DISCLAIMER: I do not own 'Soul Eater'. All rights belong to Okubo Atsushi. I also do not own any of the songs referenced. All rights belong to their respective artists. I only own this fanfiction. Thank you.
Why am I here?
That was the thought on Giriko's mind, as he stood in front of the manor he'd helped to build not but a couple of weeks ago. The impressive architecture towered above him, and in the darkness of the night it seemed positively eerie. Like a haunted mansion, not the current residence of his old boss and flame.
In that sense, it was haunted. Haunted by a spider, and the ghosts of her victims. Her prey. This manor was built on the backs of others, with funds from all manner of illicit activities, designed to hit their targets where it hurt the most. The money would come rolling in, but at what cost? Your humanity? Your life? He'd been a part of that, once before. He'd been willing to sell his soul, if only to be with her the rest of his days. To not feel that damn gnawing loneliness that terrified him far more than he let on.
Maka had seen it. He'd given in, and told her a few of his tales. She hadn't tried to run away, or drive him out. She'd accepted it. Accepted them. Him. The parts of him that she had deemed acceptable, because he hadn't told her everything. Not the worst pieces of his sordid history. Just the ones he could afford to share.
That was another thing: Maka. What would she say if she knew he was here, running into the arms of his former flame? Even if she knew he wasn't entirely hers, it would still hurt her if she found out that he'd done this. More so than if it were just a random woman. Arachne meant something to him. Or, she had at one point. He was confused at the moment about where they stood.
But he'd still found himself here, on Arachne's doorstep. Waiting to be let in, to pick up from where he'd last left off. To get rid of the guilt, and prove himself all over again. Prove that this time, he was the man he claimed to be. Was he serious about going after her? What about Maka? Why did it matter? Did Arachne still mean anything to him? He'd thrown out the spider...would she ask about it? Would she be upset if he told her the truth? Did it even matter what he did? Arachne wasn't going to treat him any differently, right?
He was about to pound on the door, when it unlocked and swung open. Standing there was the small elderly man Giriko had come to know as Mosquito. Another of Arachne's devoted servants. He'd been around even longer than Giriko, and he'd had a tendency to look down his nose at the younger male, height difference notwithstanding. They'd nearly gotten into it a few times, though obviously it wouldn't have been a fair fight had they traded blows. Or so the young man thought.
The air between them was charged as Giriko flashed him a cocky grin. "Yo, old man. S'up? You haven't changed, ya still look as butt-ugly as you did the last time I saw you." The elderly man gave him a sneer.
"And you're still uncouth and loud. Lady Arachne is expecting you." Stepping aside, he allowed the male to pass him and enter. The younger let out a low whistle as he took in the scenery. Their handiwork was always impressive to behold.
Inside, things seemed quite wide, probably because of how the ceiling curved upwards. That hadn't been easy to do. Before him was a grand staircase with a landing, that branched out and around into three more staircases leading up to the higher floor. He could make out separate hallways for each, though he had no idea what they led to. At the back of the stairs and the sides were two doors each, so four in all. Also unknown to him. He'd only built the foundation for this shelter; he had no clue as to what its current inhabitants may've added once the construction was done. More doors?
Giriko gave Mosquito another look, this one of annoyance. "So where the hell do I go?" In response, he received a short, raspy laugh.
"You think I would let you run around here unsupervised? You're following me until Lady Arachne gives the all-clear. I don't care about your status before. Things have changed." Growling in irritation, Giriko was forced to follow the shorter man, towards one of the doors near the rear.
It led to another hallway, this one much more narrow than the ones he'd spied above. There were doors on either side of him, but they headed straight down the line, until they reached an entrance at the end. Opening it, they were now in a small room with a few sparsely covered shelves. The younger male gazed around, wondering where the hell they were supposed to go from here. Why was all of this necessary? He watched as Mosquito walked over to one of the shelves, and pressed something behind in the wall.
"Whoa-" The floor suddenly began to slide back, revealing another set of stairs in the floor. Giriko was gaping. Well. That was new, for a door. How had they gotten away with adding all this shit in so soon after they'd finished the project? Maybe Arachne's contractors were better than the chumps he worked for...? Heh, if that was the case, they could've easily knocked them out of business, if they'd cared at all about such things.
"This way." Mosquito began the descent, and Giriko had no choice but to continue following him. He'd ask Arachne about it when they met. If he remembered.
That's right-he was going to see Arachne again. For the first time in eight years.
