We're Missing Something
3rd POV:
Soul looks around and sees nothing but darkness; unable to move around, the white-haired Demon Scythe sees drops of red moving around. "Where is this place? It's dark. I can't even myself. It hurts. Which way is up, and which way is down? Where am I supposed to go?" He slowly opens his eyes. "Help me." He looks up and sees a bright light, growing closer/ "Light? A way out?"
"No…stop!" Soul hears Maka cry out.
"A voice? Maka! It's Maka's voice! Wait there! I'm coming !" He calls out to her, moving towards the light. "Wait there! I'm coming now!"
"Soul!" She calls his name as he reaches towards the light, slithering his arm out.
CHAPTER FOUR
Soul's arms burst out of the surface, blood covering him as he slithers out, hearing his Meister, Maka, scream, he looks to see himself crawling out of her stomach, both of them screaming in fear and shock.
CHAPTER FOUR
Soul wakes abruptly, screaming in his hospital bed, alerting Maka, who sits by his bedside; she jumps up to his side as he thrashes around on the bed. "Soul! Soul!" The blond calls his name, but he continues to scream; Medusa walks over, hearing him and Maka.
"What's the matter?" The sandy blond asks the Meister.
"Dr Medusa! It's Soul…" She mutters, looking at the writhing Demon Weapon, holding his hand; he seems to come to his senses, gripping hard on Maka's hand. "Soul…."
"I'm all right," Soul assures her, catching his breath. "I'm all right. I just had a nasty dream," Maka looks at him and sighs in relief, glad to see him doing better.
"Good. but if anything does come up, call me right away, okay?" Medusa tells him and walks outside the curtains to give the partners some privacy. "Ragnarok's black blood has become mixed within Soul Eater." She grins to herself. "It looks like he might become one of my research subjects."
CHAPTER FOUR
"Father, why do I have to be here?" Rebecca asks her father, who sits at one of the tables in the extensive library at the Academy.
"You wished to experiment again; I'm studying up on the next project," He informs her, and she looks at Franken Stein with a smile.
"What's the idea?" She asks but gets interrupted as Sid walks in with a glum-looking Black Star.
"So, what am I supposed to do?" The assassin asks the zombie teacher, both Steins looking at them.
"Cleaning. Putting the library back in order," Sid informs him.
"Huh? No way, that's a big pain!" Black Star complains about the large amount of work.
"Listen, you, on your last extracurricular lesson, you didn't nab a single soul, did you?" The zombie questions.
"That's what remedial lesions are for, right? I'm always doing them, so I understand it well. I don't want any of this plain remedial stuff! Cleaning?! Ugh! That won't make me stand out! You do it! Isn't there anything else to do? Like when I fought the professor and Miss Stein?" The loudmouth questions, complaining, and Rebecca scoffs.
"He'd lose that fight; he did lose that fight," She grumbles, looking at her father, who nods. "Father, can you help me with self Soul Resonance again?" She asks him, and he looks at her, his interest piqued.
"Look, Black Star, your power is up in the top level of your class. And yet you're a perpetual no-soul remedial lesson fanatic. You have to feel bad for Tsubaki, who's trying so hard." Sid groans and walks to the door. "Right now, what you need is punishment. Do something you don't like, and mend your ways!"
"You can help me if you want," Black Star shouts after him, not wanting to do it alone or do the work at all.
"I don't pamper my students. That's not the kind of man I was," He replies and closes the door behind him, leaving the loudmouth assassin.
"What do I do about this?" He looks at the large piles of books around him and finds a comic book, sitting on one of the piles, laughing to himself. "Charisma Justice is the best! He's the next biggest guy after me! So they've even got comics in the library! I'm gonna skip the professor's class tomorrow and come here again!" Again, he giggles to himself, and Rebecca smirks, hearing him, seeing as her father will be working at the lab. She'll be covering the class, meaning she can punish the blue-haired assassin.
"Hey, you! Keep it down in the library!" Kid snaps at Black Star, who looks up from his book to see who it is.
"Sorry. Kid?! What, are you here to be punished, too?" He asks the young Shinigami.
"I'm here to borrow a book. I wanted to look at some magnificent works of art. I'd like to take the book that's under your bottom. Do you mind?" The Shinigami asks, looking at the pale, covered book, and Black Star sees the book in question.
"Oh, this?" He plucks his book and hands it over to the boy. "What is that?" He looks at the book title. "E…eckesuka…fibra…?"
"Excalibur," Kid corrects him.
"What's that?" The loudmouth questions.
"They say it's a legendary sword, also called the Holy Sword. The one who pulls the sword from the ground, and frees it, will be named a hero and extolled forever. I've heard that someone who obtained Excalibur in the past even rose to become a King. I'm certain such a sword possesses beautiful symmetry. How wonderful!" The baby Shinigami beams.
"Hero! Kind! That's perfect for me!" Black Star exclaims.
"Yeah, Excalibur," Stein mutters, walking over to the two teen boys.
"What? Professor, Miss Stein, are you here to be punished, too?" He asks them.
"What are you talking about?" Stein asks the assassin and Shinigami, having blocked out most of the conversation, too invested in his book.
"Do you know anything about the Holy Sword?" Kid asks him, and the Steins share a look.
"The Holy Sword Excalibur…was too much for even me," He replies, looking away from the boys.
"What a pain," Rebecca mutters with an eye roll, remembering the Weapon unfondly.
"What! You made an attempt at it?" Black Star asks in shock.
"To think that even you couldn't pull it out, Professor…." Kid mutters and looks closely at the book in his hands. "The Holy Sword Excalibur…"
"Now I'm really interested!" The assassin grins, sharing a look with the young Shinigami.
