Our Story so Far: Our...um "heroine,"(would you call her that?) Sarah Albarn, (Maka's cousin) was attacked by her mentally unstable, traitor of an older brother William. She manages to defeat the fiend in battle, but he leaves behind his weapon, Daniel, their adopted younger brother. It just so happens that Danny is a scythe as well. Now what will happen?
Notice: Story will be an awkward mix of the anime and manga's plot lines so bear with me. Plus it's gonna be a reeeaaly long chapter, I can't even call it a "chappie." Extra types of soul perception shown = [brackets] Oh yeah...just for fun, I will be describing the opening sequence if this were the real show (but it's not). So pretend Papermoon is playing when it appears...K? Anyways, onto the weird banter! (WARNING: I was just trying to establish the fact that Sarah was…y'know….NOT trying to be racist! Besides, I'm mixed, why would I try and be racist? T.T I'm sorry, but there was a mean anonymous flamer….)
So: So, wait, what am I missing here?
It depends on what you're reading, Soul.
Ma: It appears she knew you and Wes before I did.
So: You're not even supposed to know about him yet, Maka!
Spi: Maka? It that you my darling dau—
Ma: (lodging a book into Spirit's head) Don't call me that...Hey, where's Sarah?
So: (Blushing in anger) She went to hang out with Kilik.
Ma: Ok, wait, WHAT?
So: I mean why him? Why KILIK? (Ranting now) Why couldn't she hang out with me too? I mean she said I was cool right, don't cool guys hang out with pretty girls—
Sa: (standing in doorway for half the rant) You think I'm pretty? (blushes)
Spi: (from the ground) My darling nei~ (Maka hits him again)
So: (whirls around) S-Sarah! I-I...(faints in shock)
Sa: Eh! (drops shopping bag) Soul? (shakes him) Are you okay? Your soul wavelength is all messed up! Are you sick? Must be, 'cause you know the first basic thing you learn in Phasmology is that phrase.
So: (recovers slightly) What phrase?
Ma: The one me an' Sara always say! Geez, Soul, do you not pay attention at all?
Da: (pops otta nowhere) Even I know it Soul-oniichan!
So: (whining like a brat) Then say it already, Danny! I wanna get this chapter over with!
Da: A sound soul, dwells in a sound mind, and a sound body.
Chapter 5: An Injured Soul- Both Meister and Weapon In One?
"Hell~o, Hell~o, Hell~o, how low?"
Annoyed, Sarah scoffed at the chords and stopped playing. Her vocals were off again. With a gentle push, she put the custom made black and grey Alvarez-electric between her and the wall and shut off the small amp. On the lead colored pick-guard as well as the back of the instrument, her name was overlaid in messy purple script.
She looked out the window, her thoughts swept up in the swirling sand and grit outside. Her belongings had finally been recovered from her home in Europe. All of the clothes had been too small, of course, but her instruments (obviously) had plenty of use left, as well as the other items recovered.
Plushies, bed sheets, manga magazines, necklaces, armbands, stupid little notes to herself, old valentines, a PlayStation 2, a few video games, DVD compilations of anime, volumes upon volumes of Shoujo and Shounen (even Seinen) manga, and even more volumes of regular books and light novels. One could clearly see how she was related to Maka; it seemed the girl breathed literature. Sarah had lined the back wall of her room with four bookshelves. The two free walls had a desk, and her bed, with anime posters stuck on the walls above them. More than half her manga collection and one fourth of her regular novels were heaped on the four tall bookshelves. The rest lay in the living room on four other shelves next to Soul's menacing-looking grand piano.
A MacBook lay serenely on the desk, word processor open, screen glowing softly. Scars and Stiches ran across the top of the screen, but nothing else.
On the shelf above her bed sat a few Carebears and Pokémon dolls; Pikachu's tail was hanging off the shelf's edge and she stared at it for a while, pondering her newfound memories, fiddling with the semi-transparent dark red plastic guitar-pick, turning it over and over with her fingertips. There was a knock on the door that broke her thoughts, and she sat upright on the bed. She was fully dressed of course, but nevertheless she looked in the mirror next to the poster above her desk and attempted to smooth out her hair.
