Owls and Souls, Witches and Resonance

by Jarl of the North

We all know the story. The Witches held a nigh unbreakable sway over the world, abusing their magical powers with reckless abandon until the Grim Reaper led a war upon them with humanity, breaking their hold and defeating their evil... but, perhaps, the tale is not so clear cut as the history books say. This is the story of a Death Scythe's daughters, and the people they love.

9. Dread Examinations

I do not own Soul Eater or Owl House.

If I did, this would be the official material.

---

Day three.

Spirit leaned over the trash-can, gripping its edges as he did everything in his power to keep himself from violently ejecting his lunch.

'Come on, Spirit,' he coached, fighting the rising bile in his throat, 'That was a perfectly good hot dog and you've experienced more spinning fighting and dancing with Makoto. No reason to get sick. No, no reason at all.'

Luz patted his back with a worried, but reassuring smile, the screams and laughter of the park well accompanied by the bright colours and vibrant blue sky.

"Maaaaaybe we should avoid the spinny rides from now on," she suggested.

Her father's only response was to groan into the bin.

---

"What the Hell do you mean, it's not gonna work?"

Black Star's voice was doing nothing to assist Maka's pounding headache; she took a long, slow sip of her tea, caught somewhere between praying for its soothing effects to finally reach the contents of her skull, and chucking her mug, scalding hot contents and all, into the shinobi's face.

"I mean, you're not understanding how Sid actually processes sensory information now," she explained, in as calm a tone as she could manage, "He's not using his eyes and ears anymore. Even if he weren't dead, most of his frontal lobe is kaput. Depriving him of his senses isn't a bad idea, but covering his eyes and plugging his ears isn't going to do much. That's why Tsubaki's smoke bomb mode didn't really do anything to him last night."

Black Star grumbled as he sat back in his chair, arms crossed, though for once, he did not fire any sort of comment back. Instead, his brow creased in what Maka could not believe was something he was actually capable of – thought.

"… uuuuugh, you're right," he groaned, arching his neck back to stare at the ceiling, "And I had this whole idea ready, too…"

"It wasn't a bad idea," Tsubaki piped up in support, smiling from the other side of the table, "We're just up against an unusual opponent is all. We can't expect normal methods to work."

"To be honest, I'm surprised you two are even here," Soul finally returned to the room, setting a steaming cup in front of the Dark Arm Meister and Weapon before sitting down himself, taking a sip of his coffee, "I didn't think you'd want to talk strategy."

"Don't get the wrong idea," Black Star snorted, "I'm here because I want to prove Sid wrong. I'm not interested in making nice."

"… well, it's better than nothing," Maka muttered, closing her eyes and taking another sip.

Black Star's only response was to reach for his cup and bring it up to his nose, sniffing it, "… ginseng?"

"… yeah," Maka's eyes narrowed, "How'd you guess?"

"I keep some in stock in case one of us ever gets sick. Works wonders for making you feel better," with that, he took a long, slow sip, "… not bad. Not perfect, but not the worst tea I've ever tasted. Tastes like it's steeped a little too long though."

"… never took you for a tea guy," Maka confessed, "I thought you'd be slamming back energy drinks every chance you got."

"Ugh, no," the sheer disgust in Black Star's tone was palpable, "I've got better things to do than drink actual poison."

She blinked, the only tangible response she could come up with being an incredulous "Huh."

"At any rate, I don't think we really know enough about Sid's weaknesses to really formulate a plan," Tsubaki's expression grew more serious, "He's far too strong for us to fight directly, and the fact that his senses have completely changed in nature means that conventional methods aren't going to work. And unfortunately, I don't think the time we have left will be enough for us to properly coordinate our fighting styles to fight him."

"So what do you suggest?" Soul asked.

"I think for now, we should simply continue to observe; keep probing for weaknesses where we can," she smiled, "Between the four of us, we should be able to find something."

---

The bag jerked back under the force of the Latina's punch, her knuckles colliding with the dark leather. The machine lurched slightly, the red numbers cycling…

"Come on, come on…" Luz murmured, rubbing her sore fist as the machine calculated the force of her strike…

Only for the number 19 to blare across its screen.

She let out a low whine as the machine refused to spit out any tickets, a mocking, low-quality laugh track echoing in the background over the shouts and squeals around her.

Dad snickered, "Told you that thing was rigged."

"Everything's rigged," Luz snapped, pulling her cat hood over her head as if it could somehow help her hide.

"Yeah, that's how they make their money, usually," he mused, stepping up to the machine himself with his eyes narrowed, "Buuuuut, just because they're rigged, doesn't mean they can't be won."

The Latina slowly poked her head out of her hood, tentatively curious, "But doesn't that contradict the definition of 'rigged'?"

"All they've really done is change the objective of the game, Luz," he explained casually, taking out a coin and slotting it into the machine, "They exploit people by making the games nearly impossible to win. They might not make much money off the individual, but enough people try, and they'll be swimming in cash."

"… so, then, how do we win?" she asked, finally letting her hood down.

"Simple," he covered his eyes, raising a hand to the bag, middle finger curled down and held in place with his thumb, "We do what they do; find an exploit."

He flicked the bag. The numbers spun.

And the machine started vomiting tickets as the numbers stopped at a full 100.

"… how did you…?" she started, kneeling to gather all the tickets the machine had violently spat out.

"Not me. Stein," he chuckled, helping her gather the pink papers, "We stole one of these things once, back when we were partners."

She grinned, her tone and posture mischievous, "That sounds like a story."

"One that can wait until we've cleaned this place out," he returned her toothy smile, "You ready to cheat some cheaters?"

She straightened, all the tickets stuffed into her bag, "Let's do it!"

---

Getting beaten by Sid was beginning to feel like a routine; a routine Maka was quickly getting sick of.

Even with Black Star cooperating – in the loosest possible definition one could have of cooperation – there was only so much they could do before he either left them too battered and bruised to continue or just up and left.

His fist collided with Soul's blade, sending her skidding back across the ground before he dove, emerging from the earth just as quickly with a blindingly quick uppercut.

The Scythe Meister maintained her momentum, using it to step back and swing her partner, hoping to catch the zombie in the side.

He shifted forwards almost imperceptibly, his knuckles quickly closing the distance towards her brow.

She took a breath, braced herself-

And ducked, pulling Soul with her so Soul's blade bit into Sid's back.

"That maneuver won't work twice-!"

"YA-HOOOOO!"

Before Sid could finish his sentence, Black Star shot in like a blue tipped bullet; he soared overtop of Maka's head, his fist colliding with Sid's chest, Tsubaki's ninja blade in his other hand.

'Here it comes, Maka!' Soul warned, 'This is gonna sting!'

'I know,' she acknowledged, 'Just make sure you don't let go!'

"BLACK STAR BIG WAVE!"

The ninja's Soul Wavelength pulsed through the former professor's body like a controlled earthquake; even with both the zombie and Soul acting as a buffer, Maka could feel the force of the blow running through her. She could feel her bones shift, her joints jolt painfully in place, every single muscle in her body seeming to abruptly bruise all at once.

The outward projection of Soul Wavelength in one of its most basic forms.

A physical shockwave.

It only lasted a second or two, but it felt far longer; she heard Sid choke, as if in pain, but she was too preoccupied with her own sensations and internal mantra to register it. She heard Black Star's voice above, but the words were too garbled for her to make out; instead, she pulled harder, trying to pull Sid to the ground.

But once again, it proved fruitless.

Sid struck, sending Maka hurtling backwards across the ground and Black Star through the air. She caught herself mid backwards roll, skidding to a halt on the dry earth.

'… you okay, Soul?' she asked.

'Jesus tap-dancing Christ, that hurts!' he shouted; on the other end of their link, the Meister could feel her Weapon's ache, projected into her own bones and muscles through her palms, 'I've got a newfound respect for Tsubaki. How the Hell does she handle getting hit directly with that Soul Wavelength all the time?!'

'She probably doesn't take hits that big from him on a regular basis,' she noted, 'Even so, she's tougher than I give her credit for. I don't think I could handle Black Star's Soul Wavelength constantly the way she does.'

"… so, you've finally started working together," Sid rumbled, rubbing the back of his head, "Better late than never I suppose, though it's still rather lopsided. You're not working to each others' strengths."

"Starting to get real tired of the lectures, Sid," Soul shot as Maka rose to her feet.

"The lectures will stop once you've figured out how to beat me," the zombie raised his fists again, ready to go on the offensive.

---

Luz felt bad for the guy running the prize stand.

He looked exhausted; his half lidded stare was one that had clearly seen too much of the same thing already, like someone who had ridden a roller coaster so many times that it no longer brought them any sort of joy. His skin was a painful, sunburnt red, peeling in places on his arms and face, his red shirt and hat doing nothing to make the image seem any less painful.