CHAPTER FOUR
Spirit and Maka stand outside, watching the sunset in awkward silence, her father trying to gain back his daughter's affection after the divorce. "Say, Papa, about that Demon Sword, Ragnarok…" Maka breaks the awkward silence, her old man looking at her, knowing her thirst for knowledge.
"Long, long ago, Meisters and Weapons worked under Lord Death to maintain world order. Meisters and Weapons are not permitted to take the soul of a human for any reason whatsoever. That rule has filtered down since then to be a natural moral. That's because while the life force of human souls can elevate a Weapon's abilities easily enough, along with gaining power, that Weapon loses their human heart. However, there were Meisters that broke that rule. In their constant battles, those Meisters could not bear their fear of death and started to go after human souls. The Meisters kept secretly feeding their Weapons, human souls. As a result, a Kishin was born. Death Weapon Meister Academy is a place for recovering souls who have left the human path and turned into Kishin eggs, as well as overseeing and educating Meisters and Weapons from the time they are young. This is all to keep the Kishins, who engulfed the world in a maelstrom of terror, from ever being born again." Spirit explains, and Maka processes the information.
"Then, that Demon Sword was…" She mutters, but he still hears her.
"Yeah. When a witch gets involved, they dissolve a Weapon down and transplant it within a Meister as black blood. Right now, it is the closest thing in this world to being a Kishin, no question. It's not just the Demon Sword, either. There are still people who could potentially become Kishins." He informs her and feels she needs to know about Soul. "What's more, there's Soul, who now has black blood in his body."
CHAPTER FOUR
Having to check on Black Star, Sid goes back to the library, peeking inside. "Well now, is Black Star hard at work?" He questions and sees the sparkling clean floor, the books all gone. "Oh! See, you can do it if you just try!" He beams, rushing into the room in awe.
"Professor Sid, once I put this book away, I'm all done," Tsubaki announces as she sits on the floor, much to the teacher's surprise.
"Tsubaki?!" He exclaims and looks around for the blue-haired assassin. "Why that dirty little brat! He dumped this on Tsubaki, and now where is he?! I hate it when something crooked is pulled! That's the kind of man I was!"
"No, it's quite all right! I enjoy cleaning." She argues, trying to keep Black Star out of trouble.
"If you're looking for Loudmouth, he went to get the stupid Holy Sword with Symmetry nut," Rebecca informs her fellow teacher, who looks over to see the greenette standing with her father, who's reading a book.
"Has he done something wrong?" Stein asks him.
"Holy Sword? You mean the Holy Sword?" Sid questions in surprise.
"Yes. Excalibur," He answers.
"The legendary sword, which rends the air and upheaves the ground?" He asks, looking at the Steins, confused by Tsubaki looking between the three teachers.
"Let's stop thinking about it," Rebecca replies and sits down in her chair, starting to read as her father twists the large screw to stop his thoughts on the troublesome Weapon.
"Yeah. Still, in a certain sense, it is the ultimate remedial lesson. I forget unpleasant things right away. That's the kind of man I was. Now then, I have to go grade those tests." He walks away, leaving a confused young Weapon.
"Um, Dr Stein, Miss Stein, what kind of Weapon is the Holy Sword?" She asks them, seeing Sten turning away back to his book, and Rebecca sulks, ducking her head at the question.
"Oh, that… Whoever obtains it is adorned with wings of light and is able to move places instantaneously. One swing of the sword can cut through space itself. It is, without a doubt, the most powerful Weapon in the world." Stein explains.
"But only a chosen hero can match soul wavelengths with it, right?" Tsubaki questions.
"Uh, well, that's not true, either," Rebecca corrects her with a solemn look shared with her father. "Surprisingly enough, he can match with anyone."
"Even though their soul wavelengths might match, there isn't anyone who is a match for Excalibur on a personal wavelength," Stein adds, remembering his own experience with the eccentric Weapon.
CHAPTER FOUR
The next day, Black Star walks the halls of the DWMA with Tsubaki behind him and spots Death the Kid with Patty and Liz, both noticing the other, seeming to come to a conclusion and shake hands. "We both have fine partners, huh?" Black Star questions.
"Mm-hmm," Kid agrees, and all three Weapons look at their Meisters in confusion, wondering what happened yesterday between them.
"Hey! The gang's all here," Soul greets the group, who look at the white-haired Weapon as he approaches.
"Soul!" The loudmouth greets his best friend. "Are you all better already? The party just doesn't get started without you around." The best friends bump fists in greeting.
"Yeah, thank you," Soul replies with a grin, and Kid notices the other students giggling around them.
"Hey, Black Star, I get the feeling that people have been laughing at us for a while now," He announces, stepping over to the blue-haired assassin.
"Those two?"
"They did it?"
"Yeah." A group of girls giggle, and Maka walks out of the classroom with Rebecca in tow.
"Hey, Black Star, Kid, come inside the classroom, quick," The blond instructs the pair, who look at her and follow the girls inside to be greeted with an unsightly scene; they look at the pink flowery pictures of the Holy Sword with their names underneath.
"Is he serious?" The boys question, and Rebecca giggles to herself, and Soul walks over with Maka, seeing the greenette's smile, and can't help but smile as well, liking the sight of her smile, as it's a rare sight.
"What is this?" Maka questions as she looks at the display.
"Yeah, it's intense," Soul agrees.
"Really, obnoxious," Black Star grunts.
"Neausiating," Kid grunts, both Meisters hating the display from the legendary Weapon; Rebecca can't hold it in anymore and laughs, gaining their attention.
