Lets hear it for two updates in a week!
"What the hell?" Maka grunted, peeking her head above the bushes just long enough to see the truck. "Are they moving or something?"
"I don't think so." Kid responded darkly. "Haven't you found it strange, the lack of Rotters in the area?" Maka's eyes visibly widened at his words. Everything seemed to click, but she hoped to death she was wrong.
"They're weapons…"
"Exactly. That's why our perception is so cloudy. They're loaded in the trucks." He sighed, pulling out all the weapons from his bag and storing the items useless for combat under the bush. "They must've found out these things learn after awhile. What else would make a perfect soldier? They're extremely expendable, deadly and true they may not be too smart, the intelligence they do have is set on the intent to kill. They also seem to have the ability to learn from experience." His eyes met hers. "We've pissed them off, and they want pay back."
She mirrors Kid's actions and removes her own weapons. "What should we do?"
"Come out you little shits!" A man, the same who had shot at them earlier, cackled, shooting a shot in the air for emphasis.
The reaper cringed at the shot. He could take a few of them, but Maka's mortal body unquestionably could not. "I'm not sure they know where exactly we fell at, or else they would've sought us out by now. It's obvious they're playing it safe, and I believe we should to." He started, kicking himself for not sending Maka off with Liz; it would take a miracle for her to go along with his plan. "I think we ought to make a run for it."
The blonde paused, battle strategies, both defensive and offensive, flashing through her mind. They're both two highly trained and fairly armed individuals with a slight element of surprise; assuming the men didn't, in fact, see where they fell. As she saw it in the long run, they really only had two choices, run back to the rest of the gang, praying they made it out in time and death help them if they didn't, then be on the run from then on out, or they could stay and fight. They weren't completely hopeless if they took the offensive; and in doing so would show the enemy they were willing to fight. That they were brave enough to win. "No." She looked up, eyes full of inextinguishable emerald fire. "I'm staying. As silly and as childish as it sounds, they are nothing but bullies." She began strapping knives to various parts of her body for quick and easy access. "They messed with my friends and myself one too many times. I'm not giving them what they want. Not this time." She looked over at Kid, holding out her hand to him. "Are you with me?"
Kid looked at her with wide, golden eyes. He knew there was more meaning to those words than what could been easily seen on the surface; nonetheless, he knew his answer all the same. He gave her a bittersweet smile and took her hand, shaking his head. "That's where you're wrong, Maka." He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it gently then slowly withdrew. "I never left."
"Hey there, Kiddo! How've ya been?" Lord Death sang, clapping his gloved hands as his son entered the Death Room.
Kid smiled at his father's antics. Though his goofy façade was quite irksome even at the best of times it was, nonetheless, full of love and caring, an emotion not required by death, but rather something he chose to have, on his own free will. "Since the last time you asked me this morning? Fairly well, actually. I was invited to a basketball game after my training… Which today is…" Kid furrowed his brow at the sight in front of him. "Tea?" Usually for his Reaper training sessions consisted of special techniques in combat or studying the ancient history of his predecessors. Rather than a table harboring stack upon stack of old, leather-bound books or the room absent of everything except his father and the presence of excess soul energy, the older reaper sat at a small coffee table in the middle of the room that looked as if it were set by a four year old child preparing for a tea party; teddy bear guests smartly dressed with carefully tied bowties and all.
"Actually, I do believe today you will be learning one of the most important things about being a reaper. Unfortunately, it happens to be one of the more depressing lessons I have planned. I figured tea might lighten the mood."
"And… The stuffed pandas?" Kid cocked an eyebrow before taking the only seat available; directly between the aforementioned bears.
"Again, to lighten the mood." Though his father wore his signature mask, the way his eyes squinted portrayed the smile the hid behind it. "There's even two, to preserve the symmetry, just like you like." The young reaper held back a grin at his father's thoughtfulness. "Either way, symmetry or not, what needs to be taught needs to be taught. Can you please state the Reaper Laws?"
Kid nodded, taking a cup of tea into his own hands, not to drink it, but simply for warmth. "Reaper Law number one; under no circumstance is a reaper to bring back a soul of the deceased to the world of the living. Reaper Law number two; a grim reaper is an immortal being, with immortal powers and an immortal body, these powers should not be divided or given to any other being. Reaper Law number three; when the heir to the Throne of Death has reached his full power, the moment his Lines of Sanzu connect, his predecessor shall step down permanently and the new Lord of Death shall take his place. Reaper Law number four; any law broken is punishable to the highest extent, for the laws written are the laws of existence. Reap-" His voice faded out as his father held a hand up, motioning for him to stop.
"Thank you, Kiddo. That is all that is necessary for today's lesson." His father sat his cup down on the nearest coaster and looked at his younger son. "Do you know why it is that I wear this mask?"
The boy thought about it for a moment, but drew a blank. Quite frankly, his father had worn it every since he was born and he found it odd the few occasions he had seen it off of him; and those occasions he would always ask why it was off, rather than why he would put it back on. "No, Father." He finally replied. "I don't believe you've ever told me."
"As you, and everyone else, know, we are immortal beings; but are blessed with human bodies, human faces and even, to an extent (though I believe this extent has been pushed far enough to where they take full effect) human emotions. Unfortunately, when people see these human faces, they think of us as human ourselves; while this is usually not a bad thing, sometimes it can lead to trouble. They begin to get jealous that we are the gate keepers to the afterlife, and not themselves."