"Hey, Sarah, we're going on a mission."
She opened the door and tried to smile brightly when she saw Soul's serious-yet-playful expression. He was wearing his new outfit they'd bought from Dark Angel. A neon orange shirt with dark green skinny jeans, leather jacket, and a black version of Soul's original headband.
"According to Maka, this mission looks tough, so we could use some backup in addition to Crona, so..."
Sarah turned her attention to the boy staring blankly at the glimmering television in the living room. "Danny?" The boy flinched and turned around. After he had recovered, Maka also insisted on him living with them as well. They usually used the fourth bedroom as a kind of storage facility for random crap, so all they had to do was haul it all out, organize things, put the rest in the mostly empty attic, and place a bed in the empty room.
"Otōto chan, will you be alright staying here alone?"
He looked a bit broken up after the question. "Why can't I come? Don't you wanna be my new Meister, Ane?" His eyes were two solemnly blank pools of crystal blue water.
"Daniel..." warned his sister. "It'll be dangerous."
"But W-will and I always went on real dangerous missions before he took me away. He was a Two-Star Meister."
Sarah frowned at the mention of William. "Yes," she said. "And I'm only a One-Star, Danny. I might not be able to protect you."
"But Ane~!" he pouted. "You're strong enough." It was obvious that he believed in her strength, but she on the other hand was not so confident in her ability to protect the youngster.
"Look Danny, no." She sighed in anger and annoyance. "Can you stay by yourself or not?"
Reluctantly he nodded.
"Was that so hard?" Sarah looked to her friend. "Yeah Soul, I can go."
"Ok," said Soul, nodding. "We can meet up with Maka at Crona's so we can all go." He grabbed the keys to his motorcycle and Sarah put on her long, purple version of Maka's coat. She looked at the still sulking eleven-year old and grinned.
"I'll call Liz, Patty, and Kid-chan to baby-sit," added Sarah thoughtfully.
"Baby-sit?" Whined Daniel, feeling betrayed. "I thought I could stay by myself," he muttered. I knew she'd pull something like this. He folded his arms and scowled.
"If you're hungry, I already left you money for lunch. And when you're bored you can read my books or watch my anime, just don't scratch up the discs." Sarah slipped on her boots. "Or you can play my keyboard or guitar, just don't break um', kay?"
"He can even play my piano," added Soul, "that is, if he wants." He shrugged and pulled on his leather jacket, turning to the door to leave.
Daniel simply nodded, scratching his ginger head of hair in embarrassment. They were sharing their stuff with him so freely; it wasn't something he was used to. When they finally did leave, he went into his big sister's room and emerged with the Alvarez. He sat in silence on the couch, staring at the instrument. Danny held his older sister's guitar in his lap, strumming random chords and waiting until his new babysitters arrived.
Kid opened the door with the key Sarah had dropped off. Liz and Patty tried to squeeze past him.
"I wanna see the cute wittle boy!" squeaked Patty.
"Wait your turn!" roared Liz, scolding the younger twin, but trying to get past her as well.
Daniel attempted his best, friendliest smile. "Hi," said Daniel a bit shyly.
"Hello," said Kid, nodding cordially. "Are you Daniel?"
Daniel looked at Kid's golden eyes and unusual hair markings. "Are you who Ane-chama calls Kid-chan? Lord Death's son?" He'd seen the ancient Shinigami, but Danny was never really cognizant of Kid's presence. At the Christmas Eve Ball, he was so sleepy by that time at night that he had fallen asleep before Death the Kid was to give his subsequently interrupted speech. Of course, it was only half an hour later that he was shaken awake, ordered to transform, and he and William never saw Shibusen until a couple days ago. However, things seemed to be looking up from that less than spectacular night, and the son of Lord Death was being just as nice as his Ane and the rest of his new friends. Daniel held up one of his arms, fingers spread childishly to shake Kid's hand as well.