"Man, this is better than the one my dad got," She laughs.
CHAPTER FOUR
Tsubaki stands in the Death Room in front of Lord Death, who looks down at the young Weapon. "The Enchanted Sword Masamune… At the rate he's going, he will become a Kishin. Are you sure about doing this? It will be a difficult battle," He warns her, knowing the history between both Weapons.
"I will stop the Enchanted Sword Masamune myself," She assures him with certainty.
"What does Black Star say?" He asks her, seeing her look of surprise and guilt as she looks at the floor.
"I haven't told him everything yet. However, he said he would entrust his soul to me." She replies.
"Did he?" Lord Death questions, surprised at the assassin's response. "You have a fine partner there, huh?"
"Yes," Tsubaki replies with a grateful smile at Lord Death and her Meister.
CHAPTER FOUR
The Crescent Moon class sat in their designated classroom, looking at the chalkboard to see the message from Dr Stein. "Man, I wonder what Dr Stein is up to. You don't think he's passing on this class, do you?" Maka questions, growing bored.
"What does it matter?" Soul asks her, leaning back on his chair with his feet propped on the desk. "It's been a long time since we've had a cool morning. And that hyperactive idiot isn't around, either."
"You mean Black Star?" She asks him. "Now that you mention it, neither is Tsubaki," She looks around, not seeing the quiet Weapon.
"Maka, haven't you heard?" One of the girls' questions, Maka looks over to the girl next to her.
"Earlier, in the faculty room, the teachers were talking. They said Black Star and Tsubaki went off to get the soul of the Enchanted Sword." The other girl informs her.
"Enchanted Sword?" Maka asks, getting up from her seat.
"I hope they're all right," The girl replies, and her friend hums in agreement.
"The Enchanted Sword is apparently on the verge of going Kishin," She adds, and Maka looks at Soul, who looks back at her.
CHAPTER FOUR
"Lord Death… Why did you send those two there?" Maka demands as she stands in front of the Shinigami inside the Death Room.
"J-Just a minute! Take it easy! And who asked you here, anyway?" Lord Death questions, looking surprised at the two students, and behind them standing the Steins, who try to defend themselves.
"Death Weapon Meister Academy rule number 118 states: 'In the event of an emergency, students are free to come in'," Maka informs him.
"It does?" Lord Death questions in surprise.
"What sort of fellow is this Enchanted Sword, father?" Kid questions, walking into the room with his Weapons; the others look over to see them.
"Kid, you're here, too?" He questions, looking at his son.
"He wouldn't be anything like that Demon Sword guy, right?" Soul asks Lord Death.
"The Demon Sword…" Maka repeats, feeling the same dread as her Weapon.
"The Enchanted Sword is not accompanied by a Witch. In fact, you could say he is more vicious because he's alone. The Enchanted Sword takes advantage of the fear in people's hearts, possesses the souls of the ones he acquires, then controls their bodies." Stein informs the students.
"Then, he consumes their souls. Unless he is stopped, he will become a Kishin." Rebecca adds, a dark look forming over the two Steins' faces. Lord Death tries to break off the tension and turns to the mirror behind him; the mirror lights up, showing the fight between the boy possessed by the Enchanted Sword, and Tsubaki holding the sword, and a bright light covers the mirror, the others unable to see what is happening.
"What happened?" Kid questions.
"Tsubaki has gone inside the Enchanted Sword," Dr Stein informs them.
"Why would Tsubaki do that?" Maka asks herself. "We have to stop this, right now!" She looks at Soul, who doesn't move.
"How is a Weapon supposed to fight without its Meister?" He questions, looking at the mirror as it clears to show Tsubaki sitting in the dirt with Black Star standing over her.
"Well, you see…since it's inside their souls, anything could happen, and it wouldn't surprise me. Besides, Tsubaki is the only one that can face the Enchanted Sword." Lord Death informs them as they watch.
CHAPTER FOUR
Tsubaki's soul stands inside the Enchanted Sword's inner soul, the pale pink sky with a dark purple crescent moon with a creepy grin and blood dripping down like a waterfall as she stands in the bright pink water surrounded by stick figures. "This is the inside of the Enchanted Sword. Where are you? You'll be coming after my soul to possess me." She mutters to herself.
"Soul possession? No… I'm going to devour your soul just the way it is." Masamune replies, and Tsubaki turns to see him sitting on the arm of one of the stick figures. "I'm glad you're here… Tsubaki," He takes his hat off, showing his face.
"Brother…" She greets him and conjures her chain scythes while he conjures his sword.
"Say your prayers!" They snap at each other.
CHAPTER FOUR
The students, Lord Death and Steins, watch as the villagers attack Black Star, who sits in the mud keeping Tsubaki safe as she fights her brother inside the Enchanted Sword. "Black Star's refusal to pay attention to them is amazing, huh?" Lord Death questions, impressed with the young assassin's restraint.
"Imagine the Enchanted Sword and Tsubaki being brother and sister," Maka comments as she watches her friends.
"But Black Star still doesn't know that, right?" Soul asks the Shinigami.
"Mm-mm, he trusts her, after all," He replies.
"Tsubaki isn't moving. Is she all right?" The blond questions with worry. "What is she doing inside the Enchanted Sword?"
Hmm, the thing about that, you see…." Lord Death says and removes the feed of Black Star and Tsubaki, showing the reflection of the Steins, the older one eating Rebecca's lunch as she tries to take it back, gaining their attention, looking back at the Shinigami.
"We brought snacks!" The Thompson sisters exclaim, coming back to the Death Room with arms full of food.
