Blackstar ran on the ovular track set up for warriors-in-training, as the resistance aspirants were sometimes referred to. For the separation between weapons and meisters and human trainees, the weapons practiced on ultra-fast transformation while meisters worked on agility and strategy. The humans worked on strategy and agility like the meisters, but worked at a slower pace.

Then came team resonance, which had been covered in the DWMA, but still needed much perfection. A larger group had to resonate at one time, and everyone needed to practice at some point, including those students who had been part of NOT. Then weapons were switched, and every meister and weapon at least had to attempt to resonate.

The humans, though not participating in the resonance activities, were being trained in teamwork all the same. They, with the meisters and weapons, too, had to work together as teams, not to resonate, but just to get used to working with others efficiently.

The training was difficult for Phoebe, being a human who lacked in preparation and skill. She ran the track, she did push-ups and everything that was required. Everyone had to do physical training, along with mental. She still tried hard to accomplish the tasks, enjoying the burn in her muscles... to a point, of course.

Isabel loved running and the physical training she was put through, but she did have to stop every once in a while to breath. She, though having done sports in the past, needed to rest even so. The mental training didn't bug her, but it did make some other people throw up. The mental training dealt with things such as losing a partner, done through simulation, of course, and stressful situations that could make some people faint who are light of heart. Isabel, as mention, wasn't bugged by the mental training, though this could be because she knew it was a simulation.

The mighty Blackstar, of course, was successful with everything and did awesomely with the training. Better physical than mental, though.

Soul decided to train, too, but was subjected to the weapon version of training. He was already efficient with transformation, and was a Death Scythe, so he was given more difficult training with some other Death Scythes, those Death Scythes being adults. He was in the upper ranks, which put him at a more respectable branch in the training.

Maka, having created a Death Scythe, was also given more difficult training. Even if a meister or weapon or human had already trained in the past for whatever reason, they were still required to do the training given in order to be placed as a warrior in the resistance. The IHK, known now by all to be the main evils in this battle, had an advantage at the moment due to the quick takeover they had managed. That's why the training was required for all resisting. The fighters needed to be prepared for whatever the IHK would throw at them.

Amber took the human training offered, and did so happily. She was enjoying herself like Isabel and Phoebe because it was exciting. She was then put in a special group after her great intelligence of prehistoric creatures was recognized. She was put to the test, having to name a number of species in a small amount of time. She only faltered twice out of fifty images of prehistoric dinosaurs, and she messed up ten times out of fifty when it came to plants.

Each image was shown for thirty seconds, and she had to name it within that period of time. The leaders in charge that were in the room with her as she did this, one of those leaders being Azusa, was impressed, and immediately placed Amber as a leader for one of the resistance groups. Well, she would be placed as a group leader after some intense physical and mental training. Amber was honored by this, and let it motivate her to do extra well with everything that was thrown at her.

Crona, Kim, and Jacqueline were already placed as warriors for the resistance along with Ox and Harvard and Kilik and those who made it to Seattle a while ago, though none of them were placed as team leaders. They had undergone the training, and were already placed in teams for when the resistance would strike the IHK. They still had to do regular training, and that's probably what got Crona to change so much. The fact that she had been interacting with others, training hard, and facing things that otherwise she wouldn't know how to deal with. It was helpful, the training, and was making everyone stronger.

Maka enjoyed the time she spent with Crona in training and out. Some meister and weapon kids from Europe were scheduled to arrive in two days at Seattle by jet. Maka was assigned from Stein to show the kids around with Crona. The two would get to spend more time with each other! And also, some more good news came about that made Maka cry with joy.

Maka's mother would be arriving with the kids from Europe.

*.*.*

Kid traveled low. It had been a bit more than a week already since he left Aisling and Athena. He felt he was close. He could sense a large amount of souls condensed in one giant area. His suspicions of being close were confirmed when he saw it.

The giant facility of bluish-white metal had walls that reached up past fifty feet. The side was so long that kid couldn't see where it ended when he got up close, though he knew the facility was round. A moat surrounded the metal walls, and there appeared to be a walk way up fifteen feet. The moat was too dangerous to swim across. In the water swam schools of piranhas. Obviously swimming was out of the question. The moat was too long from the wall to the rest of the woods to jump over. Because of this, Kid walked along the border of the moat in search of something to cross over, since as he had tried just about twenty times and still could not summon Beelzebub.