And upon seeing the stacks upon stacks of tickets in their arms?... Luz could have sworn she saw what little light was left in his eyes abruptly shrivel up and die.

"… welcome to the prize counter," he sighed, his voice dead, "What do you want?"

"Weeeell…" Luz let her eyes wander about the many toys and plushies that lined the walls; all of them were possessed with some veneer of cuteness, but even with as many tickets as they'd won, she'd never be able to take them all. How would she even carry them without dropping some and getting them dirty?

Besides, other people were bound to win tickets at some point.

They deserved plushies for their victories as well.

Finally, her eyes landed on it.

An owl, almost as large as she was, with deep brown feathers that gently faded into an umber underbelly, golden eyes wide as it sat lopsided, giving it an almost quizzical tilt of the head.

It was like sparks flew from her eyes to her stomach, growing into a raging fire of desire.

As she walked away with her arms clamped around her prize like a vice, she heard her father chuckle.

"What'd I tell ya, Luz?" he grinned, "Did we get all the tickets, or did we get aaaaaaaall the tickets?"

"All of them," she repeated, glancing up with a smile of her own, "Hasta el último."

---

Pain ran up through Black Star's spine as his back collided into the grave, the tombstone toppling over in an unceremonious heap on impact. He rolled back without even opening his eyes, feeling the air rush past his forehead as Sid's heel collided with the ground where his skull once was.

He hurled the first of Tsubaki's Kusarigama, "SCREW-"

---

Day four.

They sat across from each other as the sun made its way across the horizon, casting the living room in a warm brilliance that was only enriched by the smell of chocolate and the sound of flipping pages.

Luz had always found the Lord of the Rings a difficult story to read; it lacked the urgency of any story she had read before, with a meandering pace that could only be achieved by writing down every little detail of a journey, from the most important climactic events – her favourite so far being the Ring Wraiths being carried away by the river – to the most inane of possible details, including what exactly the Hobbits had for breakfast upon waking.

And yet, when her father read the tale, she found her impatience wane; his voice carried her from her seat to the campfire the Fellowship had gathered around, as if she were there, hanging off every word spoken.

Granted, it helped that Dad was really good at doing the voices.

She kept her eyes closed with a gentle smile, sipping at her hot chocolate.

Sometimes, this was the perfect way to spend an afternoon.

---

Night five.

Maka only realized she'd mistimed her swipe when it was too late to stop her momentum.

Sid's kick slammed Soul's blade into the wrought iron fence, the razor sharp blade cutting cleanly through each with no resistance.

The heavy iron bars fell, one after the other, forcing the Meister to dive out of the way even as Soul cursed enough for the both of them, "-THIS-"

---

Day seven.

The Latina bit at her lip, scouring the innumerable papers and worksheets on the table.

"Is something wrong, Luz?" Mami set the plate down, concerned.

"Estoy bien," she smiled, though it felt plastered on like poorly done paper maché, "I'm just… nervous. First exam is in two days, and…"

"Hey, you're gonna do fine," Papi assured, "You've been doing excellently these past few days. You just gotta treat it like any other school day."

At this, Luz flinched; even before Mom delivered the discreet clap upside the head she could see his expression morph from a calm smile to pure panic.

Immediately, he backpedalled, "Okay, uh, poor choice of words…"

"It's okay," she stated, the words rushed, "Really. I get what you're trying to say…"

"It's like a band rehearsal!" he quickly amended, "The only difference between rehearsal and a concert is that you have an audience during a concert."

Again, Luz flinched, drawing a low hiss through her teeth, and Mami's hand slowly rose to her temple, letting out a slow exhale.

"… I thought you liked band class?" he asked.

"… you never heard about that time I got banned from the band room, did you?"

"… no," he finally settled, deflating, "No I did not…"

An awkward silence fell over the living room before her mother finally leaned down, placing a hand on their daughter's shoulder.

"You're going to do perfectly fine, Luz," she gave a gentle smile, "I promise. With how well you've been doing, you should pass with flying colours."

The Latina managed a smile of her own, "Gracias, Mami."

She could only hope that her parents were right.

---

Night nine.

Soul could feel the dents in his Scythe form as he was thrown around alongside his Meister, the Wavelength-infused marble of another tombstone chipping his blade upon contact every time Sid swung it.

He was grateful that he didn't need to be sharpened like an actual blade would, stuck in a fire, melted down and reshaped to make sure all the damage was gone; much like his normal body, his blade and staff would gradually repair themselves, healing much like flesh and bone.

But that didn't mean the experience wasn't uncomfortable or even excruciatingly painful.

Doubly so as he felt Maka's knees shred open as she skidded across the ground, prompting her to shriek, "-HORSE-"

---

Day ten.

Luz let out a deep breath, doing her best to bring herself back to some state of calm.

She could do this. This was what all that time studying had been leading up to.

She just had to settle down, and do the test.

She opened her eyes, picking up her pencil, pointedly not looking up at the clock or the teacher or the students around her as her first final finally began.

Spirit watched through the door window for a moment as Luz's pencil flew across the page, her head shifting as her eyes swept back and forth between her test and the answer sheet; he'd done all he could, for now. Doing the test was up to her.

He broke away from the door, making his way down to the faculty offices.

It didn't take him long to find the principal's office.

Already, he could feel the anger boiling away in his stomach. Already, he was struggling to direct it in a way that was constructive.

But he didn't let it show. He only took a moment to compose himself before pushed through the door.

"Principal Hal?" he asked, feigning a veneer of professionalism. The heat of his usual black suit went a long way in helping him maintain the façade.

"… yes?" the man stopped typing, and slowly looked up from his computer.

"My name is Spirit Albarn," he kept his hands in his pockets, not bothering to sit down, "I'm here in regards to your faculty's treatment of my daughter."

"… and that would be…?"

"Luz Noceda."

"Ah."

The dismissive irritation in the principal's voice was only reinforcing Spirit's growing urge to break his nose, and possibly his glasses.

'Keep it together, Albarn,' he reminded himself, 'You're better than that.'

The principal let his gaze fall back down to his computer, his tone thoroughly annoyed, "I don't remember you scheduling an appointment, Mister Albarn."

"I didn't," he acknowledged, "This visit is impromptu."

"Then I must ask you to leave me be," the typing resumed, "I've already spoken extensively with your wife-"

"Camila and I aren't married," he spoke quickly, cutting Hal off.

The older man glared up at the red haired upstart, "… be that as it may, I've spoken extensively with her regarding your daughter. Decisions have already been made. I have enough to deal with as it is without adding more disgruntled ranting from parents to the list."

"Oh, I'm not just here as a parent, Mister Hal," Spirit felt his lips twist into a grimace that facsimiled a smile, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a card, placing it on the desk.

The half-second glance the principal gave it was quickly followed by a shocked stare as he read the ID. A sick satisfaction rose through Spirit's stomach as Hal's face went deathly pale, his eyes slowly rising and his typing grinding to a complete and utter halt.

"I'm here as a teacher," the Death Scythe continued, picking up his ID and finally taking a seat now that he had the principal's complete and undivided attention, "And speaking as a teacher, I must say… if the way you treat her is any indication as to how this school's faculty operates, then I find your treatment of your students to be absolutely deplorable."

---

They were getting closer.

The cuts they left behind were getting deeper; with every clash there were more and more tears in Sid's clothing, more gouges in his skin. Every time Maka and Soul were forced back by the zombie, Black Star and Tsubaki were hot on his heels. Every time the ninja and his Magic Dark Arm were pushed to retreat, the Scythe and his Meister were immediately back in the fray.

But it wasn't enough.

Sid always anticipated what was coming next. He could read their movements as easily as an open book, and didn't even need to see them with his eyes to react accordingly.

Even the few direct hits they had managed to land hadn't worked; how can a man who feels no pain and suffers no consequences from his wounds be beaten into submission?

Maka let out a long, slow breath as she watched, waiting, Black Star's admirable agility being the only thing keeping him ahead of the zombie's brutally quick and precise strikes. It was only a matter of time before the blue haired boy's movements failed him, and she would need to step in and give him a chance to catch his breath…

The strike caught him in the ribs.

Maka was on the advance before it had even concluded.

Black Star let out an audible wheeze before he was thrown into the air. Somehow he managed to regain his balance and catch himself on a grave before collapsing to one knee, gasping for breath with a hoarse shout, "-SHI-!"

"Black Star!" Sid barked, his tone equal parts scolding and appalled, even as he spun to block Maka's swing, "Language!"

"That's… really… what you're worried about?" the Dark Arm Meister managed, pushing himself back to his full height.

The Scythe Meister tuned him out, simply continuing to spin, Soul's blade a crimson flash in the evening light, her internal mantra overclocked as she struggled to keep up the pace, 'Keep up the pressure, keep up the pressure, keep up the pressure.'

A rush of air as she barely dodged an incoming fist, the zombie's knuckles gently grazing her cheek.