"Hey! The nerve you have, at a time like this!" Maka yells at the fellow blonds and their Meister, and Rebecca huffs as Dr Stein takes another mouthful.
"Dad, I made that for me!" Rebecca whines, Soul looks at the greenette with a grin, seeing her acting less tense around them.
"Well, let's see…." The older Stein starts. "...to put it simply, she's in a sort of soul tug-of-war with the Enchanted Sword Masamune." He huffs as his daughter takes another try at taking his lunch box, and she gives up with a huff, standing next to the white-haired Demon Weapon.
"As the Enchanted Sword moves to use his ability to possess her soul, Tsubaki is countering by trying to absorb him." She explains.
"And the hunter becomes the hunted, huh?" Kid remarks, eating a sandwich with his Weapons. "But does Tsubaki have any chance of beating him?"
"It will be difficult," Stein replies. "Their battleground is in her opponent's sandbox, and soul possession is the Enchanted Sword's trademark move. The probability of Tsubaki winning is extremely low." Rebecca takes his chopsticks and eats the treat before her father, who looks at her with a playful glare.
"Brother and sister, fighting to the death!" Liz weeps as she clings to her sister, who seems unfazed. "I couldn't even think of going on living without you, Patty!"
There, there," Patty tries calming her sister.
"Weakness of the mind is what makes one choose the Kishin path. The Kishin sought power in order to escape the fear of death." Rebecca comments, the others looking at her, seeing her share a look with her father.
"Why has the Enchanted Sword Masamune chosen to walk this path in Search of power?" Dr Stein questions, more to himself. "The Nakatsukasa family that the Enchanted Sword Masamune and Tsubaki both grew up in is a clan possessing special Weapons, handed down for generations."
"The previous generation's abilities should have been passed on to the oldest son, Masamune," Rebecca adds, remembering her childhood the arguments her mother and father would have about their daughter's Weapon forms. "However... For some reason, all of the power went to Tsubaki."
CHAPTER FOUR
Masamune holds Tsubaki above him with his creepy stick figures as he looks at her, blood covering her shoulder, side and face. "Do you have any last words?" He asks her. "You are the flower without fragrance, after all. You have nothing to say, right up to the end?" He moves her closer and moves the tip of his blade to her chest. "Your soul…is mine," He strikes her through the chest; she gasps in shock and grows limp.
CHAPTER FOUR
"She's taking on the Enchanted Sword alone? That's crazy," Maka comments as they look at the feed on the mirror of Black Star being continually attacked by the villagers and the still figure of Tsubaki.
"It's true, Tsubaki is a multi-varied high-performance Weapon, but her opponent is too much for her. We should have been the ones to go." Stein remarks, looking at his daughter, seeing the look of agreement.
"She's not alone," Soul points out. "Black Star is right there, isn't he? It's because he's there with her that Tsubaki can fight."
"Right," Lord Death agrees and turns to face the others. "What's important is right here." He holds a hand over his chest. "Tsubaki's charm may lie in her special versatility, but that's not where her strength is. That's in her soul."
CHAPTER FOUR
Tsubaki finally moves, lifting her head, alerting her Meister, Black Star, who jumps to his feet in delight. "Tsubaki!" He calls her name in excitement, but it soon turns to panic as she begins to disappear into the glowing hilt of the sword. "Tsubaki is going inside the Enchanted Sword…." He falls to his knees. "You're kidding, right? Tsubaki…has lost?"
CHAPTER FOUR
"Tsubaki!" Maka yells for her best friend. "No, I can't watch!" She closes her eyes, turning her head away from the mirror's reflection.
"Such dramatics," Rebecca coos as she looks at the students with a smile, seeming to know something they don't.
CHAPTER FOUR
Black Star jumps to his feet and over to the older man. "Old man, let me have that stick!" He yells, fighting for the stick, grabs it from the old man, and pokes the blade of the Enchanted Sword. "Hey, Tsubaki! Come on out, will you?! You haven't lost, right?! Your stage performance is better than that, isn't it?" He taps at the sword in a flurry of panic. "Encore! Encore! Encore! Encore! Encore! Encore! Encore! Encore! Encore! Encore! Encore-" He continues to yell when a puff of smoke erupts from the sword, throwing Black Star away. "Ow!" He groans and looks at the giant cloud of smoke to see Tsubaki stepping out.
"I'm back, Black Star," She greets him calmly.
"Tsubaki…" He mutters in shock, seeing her standing before him.
"I went and saw my brother," She informs him as he jumps to his feet.
"You did, huh? Welcome back. Are you okay?" Black Star asks her.
"Yep," She replies with a fake smile; he sees through her.
"Are you sure you're all right?" He asks her.
"Yes, I'm fine," Tsubaki replies, assuring her Meister, but he doesn't buy it, seeing her close to crying. "Come on over here!" He holds his arms out to her. "Let Black Star give you a hug," She looks at him as he smiles at her, and the floodgates open as tears fall, and she launches at him, hugging around the middle.
"I'm sorry!" She cries, letting it out and looks up at him after a few moments. "Black Star, you're covered in blood. Are you okay?" She asks him, and he pats her on the head.
"Never mind about me," The assassin assures her, but the calm is broken as one of the younger villagers smacks him on the back of the head with a piece of wood. "All right, you…!" He growls and kicks the attacker.
"Sonny!" One of the women cries out, Tsubaki looks in shock at her Meister's actions.