"You mean… They actually want to fight for this job? Do they not understand the pressure that falls on your shoulders? The training you must go through? The decisions you have to make?" Kid was taken aback. It wasn't as if he believed the job of the Grim Reaper was a curse, but it would definitely take someone with a strong soul to complete some of the tasks at hand. Though it had it's glory, it also had it's toll.
"Sadly, the only thing some men see is power. They don't understand we simply are the ones that pass them on to the afterlife. They believe we choose who lives and who dies. They also see the decisions we make fore the good of man. With this, they find a sense of authority, but most seek it out only for evil."
The young reaper scoffed at such a conception, but continued to ponder in his father's previous question. "What does this have to do with your mask?"
"This mask and cloak hide my human form. Though everyone knows I look like a normal being, they have only ever seen my disguise. It goes hand in hand with the seeing is believing notion many people have. This helps get rid of the natural human tendency to be jealous of what another human has. They seem more accepting of a non-humanlike authority figure rather than being ruled by another man."
"I suppose that makes sense. Obviously the best ruler for man is something that feels as man does, and it is only human nature to become jealous." Kid nodded, knowingly.
"That is precisely why I have emotions; and that is why I chose to give you emotions, Kid. I don't want you to replace me, I want you to surpass me."
Kid stiffened, a confident expression on his face; he was determined now more than ever to make his father proud of him, but he couldn't help but feel their conversation derailing a bit from it's original coarse, as conversations generally do around Lord Death. "Father, what does this have to do with the Reaper Laws?"
The older reaper's expression fell visibly behind his mask. "I suppose this brings us to the true reason I called you in here for your lesson. Sometimes, our emotions can be a burden. Being immortal, we observe the same children we watched coming into this world leave it at ripe old ages. We witness close friends, close weapon partners, leave us behind as their soul continues to move on. No matter how much we may hate it, we must go through it, and remember the Reaper Laws. We cannot upset the passing of souls in any way."
Kid nodded once again. He had thought about it many times, how he would watch as his fellow students grew old, had families, and slowly pass to the next world; and though he envied them greatly, he knew it was his duty to stay behind, and he figured the best thing he could do was stay concealed, become a curious bystander as they carried on, but never become too close. "Don't worry father, I understand. I shouldn't become too close."
"No, no! That's not what I mean at all! Make friends! Cherish their time on earth with them! Confide in them, live with them, and make sure every moment you spend with them can be a fond memory in the future. Don't be afraid to be loved, son. And most importantly, don't be afraid to love; that is what makes a respectable leader. So go out to that basketball game. Go have fun with your friends, you'll be glad you did rather than regret that you didn't."
Confused by the turn of events in their conversation, Kid took a sip of his tea and stood, knowing his father was dismissing him to spend time with the other students. He bowed respectfully, offered his thanks and escorted himself out of the room. Though he knew his father spoke from the heart, he was still skeptical about his methods.
"Oh, and Kiddo?"
"Yes, father?" The young reaper replied, the door open in front of him.
"You can keep the pandas."
The plan was simple. Easy, almost, for the two brightest minds at Shibusen.
"Oi! I'm about ready to shoot up the place! Show your faces or die like prey, cowering in the bushes!"
Kid placed a hand on his wounded shoulder and focused on the pain, slowly depleting it as he willed the puncture shut. With swift and precise movements, he was able to get into the position him and Maka agreed on. Considering his durable body, he would take on the taunting man with the gun, while she would sneak a round to the back and pick of the men wielding blades one by one. He watched intently as he saw her creep up on the furthest man away from him. It was almost too easy for her to cover his mouth and silence him with a knife in a swift, precise blow. She moved on to he next one. So far, so good. She hadn't been detected. Another one down. And another. It seems there were only five, which left them with the gunman and Maka's final target.
Using impossible stealth, Kidd managed to come within three feet of the gunman and take him down, but not before he fired a shot, nearly missing the reaper's head. Kid looked over with a grin, hoping to have it returned by Maka, but he became alert when he didn't see the blonde. That shot had warned the other man. The next thing he knew he heard another deafening gunshot and a small squeak of pain loud enough to make the young reaper's world crash in around him.
LAAAAAME beginning, though I'm fairly proud of the rest seeing as I hammered this out in one sitting.
Replies~!
Hawkllama- Hmmm, good insight… or is it? I supposed it's a good ending as in it makes a good story. But good stories can have either good or bad endings. I seem to be changing more details in my ending as I go along; so I guess we'll both be surprised ;)
Animelover881- Why thank you! And thank you for the rating.
GarGoyl- Meh, it was more like a graze, sorry, I forgot to mention that but I guess I hinted that it wasn't a big deal here. And you know them, they're probably going into the entire history and the reasons behind the invention of pumpkin pants… But I suppose they'll make their entrance soon!
Khfan12- I think this just might be one of the worst cliffhangers… yeah… sorry 'bou that ^^'
221BBC-MissMoriarty- As you guessed, yep, they're filled with rotters. And that's actually not a bad idea! I'll be sure and credit you if I use that
Mary J. Fox- Though this might be coming to an end, I'm super pumped for my next project, some of which I already have pre-written. So stick around!
Rebecca- Sorry for the wait! I didn't realize how long it had been. But as I said above, I've got more where this came from!
Guest- No need to thank me! Thank you for reviewing!