"I'm Liz," she shook the boy's hand, long brown hair falling over her shoulders in a soft waterfall.
Patty took Daniel's hand and shook it with both of hers. "Patty is ME! Oinky-oink!"
"Yes, 'Death the Kid', Th-that's me," said Kid nervously before formally taking the boys free hand. His left palm rest on the guitar as it hung from his shoulder by its red leather strap. "Death the Kid."
Daniel relaxed his shoulders and a genuine smile spread over his face. "I'm Daniel Albarn. I'm a Demon Scythe," he said. "I'm gonna be a Death Scythe one day!"
Liz stifled a giggle, but eventually it slipped out, making a chain reaction. The teenagers laughed at the innocent statement, and Daniel joined in.
….
Meanwhile, Maka, Sarah, and Soul walked down the long, straight hallway of Death Manor and stopped at Crona's door. The Albarn Cousins knocked.
"C-come in," said a soft voice.
With a slight push, Sarah opened the heavy door. It swung open with a slight squick to reveal Crona sitting on his bed. "Crona-kun!" she said, arm and arm locked with her cousin Maka. "You ready?"
"Time to go on the mission!" said Maka. Both girls smiled at the socially-awkward boy. Soul stood on the side, his hands in his pockets.
"U-uh huh," said Crona, nodding once. The girls giggled simultaneously, showing a pair of identical toothy smiles.
…
-cue Papermoon-
Asura's bandages chase a small black puppy and cat, followed by the Mizune mice, and Eruka as a frog. The bandages arc across the screen as (the name if this spin-off series were made) Soul Eater: Noir Ange (I know, corny, right? But this is for fun!) Flashes across the screen, Excalibur strutting across ridiculously as it appears.
-I'M FALLING, DOWN INTO MY SHADOW-
A composite shot: Sarah, covered in bandages, surrounded by fluttering black feathers and dressed in a hospital gown. Next to that image, a drop of black plunges into the water, making it dark purple.
-iki wo hisomete-
Three scythes fall into the water, the first one with a bone white handle that looks like Spirit's, but has a purple and black blade. The second a completely grey scythe, and the last is Soul.
-Matteiru DEADLY NIGHT-
A bottom view of Maka and Sarah, who are holding hands. A close up of them grasping for air.
-DON'T SCARY kimi ga nozomeba-
Deep red roses and white calla lily petals bubble across the screen, and goes to the surface of water again, where a black rose petal falls and blurs the smiling image of Ferra and Chad, where you see Arachne's eye reflected over the rippling water.
-Donna sekai mo-
Arachne appears fully, sitting on her spiderweb, a fan across her face.
-Sono te ni tsukameru kara-
Mosquito, Giriko, Kim's mother, and Mifune with Angela cut across the screen briefly.
-SEE YOU IN YOUR DREAMS-
Nygus, Sid, then the Death Scythes Marie, Justin and Azusa appear briefly as well.
-YEAH, BABY-
BJ also appears, smiling with a cup of "rumba" coffee, a skull of smoke fades in and out. Then showing an almost completely mad Stein.
-kowai yume da to shitemo-
Fade to the where the two "Black Rooms" (this will soon be explained) meet, candles with alternating blue and red flames abound. A girl that looks like Sarah sits next to the red devil; the screen is suddenly split in half roughly, the camera circles around Soul and his piano, and Sarah and her guitar likewise. Close up on their eyes, one red one purple, and then on their hands when they play the same chord, C# minor, wavelengths crackling.
-FAIRY BLUE-
Maka twirls a completely grey scythe, blocking attacks.
-Kimi no tame ni, hoshi wo kudaki-
Slightly below her, Sarah does likewise, but the exact scythe she uses is obscured. Kid appears, attacking with Liz and Patty. And Black*Star as well, using the enchanted sword mode. All four rush upon the Kishin, who blows them backwards with a single attack.