CHAPTER FOUR
Tsubaki and Black Star walk down the long hall towards the Death Room, finally back from their assignment. "Hey, Tsubaki, now that we've defeated the Enchanted Sword and settled the score from your past, you're going to go on being my Weapon, right?" He asks her, causing her to stop, and he comes to a stop, turning around to face her.
"Yes!" She replies with a grin.
"Yeah!" He grins back at her, and they walk into the room to be greeted by Lord Death, the Steins and their friends.
"Welcome back!"
"You guys…" Black Star grunts, surprised at the welcoming surprise.
"I'm so sorry we made you worry," Tsubaki exclaims, bowing in apology.
"Howdy! Good work!" Lord Death congratulates them.
"You two were amazing!" Maka exclaims as the blue-haired assassin walks up the stairs to join the others.
"You finally got a soul, huh?" Soul teases them, walking behind them.
"The problem student clears his name," Kid jokes.
"You made us wait long enough, didn't you?" The Demon Scythe laughs.
"I've gotten ahead of my time," Black Star replies with a grin.
"You did it, Tsubaki," Maka congratulates her.
"She cried, you know," Liz lies, pointing at her sister.
"That was you, sis," Patty replies with a glare.
"Lord Death, I may have underestimated these kids," Stein informs the Shinigami as he sighs, readjusting his glasses.
"They are all young and still growing up, after all," Lord Death replies, and Rebecca smiles.
"Attention!" Black Star shouts, gaining everyone's attention, looking over to the top of the mirror. "I'm about to show you all something incredible!"
"When did he…?" Kid and Soul question as they look at their friend.
"Get this? Tsubaki has added a new mode!" He announces and jumps down into a crouch on the floor. "Here goes, Tsubaki!"
"Right!" She eagerly rushes over to him and reverts to her new Weapon form.
"Enchanted Sword mode!" He announces and holds out his hand, the katana sword appearing; he stands to his feet and swings the Weapon, creating a large gust of wind, amazing the others, but it doesn't last as he falls onto his face, and Tsubaki appears back in her human form.
"Black Star!" She cries out, helping him, placing his head in her lap.
"My soul wavelength was taken away, all at once," Black Star mumbles, looking awfully pale.
"Looks like Black Star isn't ready to handle that one yet," Rebecca teases the blue-haired loudmouth.
"But what a surprise. She even inherited her brother's power," Dr Stein mumbles.
"I was born too soon, all right. The times are always behind me," The assassin mutters, still feeling drained.
"There's no rush. Let's move forward, together," Tsubaki reassures him with a smile.
"Sounds like you need some training," Rebecca adds, looking at the blue-haired Meister, who looks at her in disbelief.
CHAPTER FOUR
At the Witches Realm, they gather at the castle of the Grand Witch. "Joma joma dabarasa Joma joma dabarasa. This Witches' mass is hereby opened." She announces as she floats above them, looking over the familiar faces with her one good eye.
"Joma Joma dabarasa," The Witches mutter, bowing their head to the superior Witch.
"Come along, Crona, Ragnarok," Medusa orders the pinkette.
"Yes, Lady Medusa," They comply, following behind her as she walks down one of the pathways out of the castle, but they're stopped by a fellow Witch. Medusa looks over at the pair of Witches, the frog-like Eruka and mouse-like Mizune.
"Just a minute," Eruka orders the older Witch.
"Oh, dear," Medusa muses as she looks at the young Witches.
"Huh? We're being blocked. I don't know how to deal with this," Crona panics.
"Button it, would you?" Ragnarok snaps, squishing his Meister's cheeks. "Now give me your spare change!"
"Did you need something, Eruka Frog?" The sandy blond asks, causing the Witches to ribbit and ch-ch-ch.
"I truly can't stand you," The white-haired Witch informs her.
"Oh, my. I'm not the only one who brought Non-Witches outsiders along. See? That little Witch over there brought along a human." She points over to Angela atop Mifune's shoulders.
"Mifune, I'm getting hungry," Angela announces to the older male, who sighs.
"Witches' masses sure are being cheapened, huh?" Eruka comments as she looks over at the pair.
"All right," Misfune replies.
"But that's not what I wanted to talk about. I saw you steal something from the Old Witch's room. Also, what on earth are you doing, sneaking your way into the DWMA?" She asks, and Medusa snaps her fingers.
"Crona, coat," She orders, and the pinkette steps forward, holding her snakeskin coat.
"Roger wilco," They reply as she gets into the coat.
"My research at the Academy will continue to be carried out. That was the conclusion arrived at by the Witches' mass, was it not? The Old Witch said so herself, didn't she?" She replies and walks away, but Eruka throws her staff out in front of the sandy blond again, stopping her.
"Just a minute! The Old Witch's eyes are poor, and she does not realise what a nuisance you've become. The DWMA is an organisation that is out to get Witches' souls! With one slip-up by you, all of us could be exposed to danger. What's more, how can you be trying to create a Kishin, something that could easily become an enemy to the Witches? Get real! We're tired of looking at you!" Eruka snaps, and Medusa, having had enough of her running her mouth, twirls around on the spot, slithering her hands into their open mouths.
"Why, you little frog and mouse… I'm going to punish you." She grins at them, seeing the frightened look on their faces.
"R-Ribbit…" The white-haired Witch mutters around the blond's hand, who slips it out, wiping the spit away.
"I'm in a hurry. The school nurse can't very well be late, can she?" She asks rhetorically, seeing the fear as the two younger Witches fall to the floor, and she walks away. "Joma Joma dabarasa."
"Why, you miserable snake-woman…!" Eruka sneers as she watches the blond walk away.
"Ch-ch-ch!" Mizune replies angrily.