He looked up after eight minutes of walking along and noticed a tree that had a branch that reached right over the moat and was just about five feet away from the metal wall of the facility. It was more than fifteen feet high, enough so that Kid could jump from it and reach the walkway attached to the wall.

A shiver went down his spine when it connected in his head. "Just climb over that branch and get inside.". Had Aisling predicted that? Was what she said nonsense or not?! It didn't sound like it anymore...

"No." Kid shook his head. "She probably just guessed."

He went to the tree connecting to the branch and climbed it. The bag was no longer with him, but the knife was still in his hand. He didn't hear or see any soldiers nearby, so he decided to climb over now.

He balanced himself and walked steadily on the branch so that he reached where it ended. He then took a deep, shaky breath, and jumped.

He landed on the walkway that surrounded the giant round wall. He leaned against the wall, looking out and taking another deep breath. He needed to find a way inside. A way to infiltrate the place. So... a door or something.

Even though he was determined to set everyone free, including his father and Tsubaki, he was starting to get really nervous. His whole body was trembling lightly. He began walking to the left, taking silent steps.

A voice came around the visible side, and he turned his head and saw a soldier coming right at him.

"Hey you! Stand where you are!"

Kid ran, making his way on the walkway away from the soldier. He heard multiple soldiers coming behind him, so he sped up. Soon he had outrun them, the sun beating on him with hot rays. He kept running, and was so caught up in running from what was behind him, he failed to look in front of him.

He slammed against a soldier and was knocked onto his back, nearly falling over the edge. The soldier was knocked back and fell over the edge, falling into the moat, the armor weighing him down. Sadly, right behind that soldier were three other soldiers, each aiming their rods at kid.

Death the Kid stood up and stepped back.

"You," a soldier announced, "Put your hands behind your back. You're Lord Death's son, aren't you. You've got the Sanzu lines and all."

Kid turned his back to them and ran the other direction. But he was surrounded either way. The soldiers that had been chasing him came on one side as the new ones came on this other side.

When the soldiers had him stuck with nowhere to run, Kid took the knife and held it out in front of him defensively. He kicked one of the soldiers on his left in the gut and sent the man over the edge. That's when the ones behind him reached up and grabbed his wrists, forcing him to release the knife.

They brought him over to an area that reached out over the moat like a balcony. A minute before then, one of the soldiers spoke into a walkie-talkie so someone would get over to where they were.

Kid's wrists were moved behind his back and the soldiers got behind him so he would face the wall that was at least seven feet away (to his dismay). His wrists weren't bound by rope or anything, but simply held in place. He continued to fight them, even though their rods were raised dangerously close.

Then came another soldier on the walkway, who walked up and stood in front of Kid. "So you have him here with us. Death the Kid." The soldier's voice sounded familiar.

"Who are you?" Kid growled, glaring at the masked man.

The soldier raised his armored hands up to his mask and removed it, dropping it to the floor.

Kid froze, blinking for a moment.

"Recognize me?"

"Of course." Kid gulped, feeling his heart beat in his chest. His instinct said run, but his body denied him the ability. His muscles were so tense it hurt. "You're Arthur. The asshole of the IHK."

Arthur laughed, a wicked grin crossing his face. "I'm glad you remembered. How sweet of you. Have you felt the after-effects of the little nightmare inducer I gave you?"

"... The soldiers... they have it, too, along with the stuff that knocked me out." Kid frowned, backing up against the soldier holding his wrists. "Of course I've felt it."

Arthur took his own rod and popped open a section of it, pulling out the same looking syringe as the nightmare inducer. Obviously it had the same stuff in it that made those sepia toned dreams occur. What else could it be? "So did you arrive on your on choice? Without force?"

"Not like you should care, but yes. I came here on my own choice." Kid tried to compose himself, regaining some of his emotionless nature. "Why do you ask?"

