The Shadow Weapon Meister and his Demon Weapon perched quietly on the ledge located on the thirty first floor of a hotel in central Tokyo. Their suspected target was located in a building not too far away, but try as he might, Black Star couldn't pick up on a Kishin soul through Tsubaki.
Having arrived at the Haneda Airport in Tokyo a few hours before morning, Tsubaki had eventually convinced her Meister that they should use the darkness to their advantage to scout out possible targets. So far, the pair had investigated five men, all viable assassins, but none were Kishins.
"Man, how many assassins can there be around here?" Black Star complained as he broke resonance with Tsubaki and released her hand. "How am I supposed to be the center of attention now?"
Grateful for the shadows that concealed them, Tsubaki tried to cool the heat that had risen to her cheeks when Black Star had told her she didn't need to transform into Weapon Form and, instead, took her hand in order to resonate with her. She glanced over at her partner, a smile playing on her lips.
"You always find a way," she told him.
They gave the man one last glance before retreating inside through an open window on the floor below. By then, the sun was rising, setting the city's horizon ablaze.
Tsubaki gazed at the sunrise in awe. "Isn't it pretty?"
Black Star shrugged and headed towards the elevator and playfully scolding her. "We don't have time for sightseeing, Tsubaki. We've got an assassin to assassinate, so let's roll."
With a smile, she followed her Meister down the hallway and took the elevator down to the first floor.
The clerk, an old man who looked to be friendly enough, gave them a small smile, chuckling to himself. "How young they are these days."
Black Star just ignored him altogether, but Tsubaki looked over at the sign and saw that this was a honeymoon hotel. She'd heard rumors and stories about these, but she never imagined she'd ever set foot in one. Especially with Black Star. Her face turned bright red, she hurried out the door, getting herself a questioning look from Black Star.
"Who's next on the list?" he asked her.
Tsubaki pulled out a sheet of paper from her bra and looked it over. Impressively, they'd gone through most of the list. There was only one person left.
"His name's Kaname, also known as Raven. No last name listed, and he's apparently very elusive for such a well-known assassin," she informed him. "He only takes the most high paying and dangerous jobs."
"Finally, a good opponent! If I beat him, I'm sure to be the star!" Black Star beamed. "Where do we find this prick?"
"Kyoto," she replied. "From what I found out, he's on a mission there right now."
"Awesome! We get to take one of those bullet train things!" her Meister exclaimed, jumping into the air. "Soul would be so freaking jealous. Let's go Tsubaki."
They were getting a lot of stares, but Black Star seemed to be enjoying the attention, as always, as they made their way to the Shinkansen station.
Once they went through the protocol stuff and got their tickets, they boarded the train and found a quiet car. As people passed by their seats, they would giggle and whisper to one another, trying to appear inconspicuous. But to the Shibusen students with heightened senses, they could hear every word said.
Tsubaki couldn't help but blush a deeper red every time someone said the two made a cute couple; a blush that she tried desperately to hide from her partner, who could also hear every word that was uttered, but didn't really care. So what if people thought they were dating? It wasn't like Tsubaki wasn't pretty, so he didn't exactly mind. In fact, he wasn't sure if he'd mind if they actually started dating.
Eventually, the train started and people stopped moving around. The pair sat in silence, Tsubaki looking out the window and Black Star crossing his arms across his chest and closing his eyes. He hadn't gotten any sleep on the plane ride here, so the boy was considerably exhausted. Not to mention he was so worried about Tsubaki, who had been sleeping next to him most of the plane ride. She'd looked so distressed; sadness, despair, and...something else distorted her beautiful features. He wished he could have done something for her, but he couldn't really help if she didn't tell him what was going on. And Black Star hated feeling useless.
The next thing he knew, Tsubaki was tapping him on the shoulder to tell him that they'd reached their destination.
"So we're headed to a temple?" Black Star asked as they walked the rest of the way on foot. "I thought you said this guy was on a mission."
"I couldn't find out very much, but someone important is supposed to be visiting the temple today, and that's supposedly Kaname's target," Tsubaki replied. "Black Star, we have to stop him before he devours another soul and becomes even stronger."
"Yeah, I know that," her Meister replied, his voice laid back and carefree. "It'll be a breeze!"
Sighing, Tsubaki followed him towards Sanjusangendo Temple, located in the eastern part of Kyoto. The two got attention, not because Black Star was being loud and somewhat obnoxious (which he usually was a lot of the time), but because the star-shaped tattoo on Black Star's right arm. Apparently, the Star Clan was even more infamous here than around Death City.
Fortunately, they made it to the temple without any confrontations, and headed inside. Immediately, the dark assassin could sense something slightly amiss about the place. His partner, on the other hand, didn't seem to pick up on anything as she went about admiring the statues while looking for anything out of the ordinary.
Shaking his head disapprovingly, Black Star climbed onto a ledge jutting out of the wall and took a deep breath.
"HEY EVERYONE IT'S THE GREAT BLACK STAR HERE AND I'M GONNA GIVE YOU THE SHOW OF A LIFETIME! WHERE ARE YOU KANAME! STOP PLAYING HIDE AND SEEK AND COME FIGHT ME!"