-Kazaritsuketa-
An image of a sobbing Crona being pat on the back by a bloody Daniel.
-BLACK PAPER MOON-
Tsubaki, Liz and Patty all stand on the same ledge, hair blown back by the wind.
-Shinjite kureta nara!-
A brief shot of Ox, Harvar, Kim, Jackie, Kilik, and Pot o' fire and Pot o' Thunder.
-WHEN YOU'RE, LOST, "HERE"-
Sarah loses his grip on Soul and Maka, who fall away into darkness. Medusa smiles in her prison cell.
-I AM... "FOREVER" WITH YOUR SOUL-
The mirror reflecting Shinigami and Spirit cracks, and then shows the face of a young, crying Sarah, her face smeared with blood.
-Miagereba kagayaku tsuki no youni-
Wes sighs while playing his violin, then switch to Soul grieving over a dead Maka and Sarah, sweeping up to see the laughing moon with blood dripping out its mouth and then the whole city.
-end opening theme-
. . .
-Chez Republic-
Maka looked around. "So this is Luthe village," she wondered aloud. "They sure do have a lot of chimneys"
"That's because they make so many golems here. There's probably one in every house." Soul kicked a pebble in front of him about two inches to the left.
"That's," said Sarah, "um, interesting..." she was looking at the little golems on the side of the street for sale. Their heads bobbed like those plastic bobble heads.
Not cute at all...decided Sarah. Ragnarök popped out of Crona's back. Awww, now that's cute, she thought when she saw Ragnarök for what seems the first time. What is it I wonder? Could it be Crona's Weapon partner? It's so cute!
"Gyahaha!" said Ragnarök. Cute laugh!"Now, let's eat us some souls!" Cute voice! Wait... she thought for a second. Did it just say "Eat us some souls?" Sarah fumed silently as a frown began to form....That's not proper GRAMMAR!
Crona grimaced. "That's not how we operate anymore," he explained to the Weapon calmly. "Now that we're students of the academy, we're going to do things differently."
A fairly large golem walked past the kids, the earth trembling a bit.
" I wonder where this 'berserk golem' that we came to find is hiding?" Sarah scanned the area and found nothing.
Maka nodded. "I'll ask the villagers for details." She ran off, leaving the three smothered in an awkward silence. Soul decided to break the quiet, telling Crona and Sarah about the Enchanters and how they constructed golems with those large brown gloves they wore. The two stared blankly when he finished, Sarah nodding her head like one of the little golems she saw earlier.
"But—I can't say they look all that happy to see us in their village," she observed. "Or is that just me?"
"I kinda get what you mean—," began Soul.
"Guys, hey guys!" Interrupting, Maka ran up to her friends. "No one I asked knows anything about it. They're hiding something, I know it."
Suddenly a friendly new voice cut into their conversation.
"Hello newcomers." The students saw an enchanter. His spiky hair was sticking up at strange angle, and he wore what seemed to be a pair of spectacles. "I'm guessing you're here because you heard about our little incident. You're looking for the golem that's gone berserk." He waved a friendly hand and smiled. "My name's Giriko. I'm an enchanter. I'll show you the way if you follow me."
The phrase, "Never talk to strangers," somehow wound its way into Sarah's mind.
Suspicious, Soul stared at the man.
[rrrrrrr...]
"Hey," she whispered to Soul. "You hear something weird?"
"What? No. Why?"
"Oh," her eyes fell to the ground. "Nothing."
. . .
-Patchwork Laboratory-
Stein stared at the computer screen, a blank expression glazed over his features. He could hear the keyboard's keys click and snap, yet he knew that he himself was not typing. Red eyes opened and closed within his field of vision, boring holes in his ever-crumbling sanity. How long, he thought, hovering above his slipping mind. Can I be able to teach properly? A gentle hand rested on his shoulder.
"Stein, hey," said his new partner.
He turned around. "Marie."