CHAPTER FOUR
Medusa sits in her office with Soul, his shirt off, displaying the large stitched up scar across his chest as she uses her stethoscope to check his previous injury. "Would you turn around for me?" She requests, and he complies, spinning on the stool, facing away from her. "How have you been feeling?"
"There's been nothing unusual, really. But for some reason, lately, I've been having this weird dream." Soul informs her, and she stops, intrigued by the new piece of information.
"A strange dream?" She repeats.
"Mm-hmm. In this dream, I'm always in this room, where everything is pitch black. There's a phonograph there, which skips something awful, playing this dimestore jazz song I think I've heard somewhere before. Before long, this guy always appears from the other end of the room. A little demon, wearing a double-breasted suit and dancing this strange little step, out of rhythm with the music." Soul explains his dream.
"Why don't you want to leave the room?" Medusa asks him, seeing the panic on his face.
"When I leave the room, the darkness goes on. Then, I see a light. When I go through it, I…am coming out of Maka's stomach." He begins breathing heavily, remembering the traumatic dream.
"My goodness," The Witch muses with a smirk. "Ragnarok's black blood clearly seems to be having an effect."
"So, how am I, physically?" Soul asks, turning around to face her.
"Oh, you do have a slight arrhythmia, but you are recovering nicely." She replies and places her clipboard on her desk. "Okay, let's take your blood pressure. As for your dream, people often have the same or similar dreams repeatedly, so you need not worry about it. Or was there something else you're concerned about?"
"I wouldn't say I'm 'concerned' about this, but ever since I got hurt, Maka seems to be acting strange." He tells her.
"Oh, sorry to hear that."
CHAPTER FOUR
Maka, Blair and Black Star look down at a clay jar full of water in confusion inside the Crescent Moon classroom. "A jar?" The blue-haired assassin questions as he looks at the item in front of him.
"Yes, a jar," Rebecca replies a little sarcastically.
"Why a jar?" He asks her, looking at the jar suspiciously.
"Well, the jar is just an ordinary jar; it's the water that's inside the jar. It's called Soul-Sapping Water, and it's water that sucks out one's soul wavelength." The greenette explains with a friendly smile.
"The jar is all things considered, just an ordinary jar. Try sticking your hand in it for a moment," Dr Stein instructs the young male Meister.
"Yeah… I'm still iffy about the jar, though," Black Star mutters and places the tips of his fingers into the water and feels the effects of the Soul-Sapping Water, taking away a large amount of his energy; he gasps, jumping back in fear. "What is this?! That jar is dangerous!"
"The water is," Rebecca corrects him with a giggle.
"Start off by only sticking in one finger at a time," The older Stein instructs him.
"So, once I can withstand sticking my whole hand in here, I'll be able to use Tsubaki's Enchanted Sword Mode?" He asks, getting excited.
"That's right," The Steins reply.
"Fascinating!" The assassin grins, picking up the jar lifting it over his head. "Lately, all I've been doing is muscle training with Miss Stein," Maka exclaims in disbelief, feeling left out. "What?"
"No fair. How can you get so strong by only doing muscle training?" Maka asks him, with Blair sitting on her shoulder in her cat form.
"Isn't that obvious? I'm Black Star! I'm on a whole different level from you! I'm a big man who transcends God, after all!" He boasts, flexing his muscles.
"No fair. Dr Stein, give me one of those jars, too," She demands, feeling left out.
"I can't. That is for Black Star to become able to use Tsubaki's Enchanted Sword Mode." Dr Stein explains to her, and Black Star sits back down with the jar.
"I won't let myself be outdone by this jar!" Black Star punches the air, motivating himself.
"Black Star himself probably doesn't realise he's doing it, but by calling himself a God, 'big,' and so forth, he's driving himself, in effect," Rebecca explains as they watch the blue-haired assassin as he dips his fingertips into the water.
"He's driving himself?" The blond questions as they watch him.
"Indeed," She replies/
"'There's nothing that big ol' me can't do. Of course, I can do it.'" Stein quotes. "Thus, he doesn't mind expending effort to that end. He makes the attempt, over and over again. He seriously is trying to surpass God."
"He's bound to get stronger," The greenette comments, smiling.
"Right," Maka nods.
"But that's Black Star's own way of strengthening his soul. Maka, you should have your own way of doing it." Stein tells her, seeing the look on her face.
"My own way of doing it?" She repeats, feeling down.
"Wavering and being anxious isn't a mistake. But right now, Maka, you're definitely lacking something." He informs to her surprise.
"I'm lacking something?" The blond asks, looking up at the Doctor.
"Once you find out what that is, come see us," He instructs her and sees Black Star with his hand in the water. "I told you, start off with only one finger. You can take the jar with you. Go home for the rest of the day." He walks out of the classroom.
"Say, Maka, what about the party?" Blair questions, looking at the blond.
"Oh, that's right!" Maka exclaims, remembering, and sees the look of confusion on Rebecca's face, hearing about the party. "I was going to throw a party to congratulate Black Star and Tsubaki on their soul recovery and to celebrate Soul getting discharged."
"I see, that's very nice of you," The greenette smiles and goes to leave.
"You can come too if you'd like; it'd be nice if you were there," Maka invites the Death Scythe, who looks at her in shock.
"Be sure to make some tasty fish dishes," Blair requests, and Rebecca smiles.
"I'll be there," She replies and looks over at Black Star, who lets out a yell.
"What a moron," Maka groans, and Rebecca nods, both girls walking out of the room.
CHAPTER FOUR
"Okay then, Soul, come back here in one week," Medusa instructs him, finishing his exam, and a knock sounds, and the door opens to Maka with Rebecca behind her.
