"Kilik did you decide where to go for extra lessons?" Curious, Ox asks Kilik as the two look over the mission board for some extra lessons.
"No not yet you?" Kilik turns to Ox.
"Yep an arachnophobia one." Ox boasts.
"There's been a lot of those lately…did you decide who to go with? If you don't mind I-" Kilik asks hopeful but…
"Of course I plan to go with Kim! I haven't asked her yet but…" Boastfully, Ox cuts Kilik off.
"Really good luck then which should I do this seems…"Kilik hums looking up at the board before perking up at one notice reaching out to it until another hand reaches out for it.
"Oh." Maka's green widen when turning to Kilik.
"Maka." Kilik turns to the girl.
"Ah Kilik you're taking this lesson too it's not suited for you is it?" Confused, Maka points out.
"Huh? Why? The location is in Russia isn't it? to expose an incident at a factory acceptance requirements soul perception ability." Kilik reads out only then to falter from it.
"See." Maka smiles.
Kilik grumbles head down shoving said slip to her.
"Hey Kilik aren't you more suited for this one?" Maka points to another notice.
"Oooh this is good to quiet the angry giant ross giant with fists accept requirement uplifting and a heated heart wait there's something on the back…Blackstar…"Kilik reads out after turning it everyone's eyes softening sadly at the familiar star signature.
"Still cant believe they went away…" Maka sighs slumping her shoulders.
"It seems like a lesson he'd want to take." Soul says.
"Huh there's one on mine too leave this kind of boring lesson to Maka from the strongest Blackstar…Ma'am I'll take this lesson." Mad, Maka slams the note on the counter after reading the question.
"Alright." Happily, the elderly woman smiles taking said slip.
"She hates to give up." Soul sighs at his partner.
"Let's go Soul we're going to complete this mission." Maka declares determined.
"Then let's go invite team Kid…" Soul suggests as Maka nods her head in understanding, going to get Kid and the twins to then head to their assignment.
"So much steam…" Heaving, Patty whines as she, Liz, Kid, Soul and Maka make it on the sight of the iron factory, steam spewing out of the factory.
"This factory is out of operation, right?" Unsure, Maka asks out loud.
"Yeah, and it seems like nobody come or gone for eons even." Kid remarks looking around the factory.
"Even though there's steam and machine sounds…" Soul furrows his brow.
"Maka, do you feel anything?" Kid asks her.
"Not yet…wait there's something…" Maka's eyes narrow at the strange soul, she had seen it once before but where…?
"Yeah, it seems familiar." Kid agrees furrowing his brow.
"Familiar?" Maka raises a brow surprised that Kid had sensed it then again, he is a Shinigami, she reminds herself.
"I don't know where to pinpoint it though but be on your guard." Sternly, Kid advises her.
"Yeah, you too let's start by going inside." Maka reasons as she heads forward but…
"Wa-Wait!" Kid calls out startling Maka.
"What? What's wrong?" Maka questions Kid.
"I'm saying wait! Where are you guys planning to enter in from?" Frowning, Kid questions her.
"Where? From over there." Maka gestures to a random opening.
"Don't kid around. There are many places that look like entrances, so you have to find an appropriate one. How is that an entrance that's just a vent." Fuming, Kid argues annoyed.
"I don't know." Meekly, Maka huffs puffing out her cheeks.
"In that case we'll go ahead of you we'll find the proper door to enter through." Proudly, Kid declares.
"Whatever let's go Soul." Maka sighs going the other way.
"Isn't it dangerous to go ahead?" Unsure, Liz questions Kid but…
"Liz Patty let's go." Kid tells the two twins who sigh but comply to their meisters wished heading further into the dark depths of the factory.
"Maka you still don't feel anything?" Soul questions Maka who holds him in his scythe form.
"There isn't any-" Maka begins but gasps when suddenly a head reveals itself from the ceiling, a familiar head.
"Hi." Happily, the black-haired male smiles down at the two upsides down, his coal locks dangling down as he has his legs wrapped around the pipe, swinging swaying from side to side bored. He wears a coal cloak trench coat the zipper dangling down wearing brown boots with a snow-white corset.
"ARGHHHH!" Scared, Maka screams jolting back.
"Heh that trick never gets old. So you do you do the pigtails ironically or do you want to be seen as a kid?" Curious, he swings himself back onto the pipe, peering down at the two kids, quirking his head to the side.