She smiled at him with her one good eye and gave a silly little giggle.
"You okay?"
"Yeah," he adjusted his glasses. "I'm fine. What so you need?"
"Oh," she put down the brown bag of groceries on the table and unpacked the goods. "It's a message from Lord Death; it's about that old golem in Luthe village. Apparently it's gone berserk." Marie took out a container of Folgers. "I'll make us some coffee if that's alright. Do you have any cups?"
"Use those over there."
She saw where he was pointing and scrunched her brow in confusion. "You want me to put the coffee in a beaker?" Marie stared at the Bunsen burner, the flame licking the bottom of the beaker's glass as the coffee slowly heated up. "Um, I almost forgot to tell you Stein..." She dug around in the bag and pulled out an envelope with stiches drawn all over it, handing it to Stein. "It's from that new student Sarah Albarn. She wanted me to give this to you for some reason."
The professor looked at it carefully. On the outside it said: "To: Dr. Franken Stein" with a sticker of a screw next to it. He opened the envelope and peeked inside, his olive green eyes widening in surprise. Out he pulled a mostly grey and black card that also had stiches drawn on it, fully-colored hand-drawn pictures on the back and front.
The front picture was of Maka, Sarah and Soul, drawn in chibi-form, the border was Soul's weapon form repeated over and over. The back picture was of Stein and Spirit also in chibi, Stein smiled sinisterly, holding a scalpel in one hand and Spirit in weapon form in the other. Spirit's face was on the blade, looking concerned. Stein laughed at the cute pictures and opened the card. Another picture was on the left. Yet another chibi-type picture, but this time it was of Sarah and him hugging. She had her hair down, and Stein was laughing, his mouth stretched into a sincere smile. They were both wearing matching labcoats. Stein grinned at this last picture and read the message on the right aloud. Marie perked her ears up in interest.
"Dear Papa Stein," he read. "Thank you so very much for sending my things from my old house over. I really am grateful that you adopted me. Can we have another dissection lab soon? It was really fun! You're the best, smartest papa ever. I hope you have a good day, and I love you!" Sarah had signed her name, and then drew a smiley face and heart next to it. "P.S You should stop smoking, it's bad for your lungs and I don't want you to die from cancer. I asked Ms. Marie to buy nicotine patches instead of cigarettes for you, I told her you were quitting. Love ya!"
Stein laughed again. What a weird girl, he thought to himself, scratching his chin. She's an interesting subject indeed.
"Aw~" said Marie, when he finished reading. "That's too cute! I didn't know you adopted her!" Though I had no idea the poor girl was an orphan either. "Stein you do have a heart," she teased. "I knew it."
With a slight frown at the comment, Stein wrinkled his nose at Marie. "By any chance, did you happen to buy those patches?"
"Uh, yeah, why?"
She actually believed I was quitting, thought Stein with a groan. Grrr... He was going to miss his precious cigarettes. Maybe he should dissect Sarah as punishment? Nah... He decided against that, at least for the moment.
. . .
Patty and Liz clapped on beat with the guitar, singing along as Daniel strummed a few awkward bars of "What I like About You" by Ramones. Kid smiled as well, tapping his foot to the music. When Daniel was satisfied with the song and finished up with the last few notes, Liz spoke up.
"Hey, Danny, who taught you to play?"
"My big sis'," he said, putting the guitar down gently on the couch next to him.
"You mean Sarah plays guitar?" asked Kid.
"Yeah," he replied matter-o-factly, "and violin and piano and drums as well..."
"That's a lot," remarked Kid with a far off look. "Me, I only play viola, and drabble some in piano."
"Yeah, I'm not that talented at much. I'm not so good at the fiddle except for one song."
"Oh? What's that?" asked Patty.
"The Devil Came Down To Georgia," he said immediately, His face lit up. "Wanna hear?"
"Sure," said Liz.
"Why not?" said Kid, leaning back into the couch.
"Music, yeah!" Patty yelled.