"Excuse me," Maka says, and looks at Soul to see the scar running across his chest, and looks away, feeling the intense guilt. "I'm going to start the party now. Don't be late, okay?" She tells him and leaves the room quickly.
"It looks like your scar is the cause, huh?" Medusa comments and the door opens again to Rebecca walking inside.
"Whenever she sees this scar, she gets a pained look on her face," Soul tells her, holding his shirt over the scar.
"It won't last forever, scar buddy," The greenette tells him, and he looks up at her in surprise.
"Scar, buddy?" He questions, taking his coat off the side putting it on.
"Yeah, we both have scars on our bodies, you on the chest and me around my leg… Oh, right, you were unconscious when I told the others." She replies, going to the door with him. "I had my leg chopped off on a mission when I was training as a Demon Weapon." She opens the door and looks back at the sandy blond. "Good day, Dr Medusa," She bids her goodbye with Soul and leaves the room.
CHAPTER FOUR
Soul and Rebecca walk down the hallway, the white-haired Demon Weapon looking at the greenette. "How'd it happen?" He asks, breaking the silence that enveloped them.
"My Meister at the time and I were on a mission, they became careless, and I suffered the consequences. I told Maka, and she seems to be taking it to heart. I admire both of you. You care about each other; my previous Meisters were more concerned about completing the mission than anything. Maka needs to realise that you did that to protect her, it was your actions, and it's admirable; more Weapons need to follow." She explains, and he looks at her in surprise at her words.
"I see, thanks," He mutters, and she smiles.
"Soul, you and Maka work well as a team, and at the moment, you need to talk about what happened if you want to continue as partners." She warns him, and he nods. "Because I may have been one of the younger Death Scythes ever, but not all Weapons can do it alone."
"Yeah, I still can't believe you were only eight, but considering your dad is Dr Stein, it makes sense," Soul remarks, and she looks at him.
"My mother is a Death Scythe also before she left us," Rebecca adds and keeps walking, not fazed by reply, and Soul looks at her in surprise. "Come on, we don't want to be late to the party for you, Tsubaki and Black Star."
CHAPTER FOUR
The students from the DWMA and Rebecca sit around in Soul and Maka's apartment, having finished their little feast courtesy of the blond. "Flavour notwithstanding, I sure am stuffed!" Black Star exclaims, patting at his swollen belly full of food.
"The way you say that is somewhat galling," Maka mutters, glaring at the blue-haired loudmouth.
"That was delicious, Maka," Tsubaki comments, smiling at her friend,
"Yum, yum," Patty smiles, tapping at her stomach.
"Thank you for that," Liz adds.
"Yeah, it was nice," Rebecca remarks as she sits in between Tsubaki and Liz on the long red couch.
"This is a nice place you live in, isn't it?" Kid comments, looking around the small apartment. "Everything put away, nice and tidy."
"If I make any messes, Maka nags me," Soul informs him.
"It's just the two of you living here?" The baby Shinigami asks, looking at the white-haired Demon Weapon next to him.
"Yoo-hoo, is everyone having fun?" Blair asks, walking into the room in a towel. "Say, does anyone want to come take a bath with me?" She lets the towel fall to the floor, everyone looking at her in shock at her naked body, Soul getting a nose bleed, falling onto the floor.
"Is it always like this?" Kid asks.
"Yeah, somebody, take this sex kitten home with you," Soul pleads as he leans against the coffee table.
"I will," Rebecca volunteers, everyone looking at her. "I could use a new experiment subject." They all sigh at her, seeing the spark in her eyes, similar to her father.
CHAPTER FOUR
Within the streets of Death City, Medusa walks alone after her day at the Academy, heading back to her home. "Infiltrating the DWMA was worth it. With that black blood mixed in, perhaps I should conduct some tests with Soul Eater." Medusa thinks to herself and takes out the key she stole from the Grand Witch's room. "I do have the key," She comes to a stop, sensing the approach of the two younger Witches. "Oh, my. What a coincidence, meeting you here."
"I think you already know this without me saying it, but shall I say it anyway.?" Eruka asks the snake Witch.
"Yes, by all means," Medusa smiles, the fake friendly one she uses within the walls of the Academy.
"Ribitty… We've come here to kill you," She announces.
"Why?!" The blond gasps, faking dramatic fear. "How awful! We're friends, aren't we?"
"We just want to avoid attention from Death, use our magic, and raise a little hell. We don't particularly care what you want to do at the DWMA. You're dangerous," The white-haired Witch tells her.
"That's why you came to kill me, then?" Medusa asks her. "But before you do, I should warn you about one thing. That outfit is dangerous. You plainly look like a Witch. However much you cast Soul Protect on yourself, there are many young Meisters that live here. Do you understand my meaning?"
"Don't you worry," Eruka tells her. "Unlike you, we are able to use transformation magic. If it comes to it, we can use that to escape."
"I see, so that's how you're planning to beat me?" The blond questions, not impressed.
"We know that normally, we couldn't beat you in a fight. But here, you want to remain an ordinary school nurse," She remarks with a smirk. "You can't very well drop your Soul Protect and use your magic, can you? We can launch a unilateral magical attack against an ordinary lady who has Soul Protect cast on herself. If you fight back in order to use your magic, we'll use our transformation magic and get away. You'll end up revealing yourself as a Witch to the Meisters, and you'll be hunted. Whether you release your spell or not, we still win. The frog and the mouse defeat the snake. Not a bad job of croaking a superior for a mere frog."