The staircase felt long and winding as they made their way down. It was a little while before they'd finally reached the bottom, and solid ground. Another hallway, with more hallways branching off from it. So many, many, many corridors. The elderly male kept walking, as did the younger. He seemed to know the path by heart, which was surprising. He must've had nothing better to do than wander around in here memorizing all the pathways, the old fart.
Eventually, they reached a large, ornate door at the very end. Mosquito knocked, and the sound reverberated around them. "Lady Arachne, I brought him." Three seconds of silence.
Then, that ever so familiar voice called out, from beyond the barrier. "Enter." They did so.
Giriko was now standing in another wide room with a domed top. There were nets running across the air, high above the floor, giving the place an impression of being covered by black webs. There was a small stage in the center, with a few steps and a regal looking chair atop them. Seated in that chair, clad in a beautiful, lacy, tight dark gown...
...was Arachne.
Giriko felt his breath catch in his throat. Her face, her hair, her appearance, everything-it was just like how he remembered, it, like nothing had changed. Like they hadn't been apart for so long, separated completely. Even with the altered décor, she was still the same proud, motherly figure he knew. The woman who could command armies and sink ships with just a wave of her hand, a tug of the web strings. There went the vibrations, and there went her prey. Downed and consumed.
Still, he made no move to go towards her. She had called him here. Told him over the phone to meet up with her once more, and when he'd asked where, she'd said "You should know it by heart at this point. After all, you helped build it. Such a skilled craftsman. I feel quite safe in my new home." He'd realized then, where she was hiding. Now he was waiting, patient as ever, to find out exactly what was to happen here.
What did Arachne have to offer him this time around? His heart was not entirely hers. Would she take notice of this fact? Or would it disappear as soon as she addressed him, with that voice that made him just want to...ohh...
He bit at his lip sharply, and felt the skin break. A thin trail of blood began to drip out. Mosquito noticed it almost immediately, causing Giriko to twitch uncomfortably. Fucking creepy old geezer.
"Oh dear. Is my presence that overwhelming to you?" With a graceful rise, Arachne had made her way down the steps, until she stood right in front of the younger man. Her nurturing mode had been activated, but there was something cruel and sinister beneath it. This care, this attention...came at a very high price. Did he still want it?
Her hands reached up, to rest on either side of his face. Her long nails grazed his skin, as she took in his appearance. "You haven't changed much in eight years. Still the man I entrusted my life to." His heart skipped. Goddamn it. She was smiling a bit wistfully now. "Twenty. You were twenty then."
Arachne leaned in closer. Her lashes had lowered, shading her eyes and giving them intentions to make him sweat. This woman...! Her hands lowered a little, one resting on his shoulder while the other held his chin. The tip of her thumbnail was brushing his lower lip. The blood stood out against his mouth, a deep stain.
"You've been aching...let me make it all better." In an instant, she had closed the space between them, bringing her red lips to his, and lapping away at the blood. Her words were suggestive, embracing, enveloping, suffocating. Her actions quadrupled the experience. Giriko couldn't handle the rush. Was it really happening? Eight years of nothing, and then suddenly, wham! She's kissing him! She'd never gotten this close before so quickly, and now this! His mind was a whirlwind of disjointed thoughts and feelings.
Slowly, she pulled away, and gave him a knowing smile. Mosquito was trying not to look disappointed. "Now then...we have work to do." She was professional once more, heading back towards her throne. "Regardless of what happened in the past, you were still one of my best workers. I need your services again. I need you."
She looked at him briefly, and he knew he couldn't say no, not after the show she'd just put on. This should've been so easy, going back to the way things were before. She was offering it to him, guilt-free, and he was hesitating. Why? Why was he so torn this time around?
But even with his conflicted feelings, he nodded his head, and shoved his hands in his pockets. The little spider was not there. Boris. He would never be there again.
The spider that Arachne had given him, which Maka had named.
"What d'you need me to do?" Lost. He'd just get lost in the missions. He couldn't turn back and he couldn't say no. Patience, he'd been ridiculously patient waiting for her to return, and despite all that he'd been through with Maka he couldn't deny that he wanted to see things through with Arachne. She was back. And she'd just kissed him. There was still a way for him to win. He hadn't fucked up as badly as he first thought. It may have taken eight years, but he had gotten a second chance.
And he hadn't had to time travel to get it.
"Always spoiling for a good fight, aren't you? That's why I enjoy keeping you around. You're hot-blooded, I'm cold. Opposites attract." Attract...she was attracted to him?
"Unfortunately, we don't have your weapon of choice here tonight...we've been a bit rushed." Arachne gave him an apologetic smile. "I don't think you'll be needing anything other than your fists, though. Not unless she decides to be stupid and start a fight now, so close to showtime." Her eyes narrowed. Giriko wondered who it was who'd gotten under the woman's skin. Her voice was dripping with bitter venom.