"I was concerned." Arthur stopped smiling, looking genuine, even. "I'm sorry. You must have been treated horribly by any soldiers attempting to bring you here. I would prefer a less... messy procedure of bringing you here."

"I bet you would love to see me stabbed." Kid growled. "You are a huge liar."

"Stab him." Arthur commanded one of the soldiers.

A rod was stabbed into Kid's right thigh. He gasped, and grimaced, keeping in any more noises he could control. The rod was removed, and Kid asked "So what?"

"See." Arthur laughed, "I don't like messy business." And just like that, Arthur pulled a gun out from a compartment on his left leg, a pistol, and shot the soldier he had ordered to stab him square in the head.

The soldier fell back into the water, and Kid drained of color. It's not like he hadn't known it, but he was dealing with a full out psychopath... or sociopath... whichever worked in this case. Either way, Arthur had something wrong up there. Kid tried to say something, but nothing came out. He was at a loss for words, his mouth dry.

"Why don't you say something?" Arthur chuckled, twirling the syringe in his hand. He approached Kid, pointing the needle in front of his face. "Let's bring you inside now."

"That stuff isn't necessary." Kid got his voice back, saying this nervously. "Why don't you just put that down? I'll go in. I promise. I won't fight it." He could no longer hide the fear in his voice. He hated that stuff so much, and all the same feared it.

"I think I'll take my chances." Arthur was about to plunge the needle into Kid's shoulder when the shinigami moved frantically, his feet slipping out from under him.

At first there was nothing. he was on the hot, metal floor of where he stood a second ago, laying flat on his back. Then there was a pain in his eye that hurt really bad, stinging, burning horribly. He cried out and was reaching up to his left eyes with his hand when a soldier bent down and stopped him. "Don't move." Arthur said, still standing above him. "Men, get him up."

The soldiers did as told, getting Kid to stand. Kid reached up again, this time allowed to, and felt what was bugging his eyes.

The syringe needle was in his eyes. The glass barrel was broken, the liquids leaking out. The weight of the syringe on his eye made his want to scream. He cupped his eye, the remaining of the syringe sticking in between his fingers.

"Hold still." Arthur instructed. Kid backed away, crying in agony. The sensation was so odd. It was painful, but... electrifying. Shocking, even. He breathed quickly, verging on hyperventilating. "Don't move. You'll be fine."

Kid backed up back into a soldier, who held him in place.

Arthur got Kid to put his hands down. The armored hand reached up and cupped Kid's eyes, and with the free hand, he gripped the remaining syringe. "Brace yourself." Arthur warned. "This is going to hurt more than when it came in."

He yanked out the syringe, the needle coming out with it. Kid's eye was still in it's socket thanks to Arthur's hand.

"Aha-aw ah haah~" Kid didn't say anything is any language, he just reached up, pressed his hand against his stabbed left eye, and uttered nonsense in no specific tongue. Just random noises that showed his obvious suffering. He was on his knees, blood seeping in between his trembling fingers.

"Come on." Arthur forced Kid to stand, the young reaper leaning weakly against him, still holding his eye. "Let's get you inside."

*.*.*

Elizabeth looked at Patty, her hands on her hips. "So, how are you feeling?"

Patty shrugged her shoulders. "I'm fine, sis." The usual goofiness remained, thank God.

"How about you, Tsubaki?" Liz turned to Tsubaki, who was sitting on the floor.

"I'm fine." Tsubaki answered, sounding empty inside. "I think I might be a little sick, though. I think I have a cold."

"How do you have a cold?" Patty asked.

"I don't know." Tsubaki answered. "The floor is pretty cold."

"How are you feeling, Keira?" Liz asked at last, turning to Keira.

Keira looked down to her hand, anger written over her face. "Like hell. I'm not feeling good at all." She looked up at Liz and the others, and then stared back down at her hands. "Not only am I feeling ill, but I want out of this place, and it's killing me that we haven't made just about any progress."

*.*.*

Kid ignored the pain as he was floated along the river-like transportation system. The soldiers had pressed against the back of his neck, their rods, and Arthur stood right behind him, kneeling down to meet his already knelt figure.

"How are you feeling?" the man asked.