"So not only am I to be killed, I have to listen to your puns, as well?" Medusa questions, having listened to the plan on killing her. "That's pretty cruel treatment."
"Soul Protect release!" The frog and mouse Witches release the spell, activating spells, cornering the snake Witch. "Farewell, Medusa!" Said-Witch looks at her, not impressed.
CHAPTER FOUR
Maka feels the sudden appearance of two souls, feeling the magic; Rebecca shares a look with the blood. "That soul impression…." She thinks to herself and stands to her feet. "A Witch!" She announces, spooking the others.
"What's suddenly come over you?" Liz asks her, nearly spilling her cup of coffee over her lap.
"Two of them. What are they doing in Death City?" She wonders and looks at the Death Scythe.
"We'll be right back," Rebecca tells them, and the two rush out of the living room.
"Hey, Maka, Rebecca!" Soul shouts after them as they leave the apartment, not seeing the look the others all share at him, calling their teaching assistant by her first name.
CHAPTER FOUR
"I've wanted so badly to see your face contorted in screams. But there's so little time. It's too bad," Eruka remarks as she holds to large tadpoles with sharp teeth in her hands, ready to strike.
"You are indeed a frog and a mouse," Medusa taunts them.
"Ch-ch," Mizune growls.
"This is the way you were planning to beat me? You shall be punished," She warns them, taking off her lab coat revealing her bare arms. "You will not be my research subjects."
"You want to fight, huh? We'll run away!" The white-haired Witch growls and looks at the older Witch. "Well, what are you waiting for?! Release your Soul Protect-" She notices the sandy blond's clear arms, the snake tattoos missing. "Ribbit! What happened to the tattoos on your shoulders?!"
Oh, my, wherever could they have gone?" Medusa plays dumb, looking over her shoulder at the mouse Witch, who begins to cry out, something moving underneath her cloak.
"What's wrong, Mizune?!" Eruka yells. "You don't mean it's inside Mizune's body?! It couldn't be! When did you…." She remembers when the older Witch had her hands in their mouths. "Don't tell me you did it back then!"
"I keep a thousand snakes within my body," The blond informs as she holds her arm in the air, the snakes under her skin moving around. "Those are only a few of them," She clicks her fingers, and the snake erupts from the mouse's body, causing the pinkette to explode with a cry, and the snake slithers around in the air.
"M-Mizune!" Eruka cries, looking at her fallen friend.
"Swallow her up until there's nothing left," Medusa orders with a slimy grin.
"But how? Those snakes are magic, too, right? How did you do that without releasing your Soul Protect?" The young Witch shrieks as she looks at the blond Witch and the snake that killed her friend.
"These little ones are simple magical life forms. They have nothing to do with my Protect. My pride and joy. She responds to simple signals," Medusa explains as the snake slithers into the Witch's arm, marking her skin. "I can't produce doves, but it's still pretty neat, huh? You realise, don't you that Mizune isn't the only one they've gone inside?"
"R-Ribbit…" Eruka gasps, knowing what danger she's in, and they hear the sound of someone running towards them, distracting the older Witch, allowing the frog Witch to transform and make a run for it.
"They came, all right. That was fast." The blond mutters to herself as she sees the Steins and Maka rushing towards her. "Stein…Rebecca…and Maka."
"Dr Medusa…" Maka greets the sandy blond.
"We sensed two Witches in this area just now," Stein announces.
"Yes, I felt them too and came running," Medusa replies, and Rebecca glances at the older blond.
"It could have been one of the Witches from when Soul was injured," The young blond says with hope, wanting some sort of revenge for what happened to her friend.
"It may have been," The older blond replies, wanting the attention off her Witch self.
"No, I don't think it was," Rebecca cuts in, gaining a dark glance from the older blond.
"That Witch had the Demon Sword and a Meister along with her. If she were one of the Witches that was here, she wouldn't have released her Protect in the middle of Death City for no reason. It is apparent that she has an interest in Weapons and Meisters, so maybe she is quietly laying low and observing. If she were here, that is." Stein adds, explaining his theory.
"Or, maybe she came to apply pressure or something to the D WMA. Like what happens with schools for delinquents." The greenette adds with a fake smile.
"In any case, Dr Medusa, I'm so glad you weren't hurt. We would be in a lot of trouble if our school nurse was laid up." He says, and the older blond looks back at him.
"Absolutely," Medusa replies with a smile.
"Still, if I ever see that Demon Sword and Meister again…" Maka mutters to herself. "Soul, I can't go on like this. And I've made up my mind to become stronger, too…." She thinks to herself, remembering the horrible moment, and Soul finds his friend finally, running towards them,
"Maka! Rebecca!" He calls out to the girls, who look back as he runs towards them. "Are you all right? Don't go off on your own! It's dangerous!"
"Soul…" She says, and he looks at her, and she drops her eyes to the cobbled street. "I…averted my eyes from your scar, Soul." She closes her eyes, dropping her head and places her hand slowly onto his chest, where his scar resides. "I have to face this scar. I can't let Soul go through that again. I will not be beaten by my fears." She opens her eyes with a determined look on her face, seen by Rebecca, who smiles at the young Meister.
"Where's this suddenly coming from?" Soul asks her, looking at her a little spooked.
"Dr Stein…" Maka calls after the madman.
"Yes?" He asks her, looking at her, and she steps over to him.
"I know…what it is that I'm lacking," She informs him, and he looks at her with a smile, remembering Rebecca said the same thing.
"You do?" He asks her. "She has the courage to fight her fear." He looks at her, her reflection showing in his glasses. "Okay, tomorrow, you and Soul come to my office."