2. Tiger Stripes
A Tragic Tale Of A Tiger Cub?
"Maka Albarn?" A voice asked. Maka whipped around, embarrassed that she had stopped looking for the new girl. The light voice belonged to a girl about Maka's height with wide jade eyes. Her ruby red hair was parted down the middle and a single braid snaked over her right shoulder and hung to her waist. She had on a pale yellow dress, the pleated skirt was striped with yellow, blue, red, pink, and purple and stopped an inch or so short of her knees. The dress was separated at the waist by a pale pink sash that matched her knee-high sneakers. The top of the dress was partially covered by a stylish Burgundy jacket that hung, unzipped, to just above her naval. She was watching Maka expectantly.
"Sorry." The Scythe Meister apologized, holding out her hand, "I got distracted. I'm Maka Albarn, are you the new student?"
"Yes. Mimiko doh Harou." The new girl introduced herself as she took Maka's hand. Mimiko's eyes then traveled to the rest of the group.
"These are my friends; Soul, Tsubaki, Death the Kid, Liz, Patty, Crona, and Black Star." Maka presented. Everyone nodded as their names were mentioned, except for Black Star. He stood with his arms crossed and his nose in the air, looking haughtily at the new girl.
"Who cares about this? Let's go get some food." A rude voice said. Crona winced as a small black body sprouted out of his back and Ragnarok perched his hands on his meister's head. The Demon sword's googly eyes landed on Mimiko, "Who's this?"
"Ah!" Mimiko jumped back, "What is that?"
"It's okay!" Maka stepped forward quickly, holding her hands out in front of her in the 'calm down' gesture, "That's Ragnarok, he's Crona's weapon. He's kind of mean sometimes but you'll get used to it." She turned around to see Crona curled up by one of the pillars, "Crona, what's wrong?"
"The first new kid since I got here and I scared her!" Crona sobbed, "She hates me! I don't know how to deal with that."
"She doesn't hate you. She was just surprised, right, Mimiko?" Maka looked at the new girl imploringly.
"Yeah." Mimiko said uncertainly.
"See?" Maka turned back to Crona brightly, "She doesn't hate you." Her pink-haired friend only sniffed. Maka stood again and turned back to Mimiko doh Harou, "Soul and I are supposed to show you around, follow me." She took one step toward the academy when Black Star's voice interrupted.
"That's it?"
"What do you mean?" Soul, who had already turned to follow Maka, asked.
"I think Mimiko here has to prove herself first, it's practically a tradition." Black Star smiled sadistically.
"Leave her alone." Maka snapped.
"It's her first day, give the kid a break." Liz agreed, Patty nodded enthusiastically.
"Which means it's time for first impressions." Black Star said, "We don't even know what kind of Meister she is. Or how strong she is." Black Star was standing on the steps and everyone else was gathered around the pillars to the entrance, all facing Black Star, except for one. Mimiko stood with her back to Tsubaki's Meister, her head was down, eyes focused on the ground. She didn't move as the sound of small wheels approached. Professor Stein rolled out of the Academy on his chair, lit cigarette between his lips. He took a moment to draw in a breath and lightly grasp the cigarette between his two fingers as the students turned to look at him.
"Okay, Black Star, I'm here." The Professor said calmly with his eyes closed.
"Professor Stein, what are you doing here?" Tsubaki asked.
"Black Star asked me to come down a while ago." He took another blind drag of his cigarette, "I assume he's in another fight."
"He's not fighting anyone." Maka said sternly, "Just let it go."
"The supervisor is here." Black Star smirked, ignoring Maka completely, "Come on, new girl, show me what you've got." Mimiko didn't say anything, she didn't even move. Maka opened her mouth to make another argument but stopped when Soul put a hand on her shoulder.
"Save it." He told his partner, "It's Mimiko's decision." Maka closed her mouth.
"There." Black Star said smugly, "Are you going to come fight me, or not?"
Mimiko sighed. It wasn't a sad sigh, or resigned, it was a stage sigh that meant nothing, it was only a prelude to her saying, "But I don't even have a weapon. I'm unarmed." Maka's eyes widened. Had Mimiko's voice just changed? She hadn't just used the same whispy, nervous, indecisive voice or tone that she'd been using in the conversation earlier. Her new voice was low, confident, and steady.
Black Star didn't notice it, he only smirked wider and answered, "Then so am I." He waited a moment for Mimiko to respond, she didn't, so he continued, "Unless you're scared. I can understand how you'd be afraid of fighting a big guy like me. You must realize you have no chance."