"Excuse you!?" Angrily, Maka places her hand on her pigtails.
"Just saying how it is." Slyly, Ingram winks.
"Wha!?" Blushing, Maka stands scowling.
"How easy." Another figure joins Ingram, his head unveiling itself from the ceiling, strands of dirty blonde dangle down from the demon by Ingram's side.
"Oh come on guys that's the oldest trick in the book." Tutting, Ingram shakes his head at the two.
"So you finally came out this place is off limits." Disgusted, Maka sneers glaring daggers at the two ignoring her fidgeting fingertips fear flowing through her from Ingram. His soul it's just like lady Ava's, Maka takes note of, brow furrowed from the sense of superiority from the power emitting from the figure behind that fake smile.
"This place is my home with kishin sama revived I've been waiting for so long…" Proudly, the rag doll like figure by Ingram's side smiles.
"Who are you?" Maka's green glare up at the two.
"I am the wandering Dutchman a prisoner of madness." Proudly, the ghost declares.
"You're a subordinate of madness." Maka assumes.
"Well sort of, my ma made him for us to play with." Ingram places his leg over the other leaning back bored.
"Play with?!" Stunned, Soul barks out from his scythe.
"Yeah he'd control the factory for us to play. We used to hide in the vents it was fun, hey do you want to play?" Playfully, Ingram asks them.
"You…." Maka begins her grip tightening on her scythe.
"Kishin sama will wipe out all the doubtful with a single light. This factory is the cradle of madness ad the clown master created will raise his fist cry the one who will give people their freedom." Furious, the ragdoll roars.
"Now then children of Shibusen let's see what you're made of." Amused, Ingram stands stretching his arms out intrigued.
"Looks like something interesting has entered master let me." Pleadingly, the voice calls out as Ingram glances to the side, hearing the voice breath down his throat.
"You can try." Bored, Ingram shrugs amused to see the power of his sister's students.
"Maka something else is coming!" Soul calls out alarmed.
"What is this!? What's going on…?" Lost, Maka gasps as suddenly, some of clown creation comes crashing down.
"I am the clown the one who invites people into madness….born in this factory the infection of madness itself…play with me." Manically, the creepy clown orders the two plucking its nose out of its socket.
"They multiplied." Maka whispers watching on as he has a nose ruby red button nose giggling the numerous other ruby red balls before tossing one at the horrified Maka, crying out as the balls bounce around her hitting her, crimson comes gushing out of her. She hears the crisp crunch of bone from the sheer velocity of the ball.
"Isn't this fun?! This brings back memories." Merrily, Ingram smiles smirking as Maka swirls her scythe all over the place leaving her to be dizzy as she swiftly strikes the clone with her strike only then to gasp when the mask of the clown comes crashing down revealing….
"That's…me!?" Maka gawks gaping as she leans over her scythe slightly using the bottom of the scythe on the floor to help steady her as her greens meet a similar shade of green.
"Maka? What's wrong Maka!? Hey Maka!" Soul calls out but it falls to deaf ears as he peers in from his scythe form noting her darkened green.
"Oooh how boring I think that's the quickest I've seen someone lose to them…what a pity." Disappointed, Ingram sighs standing up and leaving the two to deal with the clown, growing bored of these game of theirs.
"I want to go home but I'm worried about Maka and them what do I do Mwaaaa…." Whining, Kid wails whimpering falling flat to his knees engrossed in his panic while Liz and Patty stand staring down at the supposed Shinigami freaking out.
"It's useless to just get worried here you're the worse if you don't even go to help Maka and them and you don't return and check the things at home…" Liz reminds him.
"It's how Shakespeare said isn't it to go or to go home that is the question." Dramatically, Kid declares.
"That's not quite it." Liz sweat drops.
"That is the question, what a question." Kid considers unaware of a certain feather figure approaching.
"He's still doing that?" Stunned, Ingram gapes down at the boy, the trio oblivious to the stunned Ingram, pondering what the brat was even doing here…
"Hey what's wrong Maka!?" Soul calls out still trying to reach her but…
"That weapon doesn't understand the situation, now to my plant to grant you your true freedom come, come…" The clown cryptically states as next thing Maka knew…she was falling into the dark depths of the unknown, the last thing she saw were a familiar set of three eyes…
"Hey Kid no matter how many times we walk around I'm telling you there isn't going to be your kind of entrance. Just give up so we can hurry and catch up with Maka and Soul." Fed up, Liz sighs furrowing her brow at Kid in his own little world of paranoia.