A mite of resistance as Soul's blade nicked his skin once again, opening a sizeable, dark gash.

'Soul?'

'Don't worry, Maka. I've got them,' he promised, 'Just keep this up until Black Star regains his breath. This is probably our last shot.'

'I know,' she blocked an incoming kick, then threw it off, spinning around the zombie and into a slash that she hoped would catch him across the back; instead, he spun in turn, raising a hand to deflect the swipe so that it instead grazed his arm. She clicked her tongue, 'That's what has me worried…'

Regardless, she kept going, heedless of her already burning muscles and lungs.

"Tsubaki! Smoke Bomb Mode!"

Black Star's voice had regained its usual vigour and volume; immediately, the world around them was blanketed in a swirling smokescreen so thick that Maka couldn't even see her own arms. The only reason she knew where Sid stood was because of the sound of his feet scraping on the dirt.

"Really?" his tone was flat, unimpressed.

'Soul, now!' she ordered.

He emerged from the blade of his Scythe without any verbal response, grinning as he took the cigarette lighter to the fuse of the fireworks he'd been keeping in his hood.

"You already tried this trick once, Black Star, what makes you think it'll work-"

The fireworks hit the ground as soon as Soul returned to Weapon form, and Maka squeezed her eyes shut; but even through her eyelids, she could see the brilliant flash of vermillion as the fireworks went off, every bit as hot as they were blinding, accompanied by a deafening series of cracks and shrieks.

Sid let out a shout of mixed shock and pain, and her heart leaped into her throat. She swung Soul with all her might, catching Sid across the neck, hooking him back towards her and completely destroying his balance.

"Tsubaki! Kusarigama Mode!"

The smoke dissipated along with the light; Maka's eyes snapped open, watching as time slowed to a crawl. Soul's blade was pressed against the front of Sid's throat in a grim facsimile of a guillotine, the zombie struggling to regain his balance in the precious fractions of a second he had before the airborne Black Star landed atop him, driving both feet into his chest and spinning both of Tsubaki's kusarigama on their chains before hurling them.

Maka immediately released Soul.

Weapon and Meister, as one, shot to either side of the falling zombie as the chain wrapped around him, each catching one of Tsubaki's small blades by the handle. Together, they pulled, and the chain went tight as Sid finally hit the ground.

The former professor struggled to break free from the chains and get out from under Black Star's weight, but with his arms bound there was precious little he could do; by the time he tried to flip back and grab the shinobi's head with his legs, Black Star had already shifted up and out of his reach, grinning as he drove his heel into Sid's skull with every ounce of force he could muster.

Immediately, his body went slack, limp in the grip of the chains.

And all the while, the fireworks continued to go off like a cacophony of gunshots and angry spirits.

"What was that about being incapable of working with Maka, Sid?" the ninja sneered, crossing his arms, "I'm the biggest star there is! There's nothing I can't do!"

"… well, we got him," Soul huffed, not letting go of the chain or letting it go slack, "Now what?"

"Now," Tsubaki began, her head and shoulders emerging from Maka's hand scythe, "We should get into contact with the DWMA and call for extraction. Our part in this mission is complete; the rest should be left to the school faculty like Lord Death said."

Out of the corner of her eye, Maka saw Black Star bristle – but before he could say anything, a low groan emanated from the bound corpse between them.

"… well. I must admit, I can't say I was expecting that," Sid slowly pulled himself up, shaking his head.

"… I'm surprised you're still conscious," Maka muttered, redoubling her grip on Tsubaki's chain.

"I will remind you that I'm dead, Miss Albarn," he didn't look up, "Consciousness for me is very different from consciousness for you. It will take more than a heavy blow to the head to render me unconscious."

"How about two?" Black Star cracked his knuckles.

"Looking for an excuse to keep punching a bound and beaten man, Black Star?" the corpse asked, tone disapproving.

"Considering what you've put us through over the past week and a half?" the Dark Arm Meister huffed, "I'd say one kick to the head is letting you off light."

"As much of a brute as ever, I see," he stated dryly, before finally raising his head, glancing at all four of them, "But what I want to know is what led you four to attempt such a reckless, hare-brained scheme in the first place."

"Process of elimination," Maka stated flatly, "A war of attrition was right out because you would never get tired; actually beating you outright also proved to be impossible with our current strength and skill level."

"I'd have gotten him eventually," Black Star postured, puffing up his chest with a smug grin.

"Moreover," the Scythe Meister continued, pointedly ignoring the ninja, "Taking you down with a stealthy approach would also have been exceptionally difficult, if not outright impossible to do; even without your senses working so much differently from our own now, you were a Knife Meister, Sid. Combined with your burrowing techniques and the hand-to-hand fighting style you use, it's not hard to work out that you specialize in stealth combat. We'd be trying to beat you at your own game in a scenario where your senses were essentially overclocked, to the point where you could see Black Star with no issue through Tsubaki's Smoke Bomb Mode."

"Which left us with one option," Tsubaki smiled, "Taking advantage of those overclocked senses of yours."

"So you used a combination of fireworks and a smoke bomb?" Sid raised an eyebrow.

"The fireworks were my idea," Soul smirked, "We needed something that was both easily concealed and that would disorient you upon being set off."

"The smoke served to disperse the light in such a way that it would surround you almost completely," Maka elaborated, "Combined with the bright colours and flashes and the noise the fireworks made, we hoped it would be enough to give us an opening we could exploit."

"… that was reckless of you," the zombie sighed, "Reckless and haphazard."

"It was our best option," she insisted, "A flashlight wouldn't have been powerful enough and a floodlight with speakers would have been too obvious. I didn't want to use fireworks myself, but the plan wouldn't have worked otherwise."

"… and work it did."

Maka blinked; was that… approval in Sid's voice?

"You surveyed the situation, learned from your previous encounters and mistakes," he recounted, "And most importantly, you managed to collaborate in a way that, while hardly flawless, allowed you to get the upper hand at a crucial juncture and finish the battle."

"… but we still haven't solved everything," Tsubaki began, a certain steel to her tone, "Have we, professor?"

The zombie offered no response.

"That's right," Black Star grinned, "We still don't know who turned you into a zombie, do we?"

"… you're not going to be getting it out of me that easily," Sid stated, resolute, "I won't sell-"

"Was it Doctor Franken Stein?"

The silence that followed over the next few seconds was one of confusion as Soul, Tsubaki and Black Star collectively blinked, staring at her in hopes of an explanation.

But Maka kept her eyes on Sid as he slowly raised his head, aiming his milky white eyes directly at her, his lips curled as far down as they could go in their rigor mortis as he did everything he could to stop himself from showing his astonishment, "… where did you hear that name?"

"Did a little reading in my spare time," she said offhandedly, and to her credit it wasn't a lie – though there was infuriatingly little information on the man beyond his career as a Meister, leaving her only with context clues regarding his link to the current situation.

Thankfully, those clues were fairly blatant.

She tightened her grip, "Now answer the question."

He squirmed uncomfortably in the chains, teeth grinding as he desperately groped for an answer…

"It's absolutely this Stein guy, isn't it?" Soul chuckled.

Sid let out a frustrated groan, "I wasn't a liar when I was alive, and I'm not about to start now. Yes, it was Professor Stein. But you won't get his location out of me so easily-"

"The Mary Shelly Laboratory on Lavenza Lane," Maka quickly rehearsed, rising to her feet, "Up on Adam's Hill, right?"

"… again, how?"

"I did some reading," she repeated, tugging on the chain, "Alright, guys, let's go report back to Lord Death-"

"No way."

Everyone's eyes were on Black Star as he crossed his arms, nostrils flaring.

"… Black Star, our job is finished," Soul spoke, "We have Sid-"

"But we don't have this Stein guy," Black Star insisted, "If we stop here, we're leaving the job half finished."

"So, what, you want to go after the guy who killed Sid?" Maka asked, incredulous.

"Maka," his tone was unusually serious as he levelled his gaze at her, "Think about this. Sid's acting on his orders, right?"

The ninja glared at the zombie with narrowed eyes, "He's probably been monitoring everything Sid's been doing since he was killed. He might even know Sid's been beaten – for all we know, he might be hearing everything we're saying right now. We don't have time to go chat with the Reaper; every second we waste trying to get the faculty on this is a second this guy has to make his escape."

Maka grit her teeth; she had only just managed to get Black Star to work with her in full, and now that they had Sid their uneasy truce was already falling apart.

This was the last thing she needed right now.

"Black Star, I understand what you're saying, but the fact is we're officially out of our depth," the Scythe Meister reiterated.

"Maka's right," Soul agreed, "Whoever this guy is, he beat Sid relatively easily. I don't need to remind you about the beatings we've been taking these past two weeks."