There was a sudden pounding on the door. "Lady Arachne! Lady Arachne! She's here! We have her at the front entrance!" The spider woman let out a soft chuckle. "Right on time." They heard the messenger scurry off.
The questions and mystery kept building up, and Giriko had to know. At least one thing tonight needed to be made clear. "Who am I protecting you from?"
She shook her head. "No, you're not protecting anything...you're going to be the one waiting on my trigger finger. And if she makes this bigger than it needs to be right now, I want you to eliminate her." Arachne looked positively maniacal, dripping in elegance and vitriol. A fully awakened and incensed Arachne was truly a sight to behold. "She is my sister, Medusa...the snake in the grass who nearly got me killed the last time I was here."
Arachne looked away from him then. "But if you'd prefer to think of it that way, you're protecting me from her." If Giriko had been confused before, he understood perfectly now. This woman...she was the one who had driven Arachne away from him. The one who had tried to kill her by setting the cops on her hideout in a hostile takedown. He was seeing red.
Alright. I can do that, no problem. "You got it." He was ready. Bring it on, bitch Medusa or whoever. He'd kill her if she tried anything now. Who cared if he didn't have his chainsaw? Whoops, cat was out of the bag!
The door opened, and Giriko tensed, expecting it to be his target. But instead, a tanned male came in, with a hat pulled down over his eyes, followed by a shorter male in a fruity looking outfit. He recognized the first face almost immediately. Noah Eibon...the collector. He'd joined her ranks shortly before everything had gone to shit the first time around. He hadn't been all that thrilled about being tied down though.
Giriko was honestly surprised that he'd come back at all. He figured someone like that would be the first to feel Arachne's wrath when he decided to go solo. Maybe the woman was just that powerful; she could get people who didn't normally bend to this sort of stuff to bend over backwards just for her. And he had his own little flunky, too. How cute. Or maybe it was his boyfriend.
Was he one of those kinds of people, too? Someone who would bend only for this woman?
The four of them stood around Arachne: Giriko, Noah, his underling, who turned out to be named Gopher, and Mosquito. The former had no idea what she was expecting the old man to do, he was nearly infirm as far as Giriko was concerned. Maybe he'd learned how to handle a gun in the last few years. Or he was just going to scare her half to death when she arrived with that ugly mug of his. That was a possibility.
It felt stifling, being under the ground like this. How much longer were they going to have to wait? The prickling heat on the back of his neck was starting to turn into a full-blown sweat, rolling down in slow, thick drops to his collar. Was he the only one who felt like this?
Then, a knock.
His head shot up, to look at the door. There was what sounded like frantic chittering. Someone with a very high-pitched voice?
Arachne sat up in her chair, a cold stare on her face. Her red lips were slightly curved, but very tightly drawn. "Let her in." The door opened, and a solitary figure strode inside. Giriko took her in from head to toe.
She was younger than his boss, obviously. Unlike her sister, who had sleek, long black locks swept upwards into a fitting knotted hairstyle, Medusa's hair was shorter, and golden in tone. It fanned out from the top of her head as it went down, stopping above her shoulders. There were two long strands in the front though, hanging down and wound together. They rested against her chest.
She was clad in a one piece sleeveless outfit, with pants and a hood. On her feet were simple slippers. They didn't match with the rest of her attire. They were light, while her clothes were dark in shade. Her bare arms were covered in what was soon discovered to be a snake pattern that wound around. Her yellow gaze was sharp, and she seemed pretty confident for someone who had just wandered into their headquarters all on her own. How had she found them, anyway?
His eyes narrowed. He didn't like her. Not one bit. This woman had nearly taken out his master, and now here she was, strolling in like she owned the place. She didn't seem to care that his ire and attention was focused on her completely, as she stood before Arachne with that smug smile on her face. "Elder sister." Arachne's eyebrow twitched slightly at the application of the word 'elder'. She wasn't that old.
"Little sibling." The spider woman said it with a sneer. "That was quite speedy. I haven't even been in here a week, yet here you are, waltzing in like I'd be welcoming you with open arms." The blonde chuckled, shaking her head.
"I know you wouldn't do anything stupid, Arachne. Not so close to that night. I'm sure you're aware of my plans, as I am of yours. It's not that hard to search the school. If you could find my handiwork, then it wouldn't be very hard for me to find yours." A soft chuckle then. "Your librarian there was very, ah...helpful, if I may say. Him and his contacts. All I had to do was follow him to find you, once I knew he was under your service." Medusa sounded so cocky and cool, and Giriko wanted to strangle her. How dare she try and act like she was somehow better than Arachne-!