"If we keep walking on a road with no exit to be found I'm going to become anxious." Anguished, Kid whimpers on his hands and knees whimpering.
"Exit you can't even go through an entrance." Patty giggles.
"You're being awfully noisy. When people slam into a wall of distress you start to turn back to the past ad question whether there were any errors. Did I fold the end of the toilet paper into a triangle? Was the picture frame not crooked…are the heights of the candles all lined up was it lined up…were they all together…they probably weren't lined up, it probably crooked it probably wasn't folded." Frowning, Kid ponders swirls spiralling in his hues.
"Give me a break." Liz sighs defeated.
"Ah I thought the warbling ramblings was familiar, geez you're as dramatic as your mother." Tutting, Ingram sighs dropping down before the trio freezing from the sheer sight of him.
"You…!" Scowling, Kid stands as Patty and Liz form into their gun forms arming king.
"Well well never thought I'd see you hear kiddoo." Chirpily, Ingram smiles unfazed by the guns pinned on him.
"You…! I should have known!" Kid fires a bullet but his eyes widen when his wrist is grabbed as he is pulled in close, saliva spewing out s Ingram swiftly knees him in the chest making him heave, hearing the crisp crunch of a broken bone no doubt.
"Hey have you gotten taller?" Curious, Ingram crouches down quirking his head to the side smirking at the wheezing male cradling his torso just as Liz returns to her human form, snatching Patty in her gun formed.
"Don't move." Icily, Liz snaps scowling as Ingram feels the gun planted firmly on his head.
"Now, now is that how you treat family?" Mischievously, Ingram pouts.
"We are not family." Firmly, Kid snaps seething.
"Hey have you tried Blini, ma made it for us once though I ended up vomiting, put some weird pill inside sis spat it out but I took it like a big boy maybe you should do that or maybe more milk…" Easily, Ingram ignores Kid as Liz snaps about to pull the trigger only to gasp when her wrist is grabbed as he slams his foot into her own, tripping her up as she gasps and comes crashing down to the ground.
"What are you even doing here!?" Kid demands cradling his stomach shakily standing. He tosses the gun to Kid, swiftly snatching it.
"Oh…nothing much just taking a trip down memory lane." Fondly, Ingram smiles back turned to the two as they attempt to fire at him.
How about a trip down to hell?" Haughtily, Kid snaps.
"And where would you get your answers then kiddo?" Smugly, Ingram points out gold glaring into a similar shade to his own as Kid grimaces from his words.
"Kid?" Concerned, Liz calls out her eyes widening when he lowers his gun.
"You went to Russia for a trip down memory lane? Explain." Coldly, Kid demands from him.
"Hey I like Russia I mean not the people some people can be so rude if you hold hands with someone I mean that guy was blind but anyway the food's good." Goofily, Ingram begins only making Kid's gold narrow further.
"You…" Warningly, Kid raises his gun as Ingram sighs sadly.
"Ma used to have factories like this all over the place till Death came and ruined everything like normal. She would make this creatures that we used to play with. Fair?" Frowning, Ingram scowls at his nephew.
"Play with?" Perplexed, Liz furrows her brow.
"Yeah clowns we'd tear them apart rip their limbs off you know how you play with dolls." Lazily, Ingram brushes her off unaware of her look of panic and fear.
"Um I played house with my dolls last I checked." Shaking, Liz whimpers fidgeting, fearful of the deity before her.
"Yeah well we couldn't really do that we tried once but then next thing I know I'm on a guillotine and I inhaled some wooden fibres urgh…went back from there." Groaning, Ingram cradles his head at the memory.
"Wha…what!?" Alarmed, Liz squeals scared.
"Aaaaannnyway I wonder if you'd like a go at them, the clowns were really fun to play with as a kid I mean I have made one I thought I'd beat it up for old times sake but it pales in comparison to the original you know?" Mischievously, Ingram winks, they weren't on par to his mother's devices but he liked to think he could make something.
"What is wrong with you!?" Lost, Kid questions him.
"Geez is that how you speak to your uncle kiddo I'm hurt. So how's the toilet paper?" Huffing, Ingram places his hands on his hips.