"What we need to do is call in the cavalry and let Three Star Meisters and Weapons handle this-"

"We don't have time for that!" Black Star snapped, cutting her off, "What happens if we do all that, and by the time they get to his door he's already gone? What'll happen then?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," Maka insisted, "We're not in a position where we can win!"

"They're right, Black Star," Sid spoke, voice stern, "You aren't ready for this. If you pick this fight, even with all four of you working together, you will lose. Pick and choose your battles."

For a long moment, Black Star stood, hands clenching and unclenching, teeth grit and shoulders tense with his frustration. His eyes fell closed, and he breathed, each one deep and controlled.

When they opened, gone was the deep sea green.

They'd been replaced with that stark sky blue.

"… I can at least slow him down," he turned away.

"Black Star-"

"Go ahead and call the Grim Reaper," the ninja ordered, crouching deep, "Make sure those Three Stars get their asses in gear."

With that, he leapt up into the trees.

"Black Star!" Tsubaki called after him, but it was to avail; Black Star was already bounding away, disappearing into the misty night.

Soul cursed, "Well, now what?"

"… we stick to the plan," Maka declared, rising to her feet, "We report back to Lord Death as quickly as we can…"

Tsubaki seemed to wilt, her expression crestfallen and her head bowed, a whimper escaping her…

"… and then?" Maka yanked on the chain, prompting Sid to get to his feet, "We're going after Black Star."

---

The Death Scythe let out a sigh as he scrubbed at the last of the dishes, his sleeves rolled up as far as he could get them on his arms. The heat and the suds were uncomfortable on his skin, steam rising from the pool of water in a clear indicator that it was much, much too hot for him to just be reaching in with bare hands, but by no means did he let that stop him. He quickly dipped his fingers in, snatching up the knife and hissing as the heat quickly turned his pale skin red…

"… you don't have to clean up, Spirit," Camila assured, "There isn't that much of a mess to clean up."

"Dinner was a total disaster, Camila," he rinsed the blade, setting it aside in the rack to dry, "You'd think I'd know that I'm hopeless as a chef by now…"

A gentle chuckle emanated through the kitchen as she gently dried each plate, setting them back in the cupboard, "You've at least improved since last year."

"Last year, I somehow melted a pot," he recounted dryly, "On a stove that shouldn't even produce that much heat."

"It made Luz laugh," she reminded, "Even if we did end up ordering takeout, that's enough for me. Besides, this time, your cooking was actually edible."

"It was completely scorched," he mumbled.

"The insides were dry, but not terrible."

"Camila, it was a pot roast. I don't even know how I scorched it."

"Simple," she smiled, "You put it back in the oven to keep warm after removing the lid-"

"And instead of turning it off, I accidentally set it to broil," he finished groaning, rubbing at his forehead with slated teeth, "I can't believe I did that…"

More quiet, subdued laughter, though it did bring a smile to his lips despite his frustration.

"I do appreciate you making the effort, Spirit," the doctor stated, "Between Luz's studies and how late I've been working of late, I don't think we have much time to cook these days."

"I can tell from looking," he agreed, "Not much for leftovers in your fridge anymore."

"How did Luz do today, in her test?" she ventured, setting her towel down, "I know she seemed confident in her performance today when she came home, but I'd like your thoughts. Did she seem nervous at all?"

"A bit. But she wasn't panicking at all," he set the last of the pans back onto the stove to dry, "It was more your standard pre-exam jitters. Just wanting to do well… but if her performance with me is any indication, she'll have no issues, provided her math final lets her use a formula sheet."

"Which, by all rights, they should," she noted, crossing her arms, "I don't understand how anyone could expect every child in a batch of twenty to thirty to memorize all those theorems."

"Some people just don't have any empathy."

"Too true…" she took a deep breath through her nose, "… but there was something else you wanted to talk about?"

"Just that I spoke with Luz's Principal today," he let the water drain from the sink before rolling his sleeves back down.

At this, her expression grew more stern, "Spirit…"

"I didn't do anything overt," he promised, "I just… well, I felt like I had to voice my own concerns regarding how they addressed her behaviour. Both as a parent, and as a teacher."

She sighed, leaning back against the counter, "… you know it isn't your place to lecture other people on how to do their jobs."

"Maybe not," he conceded, "But it's so hard to just sit by and watch knowing how they treat the kids in their care. It's Goddamn baffling, Camila; the whole system is screwed."

"I don't dispute that," she said, pushing her glasses back up her face, "But you know that throwing your weight around with one particular principal isn't going to fix matters. He's just a symptom of the overall problem."

"… I know," he ran his hands down his face, shame welling up in his stomach, "I know… you're right… as usual."

"… Luz really did inherit that heart of yours," the Latina smiled faintly, "You're both so quick to try to help others. That's something to be proud of. You just… need to be better about thinking these things through."

"… yeah," he breathed, "I always thought that part would get easier as I got older."

"Wisdom is not something simply gained, Spirit," Camila reminded, "It is something that is cultivated."

He grunted, "At the very least, though, that school's faculty can afford to treat their students with a bit more kindness. Even if the system is broken, basic care for every single one of those kids should be non-negotiable."

"… that's a frustration I know all too well," she nodded, eyes falling as her smile faded, "Is that why you insisted on making dinner tonight?"

"… I felt like I had to make it up to Luz somehow; I couldn't get her trip to Camp lifted," he murmured, "He wouldn't budge, even after seeing my credentials… I managed to give him a good scare, but without the backing of an actual school board, there isn't much I can do."

"Another reason you should have been more thoughtful," she intoned, "You don't have the same authority here that you do in Death City. Your accomplishments are respected, but not recognized in the same capacity in a standard school system."

"Yeah… but at the very least, I think I managed to get him thinking," he stuffed his hands into his pockets, "School systems talk to each other, after all… and in that regard, the DWMA is pretty highly respected."

"It is, yes," she conceded, "But by the same token, I doubt that the Grim Reaper would appreciate you stirring up a fuss like this."

"What, I have more important things to worry about?" he asked.

"Among other things," she leaned back against the stove, "But mostly, you're throwing around your authority in a way that could be very easily construed as selfish, or even corrupt. If someone decides to deliberately misconstrue your actions today, it could reflect very, very badly on you."

Spirit's spine went ramrod straight, the shock forcing his eyes open. He stared into the open air, working his jaw as the implications of his actions settled in the pit of his stomach, a cold chill washing over his head and shoulders…

"… and anything that reflects badly on you, can reflect badly on the Grim Reaper."

"… Jesus," he swore, swaying unsteadily before catching himself on the counter. It was so obvious, now, how he must have looked, swaggering in and casually tossing his certification onto the desk, "How could I have been so stupid?"

"Easy now," she assured, placing a hand on the back of his shoulder, "Càlmate. Principal Hal, for the most part, is a reasonable man. As long as you kept things civil, he isn't likely to hold this against you. Now, what exactly did you say to him?"

"… nothing too severe," he straightened, bringing a hand to the back of his head, "I mostly just… scolded him for how he treated Luz, and what it implied for any student that acted out, for any reason. It's one thing if a student actually shows problematic, dangerous behaviour, but…"

"Did you actually say that to him?"

"Not that exact wording, but… yes," he clarified, "That's the long and short of what I talked to him about."

"You didn't threaten him or his faculty?" she asked.

"No," he said, "I didn't threaten anyone in any way, although I certainly wish I could've given Luz's biology, drama and gym teachers a piece of my mind."

"And Hal was the only one you spoke to?"

"Yes. He's the only one I had a chance to speak to."

She paused for a moment, letting the information settle. After a moment, her lips gently drifted up, expression softening, "Then I don't think any harm has been done."

He sighed, a slight weight lifting from his shoulders as he slumped again, rubbing at his temple, "I still can't believe I let my temper get the better of me like that… Maka's right. I'm such a spastic idiot…"

"You're a man of emotion, Spirit," Camila stated simply, "You have been for as long as I've known you, for better, and for worse. On the one hand, it makes you a caring man. On the other, it makes you impulsive, often recklessly so."

"That's what I just said," he muttered, "I'm a spastic idiot."

"Well, at least your sense of humour is still intact," she countered wryly.

Silence reigned over the kitchen for a long moment.

"… are you going to see Luz yet tonight?" she inquired.

"Before I leave. I'll check in and see if she needs any more help with her studies."

"You'd best get to it then," she gestured to the clock, "It's late. You don't have much time left."

He smiled, "No rest for the wicked, eh?"

"None whatsoever."

He chuckled, then made his way up the stairs to speak with his daughter.

---

"You're sure Black Star went off to Mary Shelly Laboratory?" the Reaper asked with a quizzical tilt.

"He took off in that rough direction," Maka managed through laboured breaths, clinging to the hand mirror Blair had insisted she take, "He insisted. He wanted to make sure Sid's killer wouldn't' have a chance to get away…"

"… well, his logic is sound, but he's making a rather foolhardy decision…" Lord Death mused.