That sure attracted attention, but not exactly the kind of attention he'd wanted.
Security guards came jogging around the corner with unpleasant looks on their faces. Not that Black Star cared, but they might get in his way.
"Young man, get down from there immediately!" one of the guards shouted. "This is a temple, not a playground."
"That's no way to talk to someone who's gonna surpass god one day," the boy replied, leaping down from the ledge and landing in a crouch. "Besides, it's quiet and boring in here. "This place needs a star to brighten it up!"
"Black Star, please..." Tsubaki pleaded as she turned to the guards. "We're not looking for any trouble, really. We're just from out of town."
"Some place you're from..." the man muttered. "Keep it down. I don't want to hear another commotion from you two."
"Yes, sir. I'm really sorry," Tsubaki said before Black Star could get a word out.
The guards dispersed and went back to their business as the Weapon let out a sigh of relief.
"Those guys wouldn't know talent if it hit them in the face," Black Star laughed, jokingly cracking his knuckles. "But that guy still hasn't..."
He trailed off as he saw movement between the statues and immediately went on guard.
Tsubaki caught it too and did the same as the two stood back to back. The whole temple had appeared to be cleared out, and it was only the two of them standing amidst the statues.
Another movement on the other side of the room caught his eye and Black Star sprung into action. "Tsubaki."
"Right," she nodded, turning into a kazarigama and falling into Black Star's hands.
Before they knew it, their opponent was airborne and Black Star managed to dodge his sword by a centimeter or two.
The boy seemed about the same age as the two Shibusen students, with black hair shrouding half his face and tied back in a short ponytail, blood red eyes, and pale skin. He was clad in all black, his hands ornamented with black leather gloves. When he smiled, his teeth were pointed, much like Soul Eater's and, despite the hungry look in his eyes, he seemed to be very much in control as he landed on top of one of the statues with shocking balance.
"So, you've finally arrived," the stranger said in a smooth voice, bearing his shark teeth as he smiled.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," Black Star replied, lunging at the boy.
Kaname moved out of the way in a flash and appeared behind Black Star, leaving him only a few seconds to duck in order to avoid Kaname's sword. Doing a handspring, Black Star called for Tsubaki's ninja sword mode and deflected his opponents next blow while aiming a punch at Kaname's solar plexus, sending him skidding back a few inches.
"They've really let their members slip," Kaname coughed, easily blocking Black Atar's next punch.
"What's that supposed to mean?" the boy demanded, not missing a beat as he attempted to elbow Kaname in the face.
"The Star Clan," he replied, his voice still casual as he blocked attack after attack, countering with his own only when he knew he could hit his mark. "Isn't that what the tattoo symbolizes?"
"Why don't you just tell us who you are?" Tsubaki asked.
"Oh, and now you use Demon Weapons." He landed a hard kick in Black Star's stomach followed by hitting him in the jaw with the hilt of his sword.
"Black Star! Are you alright?" his Weapon inquired with concern.
He didn't answer her as he wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and glared at the Kishin egg in front of him. Yeah. He'd definitely be the center of attention once he beat this dude.
"I'm going to be the biggest star around here," Black Star stated. "You have no chance of beating a man as big as me."
Kaname couldn't hold in his laughter if he tried. "Your ego is far bigger than it should be for someone of your skill level."
Black Star grimaced. "Let's finish this guy off. Uncanny Sword Mode, Tsubaki."
"Okay." The Weapon transformed into a long sword with a black blade sparking with energy.
"Puppet Thrust," Black Star ordered.
The shadow, in the form of a beam of black energy shot towards Kaname, who was able to step out of the way and deflect it with his blade as he ran at Black Star.
"Branch out!" Black Star cried.
The beam branched out, cutting into Kaname's skin and tearing his clothes. He fell for the exact same trick that tripped Black Star up the first time he fought Masamune.
"Useful trick," Kaname commented as he recovered from the blow and dodged the next attack which was the Puppet Shadow. Even with two against one , this guy was doing pretty well.
"Who are you?" Tsubaki demanded. "How are you associated with the Star Clan?"
"Quite the curious Weapon you've got," Kaname chuckled. "I used to be part of the Star Clan."
As he finished the sentence, he'd left an opening and Black Star cut him across the chest, causing his body to disintegrate, leaving a glowing red orb floating midair.
"Well, he was kind of a letdown," Black Star shrugged. "But I never expected that much. He didn't stand a chance against a big a man as me."
"Aren't you curious about what he said about being apart of the Star Clan?" Tsubaki asked, returning to her human form. "Maybe there are more people."
"There's no proof that he was even part of the Star Clan," Black Star replied. "Chances are, he was just bluffing."
Despite saying this in a casual tone, he hardly believed the words coming out of his own mouth. The chance of members of the Star Clan were still out there... Black Star didn't know how to feel about it, honestly.
Tsubaki collected the soul and glanced over at her partner. "Well, we should probabl check in with Shinigami-sama and head back."
