Yeah, I'm updating stuff. It's a miracle, I know.
… But seriously? I haven't updated since MARCH?! Of last YEAR?!
SOULS
It turns out that 'Yasu' and 'planes' do not mix. He still looked pale and ill an hour after landing, but that's probably how Naru and I looked when he drove, so I found it somewhat justified.
After assuring Naru that his van and equipment would (probably) be okay in the woods for a few days, so long as none of the others try to investigate where we were. Hopefully, they'll be sick for a while longer. At least until we've had a memory swipe done and over with. Naru and Yasu seemed to mildly snap out of it towards the end of the plane trip and started acting startled. We had to explain everything all over again very clearly, but after a while we just agreed to answer their questions once we got the memory stuff from the lab. They were still a little surprised and probably wouldn't snap out of it until after a good night's sleep. Then we'll get to explain it again. Fun.
With Yasu and Naru having survived the plane trip and the two hour drive here, we now stood at the entrance to Death City. "Wow," Yasu said, looking much better than he did before. "This is where you're from, Mai?"
"Well, we were originally from Japan, sorta, but both Mei and I were mostly raised here, and we wanted to go here. There is a Japanese branch as well," I said as we entered the city.
"Why didn't the Japanese branch test you, then?" Naru asked, referring to the fight from earlier yesterday.
"Because that would involve Azusa, and that would be cruel," Death Scythe said.
"Besides," Professor Stein added, "they attend this school, not that one."
"Where are we going, anyway?" Yasu asked as he took in the sights.
"My lab," Professor Stein said, and I could have sworn that Death Scythe gave a slight shudder at the thought.
We came to a building that was blocky and just as covered in stitches as the owner was. "Come in," he said as he rolled forward on his chair. How he even got that from here to Japan and back puzzles me, now that I actually think about it, but some things about Professor Stein were better left unsaid.
Mei and I had no hesitation sitting on the couches inside while Yasu and Naru were a bit hesitant, but also compliant. Death Scythe just stood stiffly near the door.
"So," Professor Stein called out as he went through the various rooms and bookshelves looking for his memory concoction. "When we find this stuff that'll 'fix' your memories for us, don't take it right away. Take it once you are back in Japan, preferably either in a familiar place or back at that 'haunted site' we set up."
"…Alright," Naru said with some hesitation as he watched the man walk through the rooms. He apparently knew that if he wanted to argue about it, he shouldn't do it while in a room with a bunch of scalpels and questionable liquids.
"Mai doesn't have to take the memory eraser stuff, right?" Yasu said.
"Well, no, but she's not going back to Japan," Death Scythe said.
"Say what now?" I asked. "When was I going to be informed of this?"
"We knew that you would resist coming back, so we didn't tell you until now," Professor Stein said, his voice slightly muffled through the wall.
"How are we supposed to explain where she went to the others if we had our memories wiped out?" Yasu said. "Besides that, I'm not going back without her there."
"I'm afraid it's not your choice," Death Scythe said.
"But it is hers," Naru said. "Mai," he addressed to me, "if you want to stay, I won't stop you. Can't actually. But if you want to go back with us-"
"Not an option," Professor Stein said, coming back with a piece of paper in his hand. It had a Lord Death skull symbol on the back. "As much as I'd like to destroy your dreams more, we need to go to the DWMA."
"Eh? Why?" Mei and I asked together.
"It appears Lord Death has my memory potion. Don't know why, but we'll go there, get it back, get those two on a plane, and continue lessons as usual," Stein said, waving the paper around.
It was about when we got to the bottom of the staircase that Naru and Yasu realized they were in way over they're heads.
"We have to go up all of these?" Yasu asked, his glasses almost slipping off.
"You haven't been slacking with me gone, have you?" Mei asked me as he ignored Yasu.
"Of course not, brat," I said.
"Race?"
"Race."
With that, we crouched down, counted to three, then ran up the steps. I focused on getting past Mei, not tripping, and staying aware in case of students or other obstacles, such as thrown students or students in weapon form.
Ah, DWMA, how I've missed you!
SOULS
Mei can tell you whatever he wants. I beat him, fair and square. The pigeons agree, I'm sure. They know who scared them first. By their presence, I know that the rather infamous Black*Star hadn't shown up in at least an hour or two.
We both waited as the others slowly came up. Seeing as neither of us twins were going to give any assistance to the two who had never been here before, our teachers had to help them up. I think Stein was dragging Yasu at one point, but I could be wrong.