"You'd really pick a fight with a girl?" Mimiko asked in the same low voice, still not moving.
"I fight with Maka and Tsubaki." Black Star's eyes narrowed, "I know what girls are capable of."
"I think that's almost a compliment." Maka whispered to Tsubaki, who smiled.
"What are we, chopped liver?" Liz asked no one in particular.
"Come fight me, you coward!" Black Star snapped, losing his patience.
"You don't have to." Maka said quietly, leaning forward, trying to see Mimiko's downcast eyes. The new girl didn't answer her. Instead, she sighed again as she lifted arms to her jacket collar. She swiftly removed the jacket, revealing her spaghetti straps, and dropped it on the ground. Then she turned, slowly, to face Black Star, raising her eyes finally to meet his. Her pupils had narrowed into cat-like slits and her green irises were filled with resolve.
"If that's what you want." She said dangerously. Black Star only smiled and back up onto the cobblestone courtyard. Mimiko followed and they faced each other about fifty yards apart. The fight started with Black Star charging and Mimiko dodging his punch with little effort. Professor Stein finally opened his eyes and looked out over the dueling Meisters.
"Oh." He said without infliction, "Mimiko doh Harou. I should have made the connection."
"Hm? What do you mean, Professor?" Maka asked, she was standing next to his chair, her friends unconsciously leaned closer to hear.
"Mimiko doh Harou is a cautionary tale. She isn't much of a rumor because her story is real, and she isn't a secret, just not really talked about." He put his cigarette between his lips and leaned forward in his chair, "Maka, Kid, I want you to look at Mimiko's soul. What do you see?" Maka closed her eyes and focused, searching for Mimiko's soul. When she opened her eyes she looked directly at the girl and gasped.
"What's the matter?" Soul asked.
"Professor, what is that?" Kid sounded astounded as he stared at Mimiko's soul.
"What is it?" Soul asked with more urgency.
"It's Mimiko's soul." Maka answered breathlessly, "It's strange. The color is off, for one thing. It's a strange mix of blue, red, and orange. I've never seen anything like it. And it's got stripes, black stripes."
"Tiger stripes." Stein specified.
"There's something about the way it appears." Kid said, "Flickering, almost pulsating."
"Souls take damage much like the mind and body do." Stein said, watching Mimiko kick Black Star's legs out from under him, "If they get beaten and broken enough, they'll stay damaged. Mimiko's soul has been shattered. It's taken time, but it wasn't very long ago when her soul was agitated and distorted beyond recognition. It's taken months of recuperation to get to the state it is now, and it's still very weak and fragile. Though Mimiko's soul was once very strong, and in a way it still is. She's had one of the most unique souls I've laid eyes on, it's very powerful."
"Even though it's shattered?" Maka asked. Stein nodded. "Do you know what can cause that much damage?"
"Yes." The Professor answered, though he did not elaborate.
"Well, what makes Mimiko's soul so special?" Kid asked, "And what you said earlier about her being a cautionary tale, what did that mean?"
"Part of what's mixed into Mimiko's soul is Witch power. Mimiko's mother was Ferishia the Tigress."
"Her mother's a witch?" Soul asked in disbelief, "How is that possible?"
"It's more feasible than you would think." Stein adjusted his glasses, "You see, Mimiko's father, Blaine Harou, was a student at the academy. I remember him well, he was a promising Meister, very driven and determined. He and his Weapon partner had collected 99 kishin souls, and were restless to collect the soul of a witch. It was then that they went after one of the most powerful witches of the time: Ferishia the Tigress. I had seen Ferishia before." Stein smiled grimly, "She was very beautiful. Wild red hair, amber cat eyes, face of an angel and a body to match. When they first came across her it was very apparent that they were outmatched. She knew they were coming and snuck up on them. They were already battered by the time Blaine looked up and saw his beautiful attacker. He fell in love with her, on the spot. Though he didn't know her and was supposed to be collecting her soul. Blaine had been loyal to Lord Death and his weapon partner almost to a fault until that day. In order to spare the witch he loved, he tricked his partner into devouring the soul of a sprite. Sprites are hard to catch and look a lot like humans, but he managed to convince his weapon that the soul had belonged to a witch. Trusting the man who had never before lead him wrong, the weapon ate and all 99 of their Kishin souls were confiscated, they had to start all over again."
"Like what happened to us." Maka observed.