Kid didn't reply. He just sat there, not bothering to answer.

Ten minutes passed and Kid still couldn't' see. Somehow his eyelid had already healed, but the eye was still blind and throbbing.

Something caught Kid's eye. Well, someone caught his eye as he passed the cells.

Kid jumped into the water off the floaty thing they rode on. He swam in the water and got onto the cold floor, tripping over to the cell and grabbing the bars. "Father!" He was shocked. Absolutely shocked. His heart skipped a beat with joy.

"Kiddo!" Lord Death wrapped his skull arms around Kid, his son burying his head between the bars and into his father's black cloak. Kid couldn't help but sob. And then he quickly composed himself and turned to face Spirit, Sid, and Nygus. His heart sank at the sight of Spirit, immediately thinking of Maka.

Maka may not seem to care about her father, but there's still something that told him she did. The realization of what was going to happen came over him. He wasn't in the position of saving anyone. As a prisoner, what could he do?

"Father, I'm sorry." Kid swallowed, still feeling a lump in his throat. "I really am sorry. This never would have happened if I had just kept my mouth shut."

"Don't be. The IHK would have found a way to screw things up either whether you did that or not." his father assured. "Even now I feel guilty about what I said to you. Please forgive me. I am the one who should be sorry."

"How's my Maka?" Spirit spoke up worriedly, hoping he didn't ruin Lord Death's reunion with his son. "Is she okay?"

"Last time I saw her, she was." Kid replied, happy to put Spirit's mind at ease as best he could.

"Why are you here?" Nygus asked, her voice rising in what seemed to be anger. "You shouldn't be here. How did you even get here?"

"Stop that, Nygus." Sid warned. "Don't yell at-"

"It doesn't make sense!" Nygus pushed Sid away, clearly annoyed by her zombie partner. "You can't do anything as a prisoner! Did you put yourself in this position?"

Lord Death spoke up with slight threat, "Now, Nygus. I know you're upset, but-"

"No, Father." Kid stopped his dad from going any further. "Miss Nygus has a point. I... came here on my own terms."

"But your eye..." Spirit looked at Kid's closed left eye. "What happened? You're all bloody."

"I came here on my own terms, but was brought inside by force."

"Is that so... I'm sorry." Nygus apologized, still slightly on edge.

"There's no need to apologize. I'm an idiot for coming here how I did."

"I love you, Kid, know that." Lord Death stroked his son's hair. "I can't wait for those Sanzu lines to come in. I suggest you go now, though."

"About the lines of Sanzu, Father, what-"

Kid was cut off by a stab to the side, a painful shock, and his head being bashed against the bar.

He was then brought back onto the floatation device, light-headed and dizzy.

As he floated past, he noticed some other familiar faces.

"Kid!" Liz and Patty screamed, eyes widening.

"It's you!" Tsubaki and Keira shouted.

The four girls ran up to the bars, Angie just sitting there, not knowing the big deal about the moment.

Kid wanted to reply, but he couldn't because a rod had been shoved in his mouth, keeping him from speaking.

When he passed the girls, there was so much he wanted to say, but he couldn't even make a noise without being shocked.

And then he was shocked, and everything went black.

*.*.*

Aisling watched the sky darken, laying down. Yawning, she ate some food, drank some water, and went to sleep. It might take a few more days, even a week, but she was determined to get to where Kid was.

*.*.*

"So, Maka, what's your mommy like?" Amber asked curiously. "I've never met her."

"My mamma's the nicest woman in the world, but she's also super strong and you wouldn't want to see her angry." Maka blushed, thinking proudly of her mother.

"Maka's mom is really nice like she says." Crona agreed. "I visited some other parts of the world with Maka and her mom."

"Cool!" Amber laughed, "That must have been lots of fun!"

"It was." Crona smiled kindly.

The girls had gone swimming in a large public pool for a break. Amber was scheduled to go with Professor Stein and Marie in two hours to the West coast to do some investigating, so she wanted to hang out with the other girls.

Kim and Jacqueline also swam around with them, hanging out more with each other than with the others.

"Where's Ox and the others?" Maka asked Kim when the pink-haired girl swam underwater, threatening to attack her feet.