"How about we go hang out first? It's not everyday we get to come to Japan, right?"
Blinking, Tsubaki broke into a smile. "Really?"
"Of course! Not enough people have seen my greatness yet, therefore, we owe it to my fans to make an appearance!"
She had no idea what fans he was talking about, or who he was planning to show his greatness to, but she nodded and smiled. "Okay. Where should we start?"
"Aren't you the expert around here?" he asked with a crooked grin. "I'll let you take the lead this time."
"Well, alright," she smiled. "I'm honored."
The two then began their Japanese adventure, starting with Osaka's Universal Studios. Japan was rather modern compared to Death City, and even Tsubaki was astounded at how much her home had changed from when she'd left.
Once they got inside, Black Star proceeded to get over excited about everything, dragging her on practically every ride. They eventually ended up on the ferris wheel as the sun began to set on the horizon. Tsubaki couldn't help but think of all the romance novels she'd read. This felt like a scene from any classic teen romance.
Black Star noticed the odd look in her eyes and raised an eyebrow. "What? Are you feeling okay?"
"Absolutely," she replied.
"I bet you're excited about being on a date with such a big star," he beamed, only half joking.
Tsubaki's eyes widened. "A... A date?"
"I'm just kidding," laughed Black Star, but his eyes told a completely different story.
However, Tsubaki was too busy trying not to hyperventilate to notice. As they neared the top, the ride stopped to let people off and Black Star stood up, opening the roof hatch.
"What are you doing?" Tsubaki asked.
"Check this out," he grinned climbing onto the roof and standing with his hands on his hips.
"Hear me, Japan! Black Star is here and you should all come see the show while it lasts!" he shouted, swinging back into the cart as the ride began moving again.
Tsubaki let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding as he sat down beside her.
"You had a good time, didn't you?" Black Star asked, glancing sideways at his partner. "You can be honest."
She met his gaze and smiled. "Of course, I had no idea amusement parks could be so fun."
He returned the smile genuinely, his determined gaze softening as he began, almost unconsciously, closing the distance between them.
Tsubaki didn't seem to mind and she held his gaze as his face got closer and closer to hers. Suddenly, the wall that was held between them seemed to gradually crumble down, leaving the two vulnerable to each other.
As his lips were just inches away from hers, the doors slid open and the employee cleared his throat.
They both jumped and got up, exiting the ride, while both blushing madly.
Tsubaki's heart was still racing as the walked pass a mirror and she remembered that they were supposed to report to Shinigami-sama.
"Wait, Black Star," she said, stopping in front of the glass and fogging it up with her breath."We have to report to Shinigami-sama that we completed our mission."
"Sure, go ahead," Black Star replied. "I'm gonna go grab something to eat. Want anything?"
"No thanks," she replied. "I'll wait for you back here."
Before she could finish the sentence, he'd already disappeared into the crowd.
Turning back to the mirror, she wrote in the Death Room number: 42-42-564.
It rang a few times before Shinigami-sama appeared on the other end. "Hiya, Tsubaki! Congratulations. He was a toughie, huh?"
"Well, yes, but ultimately, we got the soul, sir," she replied, feeling proud of her Meister. "We should be heading back tomorrow morning, if that's alright."
"Yes, of course. You can stay as long as necessary," replied Shinigami-sama.
"Sir. Can I ask you a question?" Tsubaki started. Maybe he knew if that boy was really part of the Star Clan.
"Shoot."
"The boy you sent us after claimed to be a former member of the Star Clan. Do you know anything about that?" she inquired.
"Actually, he wasn't lying," Shinigami-sama responded. "At the time, we didn't execute young children who belonged to the Star Clan, and Black Star wasn't the only one there was. Some children had been shipped away to places that our sources couldn't reach, while others were put into normal families and are currently being monitored. However, we decided to take Black Star in. It was initially Stein's idea."
"You mean, he isn't the last remaining descendant of the Star Clan?" she gasped. "But... Why hasn't anyone told him?"
"Well, because of the fear that those children we spared could theoretically group up and decide to continue the clan's legacy," was the response. "The Shibusen would be at great risk if that were to happen."
"But Black Star would never be apart of that," Tsubaki argued. "I'm sure he'd be fighting right alongside the rest of us."
"There are things about him that even you don't know, child," Shinigami-sama solemnly informed her. "And I'm afraid there's a chance that if he knew the truth, trouble would ensue."
Tsubaki bit her lip and nodded her understanding. "So I'm not to tell him, then?"
"I'm sorry to burden you with the secret, however..."
She wordlessly nodded her understanding as Shinigami-sama disconnected the call. Her eyes became downcast and she shook her head. She half wished she hadn't asked, as she didn't want to keep a secret from her own partner.
Noticing that Black Star hadn't returned, she scanned the crowd for any sign of him. He wasn't that hard to miss, so she was a bit worried that she couldn't locate her Meister anywhere.
Still, she waited patiently, her hands folded in front of her as her eyes continued to roam the crowd for any sign of Black Star.