"How quickly can you get those Three Stars down here?" Soul cut in, his own breathing unsteady as they ran.

"Thankfully, we've had people ready for dispatch for several days now," Death's voice implied a smile, "We can get a group down there in about fifteen minutes, twenty on the outside. Can you find Black Star in the meantime?"

"We'll try," Maka huffed, "With any luck, he's gotten lost and isn't anywhere near the lab…"

"What do we do if he's already engaged?" Soul inquired.

"Do your best to support him until help arrives," the Reaper's head bobbed, "But don't rush into a fight you can't win. If things begin to go poorly, retreat at the first opportunity. I'd rather have to hunt for the perpetrator than lose any students over this. Understood?"

"Understood," the Scythe Meister nodded, "We'll talk later!"

She snapped the mirror shut, and redoubled her pace-

-only to nearly crash headlong into Tsubaki, who had come to a complete halt.

"… well, looks like we're here," Soul coughed.

It was somehow colder up on Adam Hill. It was hardly the highest place in Death City – that particular position went to the DWMA itself – but there was something about this particular crest that seemed to sap the heat from the air itself.

It certainly did Soul's lungs no favours, still raw from keeping pace with Tsubaki all the way here.

She'd maintained a partial transformation with her hair to keep Sid bound as they sped after Black Star. Even now, the zombie remained chained, his arms kept firmly at his sides; but his weight had hardly seemed to even slow the Magic Dark Arm down. She didn't even show any signs of fatigue, her breaths perfectly even as her gaze swept back and forth through the fog.

"Black Star!" she called, "Where are you!?"

"Tsubaki," Maka managed, swallowing to soothe her raw throat, "I don't think that's going to help…"

"He's got to be out here somewhere," the shinobi girl insisted, head on a swivel, "Black Star!"

"Look," Soul wheezed, "We weren't that far behind him. If he hasn't taken a wrong turn, he should be here. If he has… well, then no harm done."

"YAAAA-HOOOOOOOOO!"

The shout was accompanied by the sound of iron bending under the force of a heavy blow, twisting and breaking, clattering to the pavement; immediately, the trio rushed towards the source of the commotion.

There stood Black Star, dusting off his hands as he stood over the broken gate, a large, square building looming behind him.

"Black Star!" Tsubaki shouted, relief tangible in her voice as she finally caught up to him, "There you are…"

He glanced back over his shoulder, "Oh, hey. Didn't think you guys would come."

"Not because we wanted to," Maka glared, crossing her arms, "We just don't want you getting hurt."

"Yeah, well-"

"Stop," Soul interrupted, ears perking up.

"Oh, what?" Black Star snorted, "You want some of this too, Soul?"

"No, seriously, shut up," he hissed, then paused, "… do you guys hear that?"

"… yes," Tsubaki murmured, "I do."

The blue haired ninja frowned, turning back towards the building; even through the mist, the stitch-like patterns and arrows were plain to see on its surface, its shape strict, utilitarian, "… sounds sorta like a skateboard…"

Abruptly, the doors flew open; a white and grey shape barrelled out of the shadows and into the misty night, skidding forwards several feet before toppling over and collapsing in a heap with a yelp of pain and surprise.

Slowly, the shape pushed itself up, taking on a more and more defined human shape beneath the stitched up lab coat; a mass of messy grey hair mixed with the equally unearthly pallor of his skin, making Soul briefly wonder if he'd stepped right out of one of those old time silent films.

The faint green of his eyes behind his glasses, however, quickly put that theory to rest – along with the cold, dark steel of the screw that ran through his head.

He was tall, lanky, flexing his fingers absently as he cracked his neck. He knelt down, picking up the office chair and resetting it with a casual nonchalance, reaching up and adjusting the screw by a turn. Then he frowned, turning it back the other way, closing his eyes, "Still doesn't feel quite right…"

For a long few seconds, he stood, motionless…

"… alright," he declared, gripping the chair by its back, "Let's try that again."

With that, he marched back in, and slammed the door shut.

"… what was all that about?" Maka asked.

"You got me," Black Star seemed unusually perturbed, "Maybe he's just bonkers?"

After a few seconds, the same rolling sound emanated from the building again; the door flew open, and once again, the man rocketed out backwards, only to collapse in a heap.

"… well, that clearly isn't going to work," he finally settled, once again pushing himself back to his feet, cracking his back and pulling the chair back into place. He settled into it with the back against his chest, leaning forwards with a clinical, appraising stare – an uncomfortable stare made all the more unnerving by the cigarette in his teeth and the stitches that ran down his face.

"… this the guy, Maka?" Soul whispered.

"… yep," she nodded, "That's Doctor Stein."

"… you must be the DWMA students," he stated more than asked, resting his chin on his arm, "I must say, you're here much sooner than I expected. I haven't even had a chance to clean up yet."

Black Star immediately grinned, "You scared? I bet you are, knowing that now you have nowhere to run!"

"No, not really," Stein took a long, slow drag of the cigarette, closing his eyes on the exhale, "To be honest, I'm more annoyed than anything else. It took you ten whole days to take down Sid, but you come here minutes after you capture him… it's a frustrating juxtaposition," he raised his head slightly, "You didn't get soft and just told them where I was, did you, Sid?"

"No, Doctor Stein," Sid declared, remaining seated on the ground, "I can assure you that they figured it out entirely on their own."

"Hmmm," the patchwork man's eyes narrowed, "Well, that's just perplexing…"

Soul kept his expression neutral, doing everything he could to hide just how unnerved he was. There was something wrong with how Stein's eyes fixed on each of them; it was like he was staring at something in a petri dish, rather than a group of Weapons and Meisters ready to take him in for questioning.

He seemed totally unperturbed by the difference in numbers or by the difference in armaments. If anything… he was lost entirely in his own thoughts.

"… aaaah," he smiled slightly, faintly baring his teeth, "That explains it."

"What explains what?" Maka asked, perplexed.

"I just took a look at your Souls," he explained, a new note of cheerfulness entering his tone.

"You can see Souls?" Tsubaki asked, eyes widening, "That means… you must be a Meister!"

"'Must be' is the wrong phrase," Stein adjusted his glasses, "Anyone with the ability to control their Soul Wavelength can potentially do it, Weapon or Meister. It's really nothing too complicated; it just gives me better data to work with regarding each of you."

He pointed first at the blue haired shinobi, "You must be the failing student. Black Star, was it?"

"Failing!?" Black Star choked, "You're gonna call me that after how I took down a Three Star Meister!?"

"A Three Star Meister who is already dead and isn't even back to full strength," Stein intoned, "It took you over a week and a half to beat up a dead man. With help. I'm not particularly impressed."

A low growl emanated from the ninja's throat, "Oh, you're gonna regret that."

"I doubt it," the doctor mused, eyes half lidded, "Your Soul is constantly bouncing around inside of you, full of energy with no outlet for it. Its Amplitude is powerful, especially for your age – I can tell just from looking. But it's also highly unstable, and your high Frequency and attitude make you exceptionally difficult to work with," he glanced at Tsubaki, "It's no wonder your partner's Soul is so subdued. She's probably the only one who's willing to put up with you."

"She's the only one who can handle being my partner!" Black Star reached up, placing a heavy hand on Tsubaki's shoulder with a vicious grin.

"I can see that," Stein stated dryly, before looking to Soul, "You, on the other hand, are fairly in tune with your Meister. Your Soul is calm and self-assured, and yours…"

He trailed off as he stared at Maka, eyes widening a fraction as if in surprise. After a moment, his smile pulled back further, speaking as if he had come to a sudden realization, "… yes, that's right… you're Spirit's daughter."

Maka stiffened as Stein's attention fixed completely and utterly upon her, his posture rising from a lazy slouch to a predatory poise; even so, she snorted, "Only by blood, unfortunately. I'm not old enough to officially disown him yet."

"Harsh," Stein chuckled, "But I suppose not wholly undeserved. How is he doing, anyways? Last I heard-"

"Why does it matter to you?" Maka snapped, cutting him off, "How do you know him?"

"… heh. Like mother, like daughter," Stein's voice grew steadily more amused, eyes narrowing, "You really are like the woman who stole my experiment from me."

Maka blinked, but before she could respond, Stein continued as if the exchange had never occurred, glancing back and forth between her and Soul, "Your Wavelengths compliment each other, but you haven't attempted anything beyond a Basic Resonance. As partners, you work well together, but as an actual Weapon and Meister pair, you're untested. You've never attempted and actual Soul Resonance."

Soul grimaced, a smile forming over his features; the clock had to be winding down. The Three Stars would be here soon If they could keep him talking-

"Blah, blah, blah," Black Star mocked, slipping into a combat stance, "You sure like to run your mouth, doc. But I didn't come here to chat; the Three Stars'll be here any minute now, and I'm here to take you down before they arrive!"