"Your skills are impressive. But you still haven't answered my inquiry. Do you take me for a fool, Medusa?" Arachne said her name with a slight hiss. "I know what you did, how you tried to assassinate me by sending those brutes after my trail when you knew I was weak. When I was missing my armor." Giriko felt a pang in his chest. Goddamn it, even with his second chance, it still hurt. He'd never be able to fully escape that guilt.
"You're a tricky one." Arachne was smirking now, leaning back in her seat. "I'm assuming that if I strike you, there will be a backlash in place to take care of the rest? You wouldn't be so stupid as to come in without any sort of protection."
The snake woman gave her what she obviously thought was a charming smile. "Bingo. But like I said before, you wouldn't do it anyway. Not before then."
She turned away smoothly on her heel. "I'm not here to start anything. But since you and I are once again fighting for the same prize, I will tell you now: I will strike without hesitation. On that night, I will drive you under, and rise to the top. I will be the one to triumph. His favor is mine. This is the challenge I issue to you, Arachne. I will not lose. I am prepared to stake my life on this."
"As am I. I will not hesitate to use any means necessary to take you down." There was a knowing glint in Arachne's heavy-lidded eyes. "Didn't you have a daughter? She would be about...eighteen now." Medusa stiffened, and stopped just a foot or so from the door. Giriko took note of this. The serpentine female had offspring? Someone had actually been crazy enough to knock her up?
"That's right." Arachne chuckled, and tilted her head back slightly. "Your dearest daughter...what was her name? Crona, yes? Where does she stay while you're off scurrying about like a rodent in the dead of night?"
Medusa said nothing in reply, simply walking out the door. "My challenge still stands." Arachne would let her go, for now. She knew there would be plenty of time to quarrel later. Change was coming soon, and with it their last stands. This was the end, they were going to settle this blood feud once and for all. Whoever lost this game would not just lose their glory, they'd lose their life. Their very soul.
The door closed behind Medusa, and the sounds of her being led back out by the underling who had waited outside filtered through faintly. Giriko looked over at Arachne, wondering just what her plan was to deal with this pest. "Are you sure it's alright to let her go?" Mosquito was watching the woman intently, to hear her reply, while Noah was standing off to the side and kicking at the ground. Gopher was watching him adoringly. Feh. At least half of them were paying attention. Who gave a crap about the other guys?
And what about 'that night'? They both kept going on about it, but he hadn't heard a damn thing to explain it.
Arachne saw the questioning in his eyes, had heard it before in his voice. She gave him a worldly smile, and waved a hand. "Now Giriko, this is where it gets interesting. Here is where your job truly starts." She made a 'come here' motion, and he walked over to her. She pressed her hands against his shoulders, and gradually forced him to kneel down in front on the floor. Sitting in her throne, Arachne began her speech over him.
It was going to be a very long night.
…...
"Good job Mizune. I don't think they suspected a thing."
Medusa and her guide, who was revealed to be one of the Mizune sisters, were making their way back through the winding hallways towards the exit. It came in handy, working with highly organized and coordinated identical twins. Add to that her own little excursion here tonight, and it was all adding up in their favor. Now that they had a basic layout of the place, it wouldn't be too hard to take it down.
The smaller woman began chittering again in response, and Medusa nodded at her, as the first entryway to the back came into view ahead of them. "That's right. Neither of us will be at the school when it happens, but unlike Arachne, my detonators are timed. She, on the other hand, will be tethered to this hovel. So if we destroy the base, we destroy her, too."
Last time, she'd left the process of disposal to another set of hands. Although the authorities, the ones that hadn't been bought off, were able to cause some good collateral damage-and physical wounds too, Medusa was sure of it-they still hadn't been able to kill the spider. She had taken time to heal, and had now built herself a cozy new nest. Her web was primed and ready to make use of the many new connections she'd collected while in hiding.
This time, Medusa was going to take care of the deed. When she saw Arachne breathe her last with her own eyes, then...then she'd be satisfied. She would be the only Gorgon sister left. The mantle of the family name, as well as the glory at having been hand-picked by him to enjoy celebrity status. Both things gleamed and sparkled in her vision. They were almost within her reach. Just a little bit further, and soon...
She would be able to shed the trappings of her current existence, and move on to what she was truly destined for: greatness. Absolute power and control. Her own special brand of chaos that she would inflict upon the world. She would undo all their order and rules, replace it with her own. Their setup had done nothing but cause her pain, along with everything else in her life. She was ready to ascend, and become something more than just a struggling woman with child.
