yards ahead. Running to catch up, Kid and Maka saw the Dr. Stein had collapsed in a fit of laughter. Marie stroked the doctor's hair with concern as the man's mind slipped.

"Oh look at it dance!" Stein chuckled; his eyes seemed to stare past Marie as he drew shapes on her jacket. "I think it likes me." Maka ran up to the teachers.

"Marie-sensei, what's going on?" She asked.

"What are you doing here?" Marie demanded. "You should be outside where it's safe!"

"We came to help you, and you obviously need it." Black Star supplied.

"What's wrong with Stein?" Kid asked. The woman slumped in defeat.

"I don't know," she confessed, "as soon as we entered the field he collapsed."

"You don't have much time," Maka said, "you get Stein out of here." Marie was about to object, but she her hand flicker and nodded.

"If you die here, so help me-" Marie shouted has the group ran off. "I'll kill you!"

"How much time do we have?" Maka asked. Kid reached into his fluffy pocket.

"About fourteen minutes, we should have enough time to grab the brew and get out of here." Kid confirmed. They were about to head toward the temple when a dark figure caught their eyes.

"Shi-shinigami-sama?" Maka exclaimed.

"No… an image." Kid realized. A flickering hologram of the grim reaper in his younger years soared through the sky on spectral flames with an ordinary scythe in hand. A cracked skull served as his mask, his cloak was tattered and ragged. "My father from his 'grim' days. If he's here, then this must be a projection from before the accident." They continued to walk to the temple, figures of witches past them. They muttered words of confusion and cowardice. Maka glanced to the left and stopped.

"Yo Maka, what's the hold up?" Black Star called.

"I-it's her." Maka said. She raised a hand and pointed to an image of the witch Arachne. Two servants stood in front of a black BMW, on held the door for her, the other a small bundle.

"It looks like I lured Shinigami-kun here just in time." She chuckled. "With luck it will destroy him as well as the brew." She took hold of the bundle, a small hand reached out to grab her earring. "Either way the aftermath of this will keep him busy for quite a while." She slid into the car, and began to drive off. A young girl in a thread bear dress chased after the car. Though that was the last they saw of the scene. For before them a small old man stood with a metal brief case.

"Is he an image too?" Maka asked. He turned to them, obviously unimpressed.

"No, he's real." Kid said.

"And he has the brew!" Black Star declared. The man shook his head sagely.

"Shinigami's sent a couple of children to do his dirty work?" He tusked. "How despicable."

"I wouldn't be so quick to diss if I were you," Black Star smirked, "you're time's up." The man glanced to his being and saw is body flickered.

"I see, so this old body can only last twenty minutes in the field. Perhaps I should go 400- no 100 years should be enough." With this the man's arms bulged and expanded. His swollen upper body hoisted his disproportionate legs. "Here is my form from 100 years ago, when my body was at its toughest." The opposing sides braced for combat when a cloaked figure crossed their path.

There was a gentle tinkle of bells as the figure paused. White and burgundy robes covered every inch of flesh, gold claws emerged from the lengthy sleeves, and an emotionless mask hid the figure's face. Kid's eyes widened at the sight, so oddly familiar. The mage looked to the temple his father had entered.

"So that's Eibon." The man said half with wonder and half with suspicion.

"Eibon!" Kid gasped.

"Do you know this person?" Maka asked, making Kid flinch.

"What, no!" He fibbed.

"We have less than ten minutes now." Black Star reminded. "Let's get the brew now." Maka rushed after him while Kid stood at a cross road. His gaze darted from the disproportionate man to Eibon and back. The disguised witch darted toward the temple while his friends fought. He sighed; Eibon would have to wait, right now they need to get their hands on the brew.

-8-0-8-

Shibusen had taken yet another blow to their moral. Arachnophobia had the brew and now rumor of an internal spy was floating about. Of all people, Kid wondered how Crona would take the news. He came to Crona's door and knocked gently.

"Hey Crona, I'm back." There was no answer from the other side of the door. "Crona?" He opened the thick metal door to find the room was empty. Her things, what little she had, were gone. Kid felt his heart drop into his stomach. "…no." He murmured. The young shinigami tore through the halls. "CRONA! CRONA WHERE ARE YOU!" The boy ran right into one of his instructors.

"Wow, wow! Kid slow down, what's the rush?" Sid asked.

"Crona, I can't find her. Do you know where she is?" Kid panted.

"Crona's busy right now." Sid said.

"With what?" Kid asked. He took a step back, suspicious of the answer.

"I was never a loose lipped man when I was alive." Sid stated, the shinigami slumped.

"Then my father, where's he? I can have him find her in his mirror." Kid asked. Sid shook his head solemnly.

"He's in the middle of a trial right now."

"A trial?" Kid asked. Realization hit him like a cold bucket of water. He ran to his father's room and was startled when the doors flew open. Crona walked past him, slow and weighted. "Crona what happened?" The girl just shook her head silently and kept walking.

"I'm sorry." Was all she could choke out, Kid turned to his father's room in a fit of rage as Crona left his father's room in tears.