Slowly, Soul turned to face him, mouth agape, suddenly gaining a thorough understanding of Maka's urge to crack him upside the head, "… really? You're just gonna up and tell him that!?"

"Why not?" Black Star asked, "It's not gonna matter in a minute here."

"… yes, I know that," Stein noted, letting his head angle upwards, "Going off memory… I'd say they'll be here in about ten minutes."

Black Star grinned, "This'll only take five."

He rushed forwards, leaping, a leg pulled back to strike as he descended upon the seated scientist.

Stein didn't even stand up. With a simple push of his foot, he spun in his chair, raising an arm in a lazy block, stopping Black Star's kick on the first pass.

On the second spin, his fist caught Black Star across the jaw, sending him skidding across the ground.

"No," Stein sighed, turning in his seat with his chin in his palm, "This won't take five minutes."

He pushed off the ground; the chair rushed forwards with all the speed of a car on the highway as Black Star leaped to his feet-

-only for Stein's open palm to collide with his nose, knocking him right back down.

"… accounting for all four of you… this will only take two."

Maka's had immediately encircled Soul's wrist; he delved into the dark, transforming into a Scythe in one fluid motion.

"Tsubaki!" the Scythe Meister ordered, "Stay back!"

"But-!"

"If you let go of Sid, we'll have to fight both of them!" Soul barked as Maka broke into a sprint, "Stay back and keep your hold on him!"

"Not a bad assessment," Stein noted, once again spinning lazily in his chair with his arms hanging limply, watching as the black and red blade arced inwards; he simply shifted his weight, causing the chair to roll cleanly out of the scythe's path. As the Meister let her momentum carry her into another swipe, he shifted again, the chair reacting with far more speed than its creaky, uneven frame and wheels should have allowed for, letting him dodge with scarcely any movement, "But it leaves you divided. And there is a reason-"

The scientist raised his feet in the split second that Maka showed him her back; the kick that followed sent pain shooting through her shoulders before she was sent skidding across the ground. Soul winced as the ache carried through to him through her palms, her stance unsteady as she caught herself just enough to make sure she was at least ready to continue.

Just in time to see the back of Stein's head collide with Black Star's nose, once again knocking him to the ground with a particularly violent curse.

"-that the term is called 'Divide and Conquer," he adjusted the screw, eyes hidden behind the light reflecting off his glasses.

Maka wasted no time, pushing up from her crouch into another lunging swing.

This time, however, the doctor did not simply dodge. He countered, ducking under the swing and raising his hand in an open palm strike; Maka caught it just in time to adjust her stance, raising Soul to defend herself from the blow.

But the instant Stein's hand collided with Soul's staff, a pulse ran through them both, the doctor's arm twisting and launching them backwards with enough force to send them colliding into the wall.

It was like an electric shock; Soul felt every muscle in both his own body and Maka's violently convulse, her stance immediately breaking and her fingers coming loose, almost making her drop her partner entirely. She only barely remained standing, a sharp, throbbing agony running through her entire body, muscle, bones and all.

Soul felt no better; even in weapon form, he could taste the blood in his mouth. His head swam, his connection to his partner completely broken after one heavy blow from the scientist.

'… Maka?' he slurred, struggling just to get his thoughts in order.

'Here,' she confirmed, sounding every bit as discombobulated as he felt, 'I-I'm here.'

'What the Hell was that?' he asked, 'That was worse than when I tried to fix my toy piano when I was six…'

'… that must've been his Soul Wavelength,' she managed, gasping for breath, 'That's the only thing I can think of that explains what just happened… I feel like I just got hooked up to a car battery…'

The Scythe shuddered, returning his attention to the bedraggled scientist before them, '… there's no way we're winning this, is there?'

She shook her head, swaying, 'No. No there's not. He's toying with us, and that hurt a lot more than anything Sid threw at us… we're in over our heads.'

Stein simply sat there, expression neutral as he finally rose to his feet, pushing the chair aside.

"I think it's about time to begin the experiment in earnest," he cracked his neck, "Do I have any volunteers?"

"It's not gonna be much of an experiment!" Black Star shouted; if there was one thing he was to be congratulated on, it was the sheer resilience of his facial structure. Despite bleeding from the nose, the only sign of discomfort the ninja showed was that of pure rage; he closed in on Stein's back, teeth bared in a vicious snarl, "We already know what the results are going to be!"

"That's exactly why you don't interest me," Stein sighed.

"You should be interested! I'm the strongest one here!

"BLACK STAR BIG WAVE!" he drove his knuckles and elbow into Stein's spine, and this time, Soul could see what exactly what had happened several nights prior against Sid; the shockwave was powerful enough to actually be visible, the air around Black Star and Stein visibly rippling before exploding outwards upon impact, glowing kanji forming all around them.

That should have been the end of it.

After taking a hit that strong, Stein should have collapsed on the ground, dead or unconscious; he wasn't like Sid. He wasn't dead. He shouldn't have been able to shrug off such a powerful direct hit from Black Star's Soul Wavelength.

But he was.

And he did.

He slowly turned to face Black Star with narrowed eyes and a strangely serene smile.

"… h… how are you-"

"Still standing?" he cut Black Star off, "It's a simple technique, really. Everyone is capable of adjusting their Soul Wavelength's Frequency, even if only a little bit; it's how many Weapons and Meisters are compatible with each other in the first place."

Black Star took a step back, prompting Stein to step forwards.

"All I did was adjust my Soul Wavelength to match yours," he grinned, "I'll admit you probably left a bruise with that hit, but your actual Soul Wavelength is actually rather easy to render harmless, at least for someone who knows how. If I'd really wanted to, I could have easily dodged it, or even bounced your Wavelength right back at you.

"I wonder if you'll be able to nullify mine, with how selfish your Soul is?"

Stein's hands flew to the sides of Black Star's head; to the ninja's credit, he immediately threw his arms up, trying to block and get a hold of the lunatic's arms-

-but Stein was too strong, much stronger than his lanky build seemed to suggest. The impact immediately broke through Black Star's guard, and before the boy could process what had just happened, Stein's open hands clapped on Black Star's ears with enough force to produce a crack that rang out like a gunshot. He cried out in rage, gripping the doctor's wrists…

And then began screaming as Stein's Soul Wavelength shot through him.

It was a sickly yellow that bordered on green, a vicious electric current that shot between his hands, tiny bolts of lightning boring directly into Black Star's skull.

It was unreal, hearing Black Star scream in anything other than self-aggrandizing pride or anger.

There was none of that in Black Star's voice.

There was only pain.

And though it only lasted a few seconds, each one was far, far too long.

It was only when Stein released the ninja that it ceased; the blue haired boy didn't even sway, eyes unfocused and body limp as he tipped back, and fell with a heavy, sickening crunch, blood seeping from his eyes, nose, and mouth.

"… Black Star…?" Tsubaki's voice wavered with disbelief, staring eyes-wide at the unmoving form of her partner, hands over her mouth.

She received no answer.

"… B… B… BLACK STAAAAAAAAR!" she howled, her hand flying to the chain that was keeping Sid bound; in a single fluid motion, she ripped it free, the Kusarigama at the end flying to her hands as she lunged at the patchwork doctor.

His smile didn't waver as he dodged her strikes and slashes, sidestepping every swipe and blow with effort as minimal as his movement. When he finally retaliated, it was swift, and violent, driving his fist into her stomach with enough force to physically lift her off the ground.

But she didn't relent; letting out a shriek, she gripped Stein's arm, wrapping the chain around his wrist and ducking under his other arm; the chain pulled taut as she rose up behind him, yanking his arm around his body as she leaped, spring-boarding off his shoulders and quickly wrapping the chain around his throat in a make-shift noose, planting her foot against his chest and pulling it as tightly as she could.

Through it all, his small grin never once wavered, eyes locked on her as she drew the other hand-scythe, "Just as spirited as your partner in your own way, I see."

Tsubaki offered no answer. She only swung, this time aiming to cut through his throat and end the fight.

Before she could, the same yellow-green glow returned. It shot through the chain wrapping around Stein's body, directly into Tsubaki's body, the Kusarigama nearly falling from her hand mid-swing as the Wavelength coursed through her body. Even as strong and durable as she was, withstanding the force of Black Star's Soul every time they went into battle, Stein's was on a completely different level.

Even so, she maintained her stranglehold, gritting her teeth and moving her blade closer and closer to his exposed neck…

Only to collapse, her chain and blades disappearing all at once as she fell.

"… you're stronger than you look," Stein murmured, seeming genuinely impressed before he finally returned his attention to Maka and Soul.

The Scythe felt numb; he just watched the single strongest and most stubborn kid he knew get put down with a frightening casual ease. He just watched the most patient girl he had ever met fly into a feral fury he hadn't thought her capable of, and meet the same fate as her Meister even in spite of it. All of it, just from exposure to this freak's Soul Wavelength; any use of direct strikes was just a prelude to that painful, sustained electric shock.

