Chapter 21

Pandora

Sorry for the long wait, everyone. My brain decided to take a vacation from "The Weapon Hostess" for a year. I've been chiseling on this chapter, but it's still slow. So I'm posting this chapter to get things going. Sorry if it's too short.

I do not own OHSHC or Soul Eater. I own Joy, her grandmother, Ravenna, and Pandora.

Narrator's POV

A few days prior…

In her mountain cave, Ravenna Gorgon was inside her laboratory. She was observing one of the vials of the glowing blue substance that Joy had found in Brazil. Pouring a drop onto a glass slide, the witch proceeded to look into a microscope as she placed the slide underneath. After careful adjustment to the lens, she smiled.

"It seems Project: Ragnarok is progressing nicely. The eitr is formulating satisfactory."

She then left the microscope and started writing in a notepad.

"Hmm… Now to estimate the date to use it."

As she made her calculations, a raven flew into the laboratory as it cawed in a panic tone. Landing on a perch, the raven cawed at its mistress. Understanding the bird, Ravenna narrowed her eyes.

"What?! She's escaped?!"

The raven cringed. No one was safe when the Raven Witch was angry. The raven waited as Ravenna made her calculations before releasing a smile. The raven shivered in its feathers as the witch spoke in a calm voice.

"It seems we won't need to worry about her for a bit. There's still plenty of time before she is needed. Still, send a small flock to scout for her. But just keep an eye on her."

The raven bobbed its head in assurance and flew off, relieved that it had escaped with every feathered intact.

Present day with our protagonists…

Joy's POV

I awoke to a light shaking as Hikaru spoke in my ear.

"Wake up, Joy. We're here."

I slowly sat up as I worked to unstiffen my muscles. I yawned as I opened the door to stretch my legs.

"How long was I out?"

"About three hours. Those meds really take a lot out of you, huh?" I heard Hikaru speak.

I wasn't surprised. Not only did my meds made me sleepy, but I could sleep for hours. Which was why I'd rather take them at night. Unfortunately, my pain disagreed.

I rubbed my eyes and placed my sunglasses back on before I opened my eyes. After my uncovered eye was cleared of blurs, I was able to see the Haninozuka beach estate. Aside from acres of private property, there was a large contemporary-style beach house that I'd rather call a mansion. Not only it was a couple of stories high, but leagues wide. I just hope I would be able to find my room in this place.

As we got out of the SUVs, Maka handed me my bag of meds as we got our luggage, books included, and joined the others. As I had expected, the Haninozuka servants came to lead us to our rooms as well as retrieving our luggage for us. I didn't complain. I was told not to do too much heavy lifting.

Each of us received our own room as well. My room was on the first floor upon the club's agreement. Again, not complaining. Upon seeing the soft-looking bed, I immediately flopped down on it. It was the softest bed I've been on since Kyoto. But as I was about to drift off to sleep again, a voice kept me awake.

"I see you're taking this in stride."

I peeked past my eyelids to find Maka placing my bag of books on the floor next to the bed. Closing my eyes, I answered her statement.

"It's the meds. I'm still a little sluggish, so I may take in a few more Z's."

I was about to embrace the darkness when Maka spoke again.

"Actually, before you go back to sleep, I think we should check on your Weapon form. To make sure everything's healing nicely. And besides, it's been a while since you were a scythe, right?"

She had a point. I had make sure my blade was still sharp. With my injuries and lack of physical activities, I was surprised I even remembered that I was a Weapon at all. Turning my head to Maka, I gave a light smile.

"Alright. But I'm gonna need your help. I'm too weak to summon my shadow."

With an excited nod, Maka led me outside onto the sandy beach. Once she found us a spot, Maka turned to me and held out her arm.

"Ready, Joy?"

I rubbed my good eye one last time before nodding.

"Yeah. I am."

It took a bit of effort, but I was able to transform into my scythe form. Maka grabbed my scythe handle and started to spin me around like she does with Soul. I could sense her Soul Wavelength and were it not for the fact that Soul was her Weapon partner, a meister like Maka would be perfect for me. But due to an uneven number students in my class, I was the odd Weapon out.

After Maka's "performance," she examined me. After a few minutes, I decided to speak, remaining in my scythe form.

"Well? How do I look?"

A few more moments of silence went by before Maka gave her analysis.

"You have some cracks here and there, but those are healing nicely. There's one across your blade. I can't tell how long that one will heal, though. Your blade, itself, could use some sharpening and polishing as well. Otherwise, you're as sturdy as ever."

I sighed in relieve. The cracks represented my wounds and would go away after a while. No doubt the crack on my blade was my eye.

I was about ready to return to my human form when a voice stopped me.

"Maka? What are you doing?"

It was Hikaru. Before I could do anything, Maka responded for me.