"Father!" Kid shouted as he barged into the Death Room.

"Kid, wh-" Spirit began.

"Why was Crona leaving your room in tears? Where are her things?" He glared at his father. "What did you do?" The elder shinigami sighed.

"Crona has been expelled from Shibusen for suspicious activity."

"On what grounds?"Kid growled. "His father stepped aside to reveal the stack of books he had been stashing in her room.

"Crona had many books that were to be only released to four star miesters." Kid's eyes widened at the sight. "You wouldn't happen to know about this, would you?" Kid bit his lip. "After all, you seem to be out of sorts over her banishment."

"Any of her friends would do the same." Kid said. He tried to form an objection, tried to tell his father that the books were his. "Those don't belong to her." Was the most he could manage before his father continued.

"I know; but she was helping, whoever it was, to gain access to forbidden knowledge. Either way she is just to blame, but I went easy on her. You know the punishment for internal affairs." Kid's hands tightened into a fist, he knew all too well. "With all this spy nonsense, it would be best to show some results. We don't know what all she's done."

"Nor do you know what it is she hasn't!" Kid shouted. It wasn't fair; he couldn't do anything against his father. His father was notorious for this, making decisions out of thin air. Then he wouldn't explain himself and would expect Kid to just accept it.

"It does no good getting angry at me." His father soothed.

"But you are using a situation of circumstance to… to use her as your 'scape-goat!" Kid accused. "Our failure was just that, ours. She has nothing to do-"

"She confessed Kid." Spirit interjected. Kid stopped his rant.

"W-what?" His voice felt weak.

"It's true," Lord Death agreed. "When I asked her about the books, she confessed to being involved in internal affairs." Kid stood there in shock. The damage had been done. Crona was banished because of his own suspicions about his father. He bowed and left the room in numb silence.

Lord Death stood in his room and sighed; Spirit fidgeted in place a bit, and looked from between his partner and the door. The shinigami just simply nodded.

"Kid, wait!" The Death Scythe called as he ran out of the room. Shinigami-sama turned to his mirror and watched in the reflective glass as Kid sat on the steps of the school listlessly. Spirit ran up to his son and stopped short of the defeated boy. The man sighed and sat down next to the young shinigami. He rested a hand on the boy's shoulder and pulled him close in a half hug.

"I don't get it Spirit-sama." Kid stuttered, "Why would she confess." Spirit rubbed the young boys shoulder gently and did his best to comfort the boy. His father stared at the reflection in his mirror and hung his head.

-8-0-8-

"I don't know if I should be pissed or proud." Ragnarok grumped from a top his mister.

"I would rather Shinigmai-sama banish me then punish Shini-kun." Crona sniffled. "I'm sure he will understand."

"Then why are you crying?" Ragnarok asked.

"You're pinching me." Crona mumbled. Ragnarok's frown deepened. For once he wasn't doing anything to the pinkette, which only meant she was crying about Kid.

"Well then tell me what the plan is and I'll stop." She said nothing to this, which only concerned her weapon more.

"We're going back to Medusa's, aren't we?" The weapon sighed.

"Well, what else can I do?" Crona asked. "After I put Medusa's snake in Marie-sensei's drink..." She tapered off. "I don't want to go back, but she's the only family I have." She continued to walk down the empty streets.

-8-0-8-

"You've been banished." Her reflection stated.

"I know." Crona said. The ocean was still today, oddly so. She curled up on a large stone that was buried in the sand. From there she stared down at the crystalline reflection.

"Was it worth it?" It asked.

"Of course." Crona answered. She hid her face; she would probably never see him again, but she gave him what he needed to continue his search without her. She hoped by answering her other half that it would finally leave her alone. Of course her plans hadn't been working as of late.

"Even though it was for a shinigami?" It asked. Crona snapped her head up in anger.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She demanded.

"Shinigami are dangerous, they steal the souls of witches like yourself. They are horribly deceitful, evil murders; who-"

"How dare you say such things! Shini-kun is nothing like that. He's been nothing but a perfect gentleman to us."

"What makes you so sure?" The reflection asked. "He probably deceived you to receive the information he needed. Now that he has what he wants, he won't give you a second thought."

"What makes you so sure!" Crona demanded. She stood from her makeshift seat and stormed over to the water's edge. Her outburst caught the image off guard. "Why do you care?"

"Well I-"

"It was my decision, so you should agree with me! You're me, aren't you?" The reflection's resolve broke.

"Pass."

"It's not so easy now that I'm pestering you with questions, isn't it?"

"Pass." The reflection looked weaker now, less vibrant.

"Then why did you keep asking me questions?" Crona asked; tears began to fall from her cheeks.

"I just… wanted to help."

"Well I don't need it anymore!" Crona spat. "I don't need people to tell me what to do, not Medusa and certainly not you!" She expected the voice to answer back, but froze when she saw a simple reflection. Her own pale blue eyes stared back at her, the limbs mimicked her own. She wiped the tears from her face and scanned around her soul, but heard nothing. The voice in her head was gone.