And the worst part was that he couldn't even tell if they were alive or dead.

He could feel it from his partner, too; an almost physical illness had welled up in Maka's stomach, a primal fear that made her insides churn with the conflict between her fight and flight instincts. Her hands were trembling, and not from any sort of frustration or pain – this was a pure terror that kept her from so much as screaming.

'Maka,' he whispered.

No answer.

'Maka, we have to run.'

'… we can't,' she managed, 'Tsubaki was keeping Sid bound… they'll catch us…'

Right when he believed his heart couldn't sink any further, it continued to plummet; where Tsubaki had once been standing, Sid had risen to his feet, dusting himself off and flexing his arms, as if to remove an ache from his muscles and bones.

"Well, this certainly took an unfortunate turn," he grunted, looking to the grey haired doctor, "Shall I apprehend them, Doctor Stein?"

"Only if they try to run. Otherwise, I can handle the rest of this little experiment myself" he flexed his hands, eager, "You really do have beautiful skin, Scythe Meister Maka… I can't wait to see if I can turn it into sandpaper."

The trembling grew worse. Maka raised Soul to defend, but made no movements beyond that, eyes wide.

'… Soul?'

'… I'm here, Maka,' he assured, 'I'm right here.'

'… what do we do now?'

He didn't answer – not immediately, at least. The truth was, he didn't know what to do next himself. After all, what could they do? With a zombie that had taken all four of them and a hefty amount of misdirection to take down, and this deranged, but powerful lunatic in front of them, there would be no getting away if they ran. If they fought, they would lose, possibly even die if they Three Stars didn't get here in time…

… but if they surrendered…

He shuddered at the look in Stein's eyes; no, surrender was out of the question. If they surrendered, the chance that they would die went from an almost certainty to an inevitability.

'… we have to fight,' he finally answered.

'But how? He's too fast to reliably hit and we can't keep taking hits from that Soul Wavelength; mine isn't strong enough to cancel it out, and I don't think yours is either.'

'Maybe not alone,' Soul agreed, glancing at his partner.

The trembling stopped; the fear was interrupted by a moment of confusion, and then, slow realization.

'… are you suggesting… a Soul Resonance?'

'That's exactly what I'm suggesting.'

'… not to burst your bubble, Soul,' Maka thought, tightening her grip, 'but we've tried that before. It's never worked.'

'We don't have much choice here. It's do or die, Maka,' his tone was final, but encouraging, 'What's it going to be?'

It was his turn to wait for an answer; her emotions swirled, fear diminishing and rising back and forth against a sudden wave of anger. Her jaw set, and after a long moment, she settled into a state of raw determination, widening her stance and raising Soul once more.

'If this doesn't work?' she warned, 'I'm kicking your ass all the way to Hell.'

He felt his smile return, 'I wouldn't have it any other way.'

"I see you've stopped trembling," the doctor noted, tilting his head, "Does this mean you're ready to show me what you can do?"

"We're not just gonna show you what we can do," Maka hissed, "We're gonna kill you!"

"Doctor Franken Stein!" Soul declared, "Your Soul is ours'!"

Stein sank into a deeper stance of his own, raising his hands with a more somber tone, "Then come and see if you can take it."

Soul felt the wave flow into him through Maka's palms; a gentle pulse, a tentative metaphorical hand reaching out to him with gentle fingers.

He took that hand in his own, bouncing the wave back in reciprocation, up through Maka's hands.

Again, the wave returned, stronger this time, and again he bounced it back to her, growing stronger and more consistent with each repetition until it wasn't so much a back and forth bounce as it was a synchronized beat. No longer was it just a wave of faint energy, it was swelling, flooding his entire being. It pounded in his head, in his chest, through his limbs, through the steel of his body with rhythmic regularity like an overwhelmingly powerful heartbeat. It was thought, it was emotion, it was intent.

It was power. The sensation of one Soul joining with another, matching Wavelengths to do together what they could not do alone.

He felt his blade transform, a brilliant blue glow forming across its surface before it abruptly expanded into something less substantial, but far more sharp than mere metal ever could be. A crescent of light that flowed like water, a sickle-like blade that was now longer than Maka was tall. Her emotions flooded into him, just as his did into her, their shared fearful determination somehow finding equilibrium.

It was funny, in a way.

How many times had they tried this technique, only to be met with failure to so much as draw it out time and time again? Only to finally reach it now that they were staring their own deaths in the face?

"… well, this is certainly new," Stein cocked an eyebrow, glancing at the zombie, "Have you been holding out on me, Sid?"

The former professor vehemently shook his head, "No, Doctor. This is completely new to me; I knew they were trying, but I didn't think they had actually achieved it!"

Maka rushed forwards, letting out a roar in her charge as she swung, "WITCH HUNTER!"

Stein did not dodge as Soul's blade descended upon him; instead, he caught it between his hands, gritting his teeth and smile slipping as the edge of the glowing crescent came within mere centimeters of his face, the white-blue glow bright enough to illuminate the grey-green of his eyes. Smoke rose from his skin as the ethereal blade burned into his flesh, though he didn't let out any hiss or cry of pain. He simply braced himself, pushing back against the downward strike.

"Harder," Maka pressed, her muscles emboldened by the combined Wavelength, stronger than they had ever been before.

"Sharper," Soul demanded, honing the crescent to an edge sharper than any razor, the Wavelength acting as his grindstone.

"CUT HIM IN HALF!" they shouted as one-

And abruptly, it the world was gone. Lost.

Lost amidst a flood of emotion and memory.

The boy sat alone, listlessly pressing the keys that he once loved so dearly-

The girl asked her Mama why she'd given her sister away-

He stared dumbfounded at the blade that had replaced his hand-

She asked Papa what 'half-sister' meant-

"Not quite as good as your brother-"

"Luz isn't your Mama's-"

"Your music is so lifeless these days-"

"He's out with other women-!?"

"-Evans, don't walk away from your-!"

"-ease, Makoto, I can explain-!"

"Soul-!"

"Maka-!"

"… please don't leave…"

He didn't so much surface as he was gripped by the scruff and pulled out.

The Witch Hunter crescent shattered between Stein's hands as his Soul Wavelength pulsed, interrupting their Soul Resonance and destroying it entirely, the shards falling to the ground; without the support, disorientated, confused, Soul and Maka lost their footing entirely, collapsing to the ground in a heap.

"… the Hell…?" he managed, returning to human form and gripping his skull.

"… agh, my head…" Maka whimpered, gripping her temples with both hands, curling in on herself.

"… you underwent a Resonance Overload," Stein flexed his fingers without so much as a wince, despite the more than evident burns on his palms, "It's a fairly common occurrence in inexperienced Weapon and Meister pairs. You were so desperate to strike me down that you went in too deep, too quickly with your Soul Resonance, causing your Souls to flood each other. I could tell from how you both suddenly went vacant; I had to interrupt it for your own safety."

"Our safety!?" Maka shouted, outraged.

"Yes," Stein's response was almost deadpan as he knelt, adjusting his glasses, "Your safety."

"… can't have the integrity of your test subjects compromised, can you?" Soul growled.

"No, though the experiment is almost over," Stein raised a hand, "There's only one last step for me to take."

He extended it, reaching for Maka's head; she flinched, trying to kick away, and Soul pulled himself in front of her, glaring up at the scientist with all the fury he could muster despite his exhaustion.

"You're not touching my Meister while I'm still alive," he snarled.

"… alright, fine," Stein acquiesced, "I'll start with you."

Soul squeezed his eyes shut as the heavy hand came to a rest atop his head, waiting for the fingers to compress or the Soul Wavelength to hit him with full force.

Instead, the hand gently pushed his head back and forth, as if trying to ruffle his hair, but not entirely sure how to do so, as if such a gesture of affection were foreign to its owner.

Slowly, the Scythe opened his eyes, and he caught Stein's beaming smile as the hand pulled back.

"Congratulations," he declared, "You all pass."

"… what?" Soul asked.

Stein rose to his feet, pulling out a phone, "… hm. A full two minutes and thirty seconds. You made me take longer on that than I thought."

"… I don't know if you didn't hear me the first time or if you're just stupid, so let me say that again," Soul cleared his throat, "What!?"

"Your extra lessons from Lord Death," Stein explained, seeming surprised, as if it were perfectly obvious, "All four of you pass."

"… I… but… I… we… you killed Black Star!" Maka shrieked, pointing at the body of the blue haired ninja.

"Oh, that?" he gestured; Sid had already propped Black Star up and was gently cleaning the blood off the boy's face with a cloth, and checking his eyes with a small flashlight.

"His eyes are both reacting as normal, Doctor," the zombie reported, "This is sure a lot of blood though."