"Just checking up on Joy's Weapon form, Hikaru."

Hearing my name, Hikaru stared at me. I gulped, remembering the last time Hikaru saw me in my Weapon form.

"Uh…

Hikaru's POV…

Remembering that Joy was a Weapon, I looked at the black, silver, and violet scythe in Maka's hands. I approached the pair as I kept my eye on the scythe.

"Joy…?"

I heard a nervous chuckle from the scythe. The same chuckle I'd hear from my girlfriend.

"Uh…Hey, Hikaru. Y-you need something?"

I forgot to speak at that moment. The first and last time I saw Joy in her entire Weapon form was Christmas. And both Joy and I wanted to forget that night. I didn't see too much of Joy's other form that night, so I got a good look at her with the daylight despite the darkening clouds.

Without thinking, I held out my hands. I couldn't read Joy's expression, but I could read Maka's. Uncertainty. It wasn't a mystery as to why. Joy must had told her what had happened that day. Regardless, I wanted to hold Scythe-Joy in my hands.

"Mind if I hold her?"

Maka looked to Joy, somehow reading her expression, before handing her to me.

"Be careful. She's heavy."

"HEY!" I heard Joy shout in protest.

I almost laughed when she was handed to me. She was somewhat heavy, but I was still able to lift her. However, I did notice something. I was sensing…power.

Was this my girlfriend's power?

Joy's POV…

I felt it.

Upon Hikaru's touch, I felt it. A soul wavelength in sync with mine. I remembered something Sid told me during my freshman year at the DWMA: some Weapons don't work to their full potential unless they find a Meister whose soul wavelengths are compatible. Could this mean that…Hikaru is a possible Meister for me? "A…are you sensing anything upon contact with me, Hikaru?" My voice seemed to snap Hikaru out of some sort of trance as he stopped staring at me and went into deep thought. Maka noticed this, too, and examined Hikaru. She made the same assumption I was thinking about at the moment.

"You can sense Joy's soul, can't you?"

I felt Hikaru freeze, his grip on me tightening in shock. Maka then looked to me.

"Joy?"

I made my upper human body manifest from my blade and spoke, though my appearance surprised Hikaru even further.

"Yeah. I could see his soul before. But being held as a Weapon was something I never had the opportunity to experience. His soul wavelength is compatible with mine."

Despite Hikaru's confusion, Maka beamed.

"Joy Artemis Cress! You've found your Meister!"

After moments of silence, Hikaru's voice finally cracked.

"M-Meister!"

I phased out of my Weapon form completely and completed the triangle.

"I-I don't know about that, Maka. I mean, it is Hikaru's choice if he wants to become a Meister or not."

Maka was about to speak when she and I felt something. Noticing the expression on our faces, Hikaru asked us.

"Is everything alright?"

I looked at Maka, who in turn nodded to me.

"I'll take the northern part of the house."

I nodded in return.

"I'll check the beach."

I dashed to the beach part of the house, leaving Maka and Hikaru behind. There was an uninvited guest here and judging from the sudden appearance and power level, it was a witch. I was nowhere near the level to take down a witch, though the possibility of being able to consume a witch's soul was exciting.

I ran until I reached the 14-foot high deck when I came to a halt. The soul was coming from underneath the deck. I looked into the darkened earth and made my right arm manifest into my blade. I slowly approached the darkness, ready for anything. But froze again as a sound caught my ears.

Someone was crying.

I put away my blade, but I still approached with caution. I stepped into the shadows with baited breath. As my eyes adjusted, I saw the form who was crying. It was a girl, but she was no one I knew.

She was relatively young. Between 14 and 17. Her hands were covering her face, so I couldn't see her eyes, but I saw that she had long light-colored hair, possibly white. She was dressed in a tattered white dress and two small black figures seemed to nuzzle up to her. She had no shoes on and she was filthy, like she hadn't had a bath in days. I also nothing something else about her: she was shivering.

Was she…afraid?

I bent down until I was eye-level with her. I paused. There was a chance that this girl was a witch and I was finding myself in a trap. But still, there was the slight chance that she wasn't the kind of witch I was thinking about. I kept that caution as I spoke to her.

"Hey. Are you ok?"

The girl froze as she looked to me. The shade of the deck hid the true color of her eyes, but I could tell they were a shade of blue. My motherly instincts took over again and I continued to speak gently to the girl.

"My name is Joy. I'm here with my friends. What's your name?"

The girl gulped, still looking scared. After a few minutes of silence, she finally spoke in a soft voice.

"M…my…my name…my name is…P…P…Pandora."

The little black figures "croaked" at me, causing me to think for a second that they were frogs. But that changed as I saw one of the figures flap onto Pandora's head and I realized what the black things were.

Ravens.

Just like the ones in Brazil.

Hope you guys enjoyed this.