"It was much the same. Only Blaine did it on purpose. Ferishia and Blaine were briefly involved, completely in secret. But after only a few months his sense of duty kicked in, along with guilt over tricking his partner, and he was forced to leave her. About six year later, Blaine returned to her home with his weapon in hand. Even though he knew he still loved her, he was forced to collect her soul anyway." Stein sighed, "The way his partner tells it, she didn't put up much of a fight. There was no way for her to win. The only way to keep Blaine and his partner from coming back was to kill them, which she couldn't bring herself to do. She couldn't allow them to fight so near her house and she couldn't just back down. Ferishia tried talking them down, but the temptation of becoming a death scythe was too much, and they took her soul. After, Blaine walked into the home and was surprised to find a little girl there. A little girl with Ferishia's features and his eyes."
"Mimiko." Tsubaki noted sadly.
"Mimiko." The scientist confirmed, "He was appalled. That day he took Mimiko and ran away. He couldn't exactly disappear, but he could get away from all wandering eyes. Mimiko was raised at one of the academy branches. It's hard to say how much of the story she knows or remembers. You can ask her yourself, if you like. Because she was born half witch, half meister, her soul has special properties. She's probably able to use magic on some level, though she's yet to successfully access them. Characteristically, her soul is quite flexible. When she feels up to the task she should be able to match soul wavelengths with any weapon she chooses."
"Like you." Kid said, "My father told me about how your flexible soul lets you connect with any wavelength, Meister or Weapon alike. Will Mimiko be able to do that?"
"Eventually. Part of the reason Lord Death wants her here is so that I can train her use that flexibility more effectively." Below them, Black Star sped behind Mimiko and kicked her halfway across the courtyard. In response, she slammed his head against the ground. "Seeing her soul now, in person, I have no doubt that she'll be able to master the skill in record time."
"I don't see that." Maka whispered, fixated on the girl's soul, "I only see it's brokenness, like it can't be recovered."
"You are young and don't yet fully grasp the complexity of a Meister's soul. Or a hybrid's, like Mimiko. I've seen souls shattered and healed before. Mimiko's strong soul caused the break to be more devastating, but it also give her a better chance to heal."
"What about her father? And his weapon partner?" Maka asked.
"Blaine's weapon partner, Cou Kumar the Halbred, is still a Death Scythe, he's stationed in Asia. Blaine died a couple of years ago. All anyone knew about it was that it was some form of witchcraft, after that there is only speculation."
"And what do you think?"
"I think Ferishia loved her daughter." He dropped his cigarette to the ground and crunched the butt under his shoe. His students watched him expectantly.
"And?" Soul pressed when the Professor showed no signs of continuing.
"And I think that her final moments were a lot more complicated than we realize. She didn't want to lose her daughter or the man who would in the end kill her. I think she'd go to any lengths to protect either of them, and that she tried to bargain with Blaine in order to save them. Imagine that Mimiko was inside and she was Ferishia's pride and joy. I think that the Tigress had safeguards set up to protect her daughter. Say, a spell that takes the life of anyone who takes Mimiko away from her. A spell that wouldn't die with her. I think she tried to explain, but in the end she was sacrificed for her family. But the spell was still in place and latched onto Blaine when he claimed their daughter. The spell probably should have taken effect sooner, but Mimiko may have subconsciously been using just enough magic to keep her father alive. I don't know when or why she stopped, or if she knows about it. Once again, this is just my theory." They fell silent as they watched the pointless battle between Black Star and Mimiko draw to an end. Black Star shoved his hand forward, ready to release his soul wavelength into her. She managed to jump back in time to avoid it, but she couldn't do it a second time. Black Star's fist slammed into her stomach, knocking the breath out of her before she was forced back by his wavelength. Mimiko collapsed face down on the stone and didn't move.
"Haha! We both knew you couldn't stand up to the mighty Black Star! Do you see how small you are now?" Black Star laughed. Tsubaki rushed to his side and started speaking to him softly while Maka, Liz, and Patty moved to assist Mimiko.
"I want him to challenge her in a year or so." Stein said to Soul and Kid, "It might end differently when that move won't work on her. And if they were allowed weapons." They watched as Mimiko raised herself to her knees, swatting away Maka's helping hand, and wiped blood out of the corner of her mouth with her wrist. Soul and Kid watched her recover uneasily. After everything Professor Stein had said, they couldn't help but wonder how this same fight would end in another year.
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