"Wait here," Daniel said. He jogged to his sister's room. Now, he remembered her saying he could play her guitar and keyboard, but nothing else. Would she mind if he borrowed her violin? In her closet, under some pile of pumpkin panties (Icky! Icky! Icky!) he found the violin case and went back outside.
"I'm kind of out of practice, so bear with me."
"Hey, Danny," said Liz, looking hopeful. "I know this song too, can I sing along?"
"Uh, sure."
Patty and Kid exchanged uneasy looks.
"You mind if I use the guitar a bit?"
"It's Sarah's but she prob'ly won't mind."
Liz looked down at the guitar. Ever since she and Patty had begun living with Kid, he suggested they become more "well-rounded" and paid for them to have music lessons. Liz's vocals needed...work, but she was pretty good at guitar, though acoustic was more her style. She count off the beat and began playing. Daniel brought the solid black violin to his chin and followed along. Liz smiled and started to sing, laughing inwardly at how the lyrics sorta-kinda related to their line of work:
"The devil went down to Georgia, he was looking for a soul to steal.
He was in a bind 'cos he was way behind: he was willin' to make a deal.
When he came across this young man sawin' on a fiddle and playin' it hot.
And the devil jumped upon a hickory stump and said: "Boy let me tell you what:
'I bet you didn't know it, but I'm a fiddle player too.'
'And if you'd care to take a dare, I'll make a bet with you.'
'Now you play a pretty good fiddle, boy, but give the devil his due:
'I bet a fiddle of gold against your soul, 'cos I think I'm better than you.'
The boy said: 'My name's Johnny and it might be a sin,
'But I'll take your bet, you're gonna regret, 'cos I'm the best that's ever been.'"
It was in the chorus where Daniel's playing truly shined, the bow going over the instrument so swiftly it made Patty and Kid stare in amazement. In fact, he played it so skillfully they though he was lying before when he had said he didn't really play.
"Johnny you rosin up your bow and play your fiddle hard.
'Cos hells broke loose in Georgia and the devil deals the cards.
And if you win you get this shiny fiddle made of gold.
But if you lose, the devil gets your soul."
Liz ran off a few more verses, and near to the end of the middle of the second violin solo, they all heard a little pop! and the music suddenly stopped. Daniel looked down and cursed silently. That damned E string was always breaking on him.
"Ane-chama's gonna be so pissed off..."
"We can fix it, right Kid?" Liz looked to the Shinigami boy, who closed his golden eyes and sighed.
"Do you have an extra string?"
The boys searched everywhere, but found none.
"No," Daniel said hopelessly, his face in his hands. "I'm sorry.."
"No worries," said Kid, whipping out a solid white cell phone. "I'll just call the shop I get my viola adjusted. They'd be more than happy to help."
Daniel looked heavenwards and sighed in relief. "Thank you Kid-niichan."
Kid lifted the phone to his ear. "It's nothing, really." he winked at the boy and grinned, a "shhh" finger over his mouth. "Don't worry about your sister knowing. It'll be our little secret, huh, otōtosan?"
Danny smiled and nodded awkwardly. "Uh, yeah."
[RrrrRrrrrRrrrRr...]
"Why are you two getting so angry with him?" Maka looked to Soul with an accusing look. Sarah held her ear. That same noise again. It was growing louder.
"He never said anything like that," she continued.
[RrrrRrrrrRrrrRr...RrrrRrrrrRrrrRr...]
"Not in so many words, maybe," Soul replied, "but that's what they're thinking..."
[RrrrRrrrrRrrrRr...RrrrRrrrrRrrrRr...RrrrRrrrrRrrrRr...]
"The truth is we wanna live in peace and quiet. We don't like when strangers come to our village." Giriko smiled darkly. "In the end everyone is the same, we all have evil inside us. Everyone who wears a mask of 'goodness' can have pitch darkness in his heart you see."
A giant, shaking rumble reverberated around them all.