"Head wounds just tend to bleed a lot," Stein explained, stepping over to Tsubaki and checking her pulse, "I was careful not to run my Soul Wavelength through his organs or central nervous system. He'll be fine when he regains consciousness."

"… he was fighting us with kid's gloves," Soul realized, voice weak, "I mean, I knew that, but… I didn't… I…"

As her partner spiralled into incoherent mumbling, Maka got to her feet, jabbing a finger at the professor, "But what about Sid!? He's dead! Capital D, small e, small a, small d, period!"

At this, Stein actually let out a laugh, and Sid nervously rubbed the back of his head, "… well… I've never been a man to lie, so… I… uh…"

Something inside the Scythe Meister's head snapped, staring at Sid incredulously, "… are you… seriously telling me… that you… let Stein kill you… all for the sake of these extra lessons?"

"… yes," he admitted with a helpless shrug.

Slowly, Maka's face fell into her hands as she groaned, "… Naigus is gonna kill you."

"You know, Sid, there's another way of going about this," Soul grunted, getting to his feet, "It's called 'acting.' You should try it sometime."

"That's another form of lying," Sid crossed his arms, resolute, "I never told a lie when I was alive, and I'm not about to start now. That's the kind of man I was."

"Alright, alright, that's enough," Stein chuckled, picking up Tsubaki, "We can yell at Sid for his poor life and afterlife choices later. For now, you're all pretty banged up; let's get you inside, so I can take a look."

"But what about the Three Stars that were dispatched?" Maka asked quickly, "What about them?"

"Oh, they were never sent out," Stein noted offhandedly, "The test was supposed to end when you captured Sid and got my location out of him. When Black Star came after me, we all had to improvise.

"Still, I'd say it was a solid experiment. And besides," he grinned, "It was sure fun messing with you guys!"

With that, he turned, and walked back into the lab, Sid trailing close behind with Black Star.

"… Maka?" Soul started.

"Yeah, Soul?"

"When we get home, don't wake me up for the next week. Got it?"

"Don't wake me up for a month."

They sat in silence, the only sound being the wind.

"… well. What do we do now?"

"… we should probably be there for Black Star and Tsubaki when they wake up," she surmised, crossing her arms, "Someone has to tell them it was just a big… Damn… setup."

"You gotta admit that they got us pretty good," he admitted.

"Shut up. Let's go make sure Stein doesn't turn Black Star into the world's ugliest were-pomeranian or something stupid like that."

"I thought you'd say that would be an improvement."

"God, no, he's yappy enough without adding annoying little dog to him."

The duo slowly made their way out of the night air, and into the lab.

---

Day fourteen.

"… well," Luz sighed, "This is it."

"… yeah."

They stood together on the sidewalk, Dad's car already running; his suitcase had been packed and thrown in the trunk before he came to visit.

Likewise, all of Luz's finals had been written. The final days of her school year, and her time with Papi, had come and gone.

"… I'm sorry I can't wait for the bus with you, kiddo," he said, eyes downcast, "The only plane I could find with seats for today leaves in a couple hours, and I have to get through security."

"It's okay," she forced a smile across her lips, "You were here as long as you could be. That's what matters."

He returned the look, his expression happy and somber as he opened his arms, offering a final embrace.

It only took her a second to accept it, wrapping her arms around him as tightly as she could, as if he would slip from her grasp and into the wind if she didn't.

"… ojalá fuera contigo," she whispered, digging her fingers into his shirt.

"Lo sé, Corazoncita," he intoned, gently stroking her hair, "Lo sé."

Eventually, the embrace broke; he gripped her shoulders, looking her in the eye, "You're going to be okay. Understand?"

"… yeah," she stated, though she wasn't sure she believed it, "It's just going to be a few weeks. I can make it through."

"You know you can call me at any time, for any reason, right?"

"I know."

He squeezed her shoulders, then looked up to Mami, "… goodbye, Camila."

"Drive safely, Spirit," she smiled.

He nodded, then looked down at Luz one last time, "… time for me to go, Luz."

She couldn't stop the well of tears that rose into her eyes, or the hiccup in her chest. She pressed her face into her hands, biting her tongue, trying to keep herself from breaking down.

"… I know," he soothed, "I know."

"… this 'appens every time," Luz managed, her sobs rising and breaking loose despite her best attempts to keep them in, "Every time…"

"You don't want me to leave you behind," he said, simple and true.

"I wanna… I wanna go with you…"

"I know."

She tightened her grip; despite the grief, she was thankful to him for not giving her false reassurances, for not telling she could come with him, no matter how badly she wanted to hear it.

Slowly, she let go, stepping away, wiping her eyes and once again forcing a smile, managing to speak despite her wavering voice, "… call me as soon as you hit the ground, okay?"

He nodded, smiling, "I will, Mija."

He turned, and stepped into his car, still waving even as he pulled away. She returned the gesture, waving to him as he drove down the road, and around the corner, until he was out of sight.

Her arm fell, and she wrapped her arms around her stomach, lip still trembling.

Slowly, Mom approached, placing a hand on her shoulder, "… it's going to be okay, Luz."

"… it's a lot harder to believe that with the one person who believes in me so far away," she murmured.

"I believe in you," Mami affirmed.

"… I know," there wasn't enough conviction behind her words.

"… Luz," she began, "I need you to understand something, okay?"

"Yeah?" she raised her head, meeting her mother's eyes.

"The world isn't like the books that you read, regardless of where you are or who you surround yourself with," she cupped Luz's cheeks, "The fantasies that you love are just that. Fantasies. Stories. They hold truths, yes, but even when you strip away the Magic and the Dragons, they aren't fully compatible with real life. The world is a far more complicated place than the pages of a book, and all too often it won't be understanding of your differences and eccentricities."

"So, what?" she asked, "I should just… change myself to suit what other people want from me?"

"At the very least, you have to be willing to adapt so that you won't be left all alone," Mami corrected, "You don't have to change who you are, but you don't have any filter. And that has gotten you hurt before. I don't want to see you keep getting hurt."

"… isn't the saying 'Those who matter, will follow?'" Luz began, "'Those who do not, will not?'"

"A rough paraphrasing," the doctor sighed, "But it's rarely so simple. This is a chance for you to make some friends, Mija. But only if you're willing to try."

Luz reached into her bag, pulling out the book; the Good Witch Azura stared back at her from the cover, and like so many times before, she felt herself wishing she could dive into the pages.

"… please, Luz," Mom pleaded, "For me?"

A long, sad, tired breath finally escaped the Latina; she looked back up, lips pulled tight, "… I'll try."

Her mother pulled her into a hug, warm and comforting.

Eventually, though, the phone buzzed; Mom pulled the phone out of her bag, clicking her teeth.

"… I have to get to work," she mumbled.

"Duty calls, I guess," Luz sat down, setting the book on the ground beside the trash bin, chin in her hands.

"Your bus is coming soon," Mami smiled, leaning down to kiss her on the forehead, "Text me when you get there, alright?"

"I will," she acknowledged listlessly, "Té amo, Mami."

"Té amo, Mija."

Luz didn't look up as her mother's footsteps faded into the distance. She simply took a breath, reaching for her book.

Only to find grass beneath her hand instead.

Her heart skipped a beat. Her eyes shot to the ground, where she had literally just put it down.

It was gone.

She was on her feet in an instant, looking all around the garbage can before throwing open the lid. Had Mami thrown it away while she wasn't looking?

No. No, Mom would never do something like that. She might not have liked the Good Witch Azura, but she had never thrown away anything Luz had wanted to keep.

Even so, she began rooting through the contents, paying absolutely no attention to the rank stench, "Where is it? Where is it!?"

A low hoot emanated from the ground.

She looked past the garbage can, and there sat a small owl, a bag in its beak, staring right up at her.

She blinked, and then her eyes shot to the purple cover of her book, pupils shrinking to the size of beads.

The owl then turned, and started hopping with impressive speed towards the treeline.

"Tiny trash thief!" she shrieked, sprinting after it with her bag in hand.

---

Okay. This is it.

This is the threshold.

This is the FINAL chapter before we hit Boiling Isles. WE FINALLY DID IT EVERYONE! THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE!

Also, yes, I have changed some of the mechanics of Soul Resonance, I have ever since I brought up Soul Wavelength mechanics and added mental conversations between Maka and Soul, and Black Star and Tsubaki. To be honest, I'm surprised memory bridging/thought transference/emotional sensing was never a thing in regards to Soul Resonance between partners, especially with how Team Resonance introduces something like telepathy between partner sets later in the series. So I decided to add some things, and I hope you like them. I really do.

Oh, and hopefully I'll have Kid, Liz and Patty in the story soon too. There just... hasn't been a good opportunity to really introduce them yet, so I'm hoping that will pop up too. Also more serious Blair.

Please be sure to let me know what you think! I hope you enjoyed the ninth chapter of Owls and Souls, Witches and Resonance!