"Ahhh I'm beginning to lose my self-confidence what do I do what do I do!?" Wailing, Kid screeches falling flat to his knees making Ingram smirk slyly amused almost at the scene playing out.
"I'm saying its fine you can do it anytime saying probably again what about Maka and Soul?" Liz reminds Kid panicked.
"If I can't shake off this doubt I can't help it. I'd regret it." Kid argues.
"The two of them are fighting in there probably." Ingram shrugs lazily.
"Oh they are?" Liz hums.
"Wait…what!?" Kid gawks.
"Yeah, remember that clown I mentioned before that." Ingram answers lazily.
"What!?" Liz screeches.
"Well I was going to talk to them till I found out my baby sister's nephew was about the place and who would miss the chance to catch up to family for old times sake you know?" Teasingly, he winks at the two.
"WE ARE NOT FAMILY!" Firmly, Kid snaps scowling before returning to his wailing whimpers of the toilet paper.
"Oh…hey Greg." Casually, Ingram smiles looking up at the freak monster of the building its one eye gazing down at Ingram.
"Greg!?" Liz squeals taking a shaky step back.
"Yeah duh everyone has a name. " Ingram scoffs.
"Cool monster fac-MPGH!" Patty praises only for Liz to slam her hand over Patty's mouth swiftly silencing her.
"Hm?" Ingram hums as he watches Liz lead Kid out of the factory.
"What's wrong with you two?" Kid questions lost.
"Probably the m-" Patty begins but…
"Well it's nice to see family and all but we best be on our way. Come on shall we go back? Check to see if those candles are all right?" Cheerily, Liz cuts her sister off smiling as she pushes Kid back towards the entrance, leaving Ingram alone.
"And there they go…sorry Gregg no fight tonight it seems. Now let's see how the other two are doing…" Apologetic, Ingram sighs at the factory monster blinking its one eye at the smiling Ingram patting its side before dismissing it and leaving going to see how his little toy is…
"Hey are you hurt? Can you stand?" Smiling, Spirit questions the younger Maka looking up at her papa patrolling around the academy, wearing her pigtails as she smiles up at her father.
"Yes papa." Perkily, Maka smiles up at her dad.
"Maka had a huge fall but you didn't cry." Impressed, Spirit smiles.
"Heheh I'm going to go to Shibusen too so I won't cry." Proudly, Maka declares.
"Maka is still really small so you can't!" Sternly, Spirit tells her.
"Who's that kid?" Maka looks over at the young blue haired boy kicking the air training.
"That's a kid who was taken in here around the time Maka was born he's not a Shibusen teacher." Spirit tells her.
"Hmm." Maka watches the boy train.
"Hai!" Blackstar bellows kicking the open air.
"He's cool!" Amazed, Maka gushes beaming brightly at the sight of the diligent warrior.
"Papa won't allow it, it's 20 years early for anything like a boyfriend!" Spirit sniffles, tears threatening to fall.
"And that boy?" Curious, Maka points towards the other by strolling by, clinging to his mother's leg, a lean hand on top of his head as he reads his book in one hand while the other clings to the bundle of trouser leg of the woman by his side.
"Oh he's the child of lord and lady Death." Spirit tells her.
"He's carrying a lot of books he must be super smart." Maka smiles impressed by the boy noting the backpack behind him with numerous bags nestled in the back.
"Not as smart as my Maka." Boastfully, Spirit smirks smugly patting his daughter's hair just as the world turns pitch black and the young Maka stares stunned down at the corpse of Spirit by his side alongside the blue boy from before and black haired boy from before, crimson currents ooze out of the limp corpses scattered across the floor leaving the lone Maka alone with them.
"Papa papa papa." Sniffling, Maka whimpers, tears in her glassy green tossing, prodding, shaking her father trying to get him to wake up but…
"It's not use cause he's dead." The other version of Maka tells the teary eyed Maka sniffling whimpering, the tears freely falling from the sight of her dead father.
"Do what you want with my soul but return papa." Pleadingly, the young child begs the cold clone version of her tugging at her skirt but…
"He died because you were weak. There's nothing you can do." Coldly, clone Maka tells her younger from bursting into tears.
"Stop it!" Angrily, the real Maka snaps appearing before the clone replacing the girl as she snaps at her clone.
"We've become one." The clone leans in chiselled china comes crashing down.