[RrrrRrrrrRrrrRr...RrrrRrrrrRrrrRr...RrrrRrrrrRrrrRr...RrrrRrrrrRrrrRr...!]
Maka blanched. "What was that?"
"I'll spoil the surprise if I tell you," said Giriko. The golem appeared, its thundering steps like a mini earthquake. It roared softly, opening it's wide semi-circle of a mouth. "I guess there's no hiding it now—surprise."
"Soul, Sarah, Crona, heads up."
"Right," they all said. Maka held out her weapon in front of her, but paused. "Impossible...Sarah do you see it?"
"That's crazy..." continued Sarah, also staring.
"What's up guys?" asked Soul.
"Golems aren't supposed to be alive are they?" asked Sarah, uncertainty almost choking her words off.
"But," said Maka. "We're sensing a soul wavelength coming from that thing."
"I take it you both are young Meisters." Giriko smirked at the group of students. "Looks as if you've figured it out." He turned his back on the children and looked at the golem in all 10 feet of its towering glory. "I've been waiting for this for over 800 years. I've lived out 30 boring lives."
"800 years?" asked Maka.
"The idea was to store up enough strength to take on Death and the DWMA, but that's all over now." He turned to face them again. "You children should start saying your goodbyes." Still smiling, he began to transform, parts of him pixilating way, revealing masses of gears.
[RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!]
His soul, thought Sarah fearfully, eyes wide and unbelieving. I think I can hear it!
"You see. I don't need a Meister, but this golem I created will do just fine." In a matter of seconds the golem was holding a vicious-looking chainsaw.
"This guy's a Weapon?" said Soul.
"And his golem has a soul," stated Maka.
"What else is wrong with this village?"
The golem swung at Maka, but she simply moved to the side, the chainsaw smashed the concrete where the girl once stood. Maka nodded to Sarah.
"Give up your attack," said Maka, " and turn back now."
"If you continue to fight with us," said Sarah.
"We'll take your soul." finished Maka.
"Got it?" asked both girls in unison.
Giriko's smirking face reflected in the chainsaw's blade. "My engine isn't even running yet!" he laughed. With a pull of the starter from the golem, his engine rattled to life with a sickening, almost rusty sound. Maka and Sarah were pushed back by the enormous shock wave.
"His wavelength," said Sarah, "sounds distorted. It's full of blood-lust."
Sounds? thought Maka in confusion, not hearing the man's next words.
"Boring, empty CRAP!" was all she caught, while dodging the next flurry of swings from the slightly sluggish golem. Sarah stuck it's side with her fists with some reasonable effect, but was thrown away like a rag doll by a thrust of its free arm.
"We can't even get close," said Sarah as she landed next to Maka, wiping the sweat from her brow. "We need an opening." She frowned and turned to the swordsman, who was standing off on the side doing nothing. "Crona, help us!"
"That's right!" said Maka. She realized something important they'd forgotten. "Your Screech Alpha could give us what we need edge-wise."
Ragnarök popped out of Crona's back again and growled. "You can't make us! Not even for three pieces of candy!"
"Fine," said Maka, her sage eyes pleading. "Four, then."
"No," said Ragnarök. Sarah pushed her cousin out of the way of the next attack, and slipped under the saw's radar. "Eight!" yelled Maka, as she grit her teeth, fuming. The black weapon pound his little white fists on Crona's head. "It's not a matter of number!"
"As many as you want!" Sarah conceded, scowling as almost two centimeters of her hair was chopped off on one pigtail. Damn, she thought. Kid'll go ballistic.
"Whaaat~?" said Ragnarök, thrilled. He jumped in between the girls and the golem's attack just in time. "You both drive a hard bargain!"
"Speed setting one, and he's not ripped in half?"
"Don't underestimate my black blood, you ass!" said Ragnarök with indignation and pushed back the Golem and it stumbled backwards.
Crona's eyes shifted from navy to sky blue. "If you're upset, why don't you write a poem? Ready guys?"