Her thoughts drifted back then, to her daughter. As Mizune opened the door and they walked across past the grand staircase, the rest of her plan came to the surface in her mind's eye. On that night, she wouldn't be able to leave Crona with anyone. All her subjects would be busy helping her to take this place down while the events at the school unfolded. There was no way she could bring the girl with her, though. She wasn't looking to get either of them killed.
Yes, even with everything Crona had put her through, Medusa still wanted the girl to stay 'safe'. There was a part of her that felt that obligation, to keep her daughter alive. She wouldn't call it love, it was more like a bizarre possessive quality. As flawed as Crona may have been, she was still Medusa's offspring. Her creation. Medusa had created her. She was imperfect, and the woman would never let her forget it, either. But she had no intention of giving her up to anyone or anything. If the girl was to die, it would be by her own hand.
This was definitely not love. She debased the girl daily, ignored her, had shut her away from the rest of the world, locked her in darkness and starved her, of both affection and food. Yet, she was the only one who understood the girl, and could get through to her. No one else could or would be willing to handle her. Only Medusa knew how to. Crona was a part of her, after all.
And she'd made damn sure that, although Crona saw her as an object of fear, that she would be unable to break free of her. She wouldn't be able to seek that affection from anyone else, and drift away from her. She wouldn't be able to stand on her own. With all the girl had taken away from her, it was only fair that she give up some of her privileges, too. Crona would live for her, no one else. She wouldn't allow the girl to attach herself to anyone else. Or anything.
There was a bitter smirk on her lips as they passed through the doorway. Wasn't that why she'd gotten her to kill those rabbits in the first place? To make up for the mistake of giving the first one to her, as well as test out the extent of the experiments? Even now, Crona still held potential purpose, and Medusa was not about to lose that card in her hand. No matter if the girl was a failure, a chance was a chance. She hadn't arranged things the way she had just to be completely empty-handed in the end.
The night air was cool against her skin as Medusa and Mizune returned outside. Giving a nod to the smaller woman, Medusa made her way off the property, and into the shadows of the city. Her spy would have to remain on the premises for a little bit longer. After all, how were they going to get in on the night of? The security would be doubled, but if they had someone on the inside, it would be a snap to slip through. She wasn't worried.
Soon, very soon. This city, and then the world, would all be hers. She'd fought and scraped together just to stay alive this long. She wouldn't bow down to anyone. No matter what they threw at her, she would endure. She would rise above. She was the snake, forever slithering silently through the grass, right under everyone's noses. They didn't notice until it was too late, and she'd struck. Such was the benefit of being looked down on, she supposed.
With a low chuckle that ended in a hiss, Medusa prepared to return to her abode. Thank goodness she wasn't so flashy as to build herself such a garish looking hideaway. Really, her sister had no taste.
A/N: Dun-dun-duuun! And that ends Chapter Twenty-Five! More suspense! More drama! More questions! Looks like Giriko's given in to the call of his past demons, and returned to his former master. Arachne, the formidable spider queen. She and Medusa have some big plans for Death City, and now, our chainsaw-wielding hothead has been roped into things.
Obviously, the setup is not the same as eight years ago. Giriko is not the same man, and now, there are new factors at play here. Like Maka. How is he going to deal with her, now that he's willingly stepped back into Arachne's web? It's obvious there's a conflict going on here. How strongly do his affections run, for either woman? And what sort of deeds does Arachne have in store for our 'hero'?
And, on the other side of things, Medusa. She's thrown her hat in the ring, and is ready to hit Arachne where it hurts, even if she has her own things to lose as well. Both sides will NOT go down w/out a fight. And unfortunately, seeing Medusa's nature and Arachne's info gathering...others, innocent others, may very well be dragged into things too. Not a pleasant thought. :( How many have to suffer, in the name of this murderous sibling rivalry?
I know, it's been two Chapters w/out any interaction at all with Maka's end of things. But don't worry, our Shibusen gang will return soon enough! Like...next Chapter? What's in store for them, now that this new page has been turned, and a new story has begun? Stay tuned for the next update to find out! I hope everyone is still enjoying this fic, and the plot as it gradually comes together. Feedback is always welcomed, encouraged and appreciated. :3
Next time: The return of Maka! Where's Giriko? Why isn't he answering his phone? Oh, is something going on at the school soon? Why are you so stubborn? And...a shadowy tryst that brings on its own set of pleasures and problems.
Until then, take care everyone.