"This sense of freedom the one to speak the truth in the end is the clown this is me. Really that clown is a mirror image of myself." The crown clone of Maka dictates smiling pleased.
"MAKA! CAN YOU HEAR ME!? Maka! Feel me! My soul's wavelength...!" Maka's eyes widen when hearing Soul's screech as next thing she knew she was in a familiar room where a ruby red demon pouts in the corner.
"Just feel it…Maka sit." Softly, Soul tells her to sit before the coal black piano.
"Oh….okay." Maka nods her head dumbly sitting down before the piano.
"Not on the end like that. You felt it the last time you heard it right? There's a madness in my piano." Soul leans over the piano.
"That's not true I don't know much about music but I really like your piano playing." Maka argues.
"Because in madness there's strength that fascinates people. Madness will give you strength, but I noticed when I played piano before at the brew battle you understood the best right? Within the strong terror souls that can endure falling into madness, the truth is there may be a fascination there. Wouldn't you say the true strength is there? Madness is the source of strength." Smirking, Soul explains to her.
"No." Maka refuses.
"Then what do you think it is?" Curious, Soul asks her.
"Courage." Maka answers.
"We should show that to Crona." Softly, Soul smiles.
"Soul…" Touched, Maka smiles.
"Maka your hand…" Soul guides it towards the piano.
"The sole of courage I still can't see it at all. I can't see souls like you so listen just this once to the sound you choose." Maka closes her eyes pressing down upon the key.
"Oh my…" The demon watches on surprised as a sudden wave hit the clown causing it to crack, the illusion breaking before their very eyes as it damages the clown not killing it though.
"A G huh…understandable so Maka like…" Soul smirks at the damage done.
"What is this strong anti demon wavelength!? Master we must retreat…" Fearful, the ragdoll warns Ingram watching on hands shoved in his coat.
"…I want to see how this ends." Ingram whispers brow furrowed.
"Soul resonance!" Maka and Soul declare reeling their scythe back as stunned Ingram watches the scythe be engulfed by a familiar light making Ingram grimace at the blade formed, his hand darting towards his torso.
"You fool I told you, your creation pales in comparison to the mistresses, especially to a girl with a wavelength like hers." Ingram curses at the ragdoll staring stunned at the move.
"Witch hunter my, my that level will barely do anything…wait…don't tell me. Soul this is…different from before. A witch hunter that surpasses witch hunter yeah…" Maka furrows her brow at the sight of the scythe swiftly cutting down the clown.
"Demon hunter huh…this may prove to be more fun than I had thought." Strained, Ingram smirks, he had seen that move only once and that was a long time ago…
"Maka are you okay!?" Soul turns back to normal catching her.
"Nobody can escape from madness don't squash the terror don't squash it! Ahahahaah!" The clown cackles as it breaks, shards descend down leaving nothing but rubble ruins of what once was a crazed clown.
"And pop goes the weasel. Now collect your prize and be happy." Chirpily, Ingram remarks in a singsong tone.
"Collection com-" Maka smiles as she collects said soul but…
"GYAHAHAH BECAUSE I WILL ALWAYS BE BY YOUR SIDE! The infection of madness is getting stronger every day. You won't be able to escape me next time GWHAHAHA!" Suddenly, the soul opens up revealing a cackling face laughing swaying from side to side, confetti comes crashing down on the shocked two.
"Well this has been fun and all but I really must dash but for putting on such a performance here." Happily, Ingram salutes the two.
"Gwah! M-Master!" Needily, the ragdoll calls out to Ingram making him scowl as the ragdoll gawks, gaping at the claw impaled into his chest.
"Got to give the heroes a reward right." Ingram tsks smoothly swiping said soul from the creature.
"B-But master I thought…" Tearfully, the ragdoll whimpers voice cracking at the unfazed Ingram.
"Sorry but you've over welcomed yourself I mean I'm not a brat anymore you know. So bye bye!" Swiftly, he rips the soul of the ragdoll crying out in anguish as he then tosses the soul over.
"Wait where are you…!?" Maka clumsily catches said soul looking up only to find him…
"He's…gone. What was he…?" Soul whispers kneeling down picking up the flimsy feather left behind.
"I…I don't know but whatever he was…he wasn't human." Heaving, Maka whispers a grave grim look upon her facial features as she and Soul leave the factory heading back to death academy…