"You… Did…. This… Every…. Day…?" Yasu panted as they got to the top. He nearly collapsed on the ground, heavily leaning on the handrail for support. "Just… For… School…?"
Naru, well, he didn't look a whole bunch better, but he at least attempted to hang on to his composure and pride as he practically died with Yasu going up a staircase that was impossibly high… in the middle of a desert, at that.
Yasu suddenly perked up a bit as he looked at Mei and me. "Hey… which of you…. Is which…?"
We got tired of waiting, and so Mei and I changed into our uniforms that matched. Mei and I's hair was about the same length, and we both pulled it into a tiny ponytail. Quite frankly, we both looked like boys. Or maybe girls. Mei can be girlish sometimes, though I can no longer tease him about his fear of spiders…
"Ah, yes, this act," Professor Stein drawled. He was never fond of the fact that we could just switch places. "Mai, would you wear a skirt already? At least over your pants or something?"
He was, of course, trying to address me, but he addressed Mei by accident. Mei and I both started snickering.
"I addressed the wrong twin, didn't I?" Professor Stein groaned.
More snickers.
"That you did, my friend," Death Scythe patted his meister partner on the shoulder. "That you did."
"What on earth… Are you wearing…?" Naru asked, still a little breathless.
He, of course, was referring to our uniforms. With black shoes, blue jean pants, pale yellow shirts with Lord Death's symbol, black jackets, and orange and black hats, Mei and I's uniform was identical, if not possibly needing an upgrade for the next school year. "Our school uniform," Mei and I said in sync.
Yasu looked slightly baffled between the two of us. He was having identification issues. Also, speaking in unison and giggling was creepy… Which is exactly why we did it.
Fun times.
Death Scythe sighed and patted Yasu's shoulder. "Get used to the act, kid. Trust me," he told Yasu, almost mimicking his earlier moment with Professor Stein.
"Let's head in, now that our guests have caught their breathes," Professor Stein said, leading the way into the building.
We went after him into the labyrinth-like halls. "Where are we going, sir?" Naru said.
"Lord Death's room, of course. He should have that memory serum," Professor Stein said. He stopped and smiled creepily at Naru and Yasu, glasses glinting in the light. "This should be fun. I wonder what he'll think of you two."
Death Scythe looked thoughtful for a moment. "Hm… They aren't weapons as far as I can tell… and they don't seem to have the attitude for a meister…"
"We're not students," Naru pointed out, "so shouldn't that be irrelevant to the case at hand?"
Professor Stein looked at him. "Even so, he'll be getting a good look at you. I've been resisting for the most part, seeing as you two are neither students nor threats…"
Yasu shifted his weight nervously. "What do you mean by 'getting a good look' at us?"
Professor Stein, Death Scythe, Mei, and I exchanged looks before looking at Naru and Yasu again.
"Did we forget to tell you?" Mei and I said in sync.
Death Scythe put one hand on his hip and the other on his chin. "I think we did."
"What did you forget?" Naru glared at them, though to no avail against the DWMA persons.
Professor Stein stared directly at Naru and Yasu. "To put it simply, both Lord Death and I can see your souls."
"What?!" Yasu shouted, and Naru looked just as taken back, both of them literally taking a step away from the mad doctor.
Said doctor smiled almost cruelly, his hand reaching up to turn the screw in his head. "Yes, you will be laid bare before Lord Death and before me. I wonder what he'll think of your souls… yes… I almost feel like peaking now. But I'll wait. But keep this in mind, you two. The things that we can do here are far beyond that of anything you knew possible. Are you ready?"
I took one look at the two SPR boys and decided that no they so were not ready for this at all.
Regardless, we continued on.
That's about when we heard a yell, a crash, a boom, and saw a boy crash through the wall in front of us.
SOULS
… Eh, the best ending out of all the ones I had up before.
Trust me, I know they are OOC. I'll try to deal with that in the future as to their basic non-reactions to the whole 'major secret hey I'm actually a deadly weapon' thing. Right now, even after the hours that have passed, they're a little shocked.
…. I need serious help with their uniforms. I'm not convinced I did a good job. Heeeeelllllpppppp mmmmmeeeee! Please for the sake of their fashion sense send in suggestions. I don't hate what I gave them, but they could probably do better. A lot better…
Also, any plot ideas are useful. I have a fair idea of how I want this to go, but, uh, it's about as developed as 'the potato's skin is brown', if that makes sense to you. So, yeah. Uniforms and ideas would be marvelous.
UNTIL NEXT TIME, FRIENDS! (AND HOPEFULLY IT WON'T BE FOR NEARLY A YEAR.)