Kim came up out of the water, Maka repeated the question, and Kim replied, "The boys went training again. I think Blackstar's with them. I'm fine with them working their heads off. I wouldn't mind if Ox got less flimsy and pencil thin. Speaking of boys, where's Soul?"

"He said he was going to the big auditorium down the street from here." Maka looked out towards the rest of the large pool. The water was surprisingly cool with the sun beating down and the many other people swimming and splashing around.

"Why?" Jacqueline asked, popping up behind Kim.

"There's a piano there, and he plays." Maka answered.

"I'd like to hear him." Kim sighed, putting an arm around Jacqueline's shoulder. "Jackie, wouldn't you like to hear it, too?"

"Of course." Jacqueline nodded, full agreement with her meister. "It sounds like fun."

"Oh, Amber," Kim turned to the black-haired girl. "What's it like being placed as a leader, even though you're human, and a child?"

"It feels normal. I was used before for identifying the Dunkleosteus Maka and Soul spotted while on a mission. I like that I'm not just hanging back anymore. It'll be an interesting experience working as a leader. And by the way, humans are just as capable of being leaders than a meister or weapon."

"Yeah, Kim." Maka took Amber's arm. "And besides, do you have much to say, being a witch?"

"Whoa, don't go there." Kim glared at the pig-tailed blonde.

"Yeah, don't go there, Maka." Jacqueline glared as well, protective always of her dear meister. "Kim's good. You know that. She's perfect leadership material!"

"Calm down, Jackie."

"But, Kim, she-"

"I know. Don't worry about it. Isn't it that witches aren't really a threat anymore? Some things were solved? We should worry about the IHK. Not ties and leaders."

"Sorry." Maka said sincerely, bowing her head and dunking under water. She came back up, closing her eyes and saying "Life is so weird right now. I can't wait till Mama comes here. She'll brighten things up."

"Any more information of the European kids coming with her?" Amber hummed under her breath patiently.

Maka thought for a moment, hand on chin, and then dropped her arms, shrugged her shoulder, and answered "I haven't heard anything else."

"I can't wait to meet them." Crona commented. "I can't wait to see how your mom is doing, too, Maka."

"I doubt much as changed." Maka combed her wet hair back with her fingers. "I wonder if she'll be curious about me, too."

*.*.*

"They have him!" Liz screamed in a fit of rage, bashing her hands against the bars. "How could they?! How dare they! I'll kill them!"

None of the girls even considered stopping her. "I can't believe it." Tsubaki shook her head, more sad than angry. "They got him. Just like that. How did they do it, even? How could Kid let himself get captured?"

"Who knows." Keira paced, rubbing her hands against her arms, trying to warm up. Her nose was reddened and her eyes were watery from illness. If only she knew what she was sick with. "Oh my, oh my. This isn't good. This isn't good at all."

"What are you up to, Kiki?" Angie asked, not really understanding the situation from her sitting place on the floor. She also seemed to like the nickname.

"First off, please don't call me Kiki. Second, the reason this is such a big deal is because Death the Kid, the black-haired boy with three striped on the left side of his hair, is Lord Death's son as we have mentioned before. Do you remember who Lord Death is? Sometimes Liz talks to him from all the way over here to all the way over where he is."

"I know that guy." Angie giggled. "I know him! Liz talks to him!"

"Yes. The reason Kid being captured is so bad is because he is a friend, and he could be important for defeating the IHK." Keira's face wrote utter disgust. "I don't care how he got in those bastards' clutches, we're gonna get him out of them."

"How?" Patty asked, the cheerfulness gone from her voice.

"What can we do?" Tsubaki asked, truly wanting an answer.

"Please." Liz turned to face Keira, sorrow and rage emanating off of her. "Give me some hope. How can I fight for him?"

Keira thought for a minute, stopping her paces. Then her eye lit up, and a grin came over her face. "I'm not sure how long it will take, or if it can work without outside help..."

"What's with that look on your face?" Patty asked, some cheerfulness returning.

Keira nodded to herself, as if going over whatever was on her mind. "I'm grinning like an idiot because I've got a plan."