"Yes!"
"Go, dark sword, Screech Alpha!" The dark attack ripped up the ground and hit the golem, sending it off balance. Maka and Sarah were right behind the attack, each on opposite sides. Maka sliced through part of the thick body and landed three feet away. Too hard, she thought.
"Don't push your luck," said Soul. "Back away!"
"I can keep going, I'm not going anywhere!" Out of the slash blossomed several pale, translucent strings that dissipated after breezing past Maka. Sarah swung her foot into the golem's gut, which made it teeter before it finally fell. Suddenly paralyzed, Maka remained where she stood. Soul sensed his Meister's cessation of movement. "Maka, what's wrong?"
"My body.. I can't move..."
"Time to chop you up!" said Giriko, as the golem got up and the chainsaw's blade came toward Maka. Crona blocked the attack, but was quickly thrown aside, slamming into Maka and Soul and colliding with brick. Maka limply fell to the ground unable to move and Soul transformed.
"It's like I'm frozen," muttered Maka. "Dammit."
"This is not good..." said Soul. "What do I do?" he asked, propping her up. His hands were coated in a strange substance when he did. "Thread?"
"Ane! Soul! Crona!" Sarah avoided the blade again by ducking and jumped, kicking the golem in the face. It wavered once more but did not fall. It lumbered over to the defenseless pair.
"Leave me Soul, run. Save yourself."
"No, Maka."
Soul! Maka! Sarah's throat was gripped with anxiety, she sprinted over and leapt in front of the chainsaw before it chopped both to shreds. Maka and Soul watched in horror as Sarah blocked Giriko's revolving blade with her own arm. Crona, Maka, and Soul all gasped when Sarah held up against the attack for a while, and with a massive swinging kick on the side of the weapon, sent him skittering away.
"Sarah," said Soul. He gulped. "y-your arm."
"It's bleeding," Maka observed. "It's—,"
Trembling slightly, Sarah lifted her arm and shook the excess drops of already clotting blood. With a wince she looked to her friends, eyes the same color as the blood.
"I know." Sarah frowned. "It's purple."
"Sarah!" said Soul.
"Don't worry, it's just a scratch."
"Watch out!" yelled Maka.
Her teeth ground together. "AHHHH! Soul Slash!" she yelled, her wavelength already charged. "Multiply!" Several deep gashes appeared in the golem as more thread shot out. Crap. Too late to dodge the strings. Her feet froze in place below her and the golem collapsed into a heap. "I, can't move either..." It was then she heard something bizarre; she saw something bizarre. Several dark shapes scurried to the golem, while Sarah swore she faintly heard harpsichord. The black shapes mounded on the golem, flowing in and out of its remains.
"So the spiders finally have gathered." Giriko suddenly transformed. "It's finally begun. I've been waiting for this."
[The murmurings of French and the harpsichord were growing louder.]
"A spider?" she heard Maka say in shock. Sarah grimaced in pain. The wavelength was growing to unbearable volume.
"The Kishin has been revived," said Giriko. "Its madness runs throughout the world. While you were sleeping, the world suddenly became a fantastic place to live."
Out of the mass of spiders a hand emerged, then another, the darkness melting into smooth, alabaster flesh. "Right? Arachne?" In under a minute they formed a woman. Her black hair fell in two long bangs over her face, the back tied into a bun near the top of her head, and she wore dangling earrings shaped like spiders. Crona backed up one step and began to tremble as did Sarah shake inwardly. Soul swore he heard the swordsman's teeth chattering. Arachne opened her dark royal blue eyes slowly, her full red lips almost pouty. She smiled slightly as Crona said his next words.
"This this woman's wavelength," he said, shakes rattling his lanky body.
"...It's like...L-Lady Medusa," finished Sarah. "Who are you!"
"It's nice to finally meet you children," greeted the witch. "I've been looking forward to this. Maka, Soul." The two were startled she knew their names. "Last night you argued over who burnt the curry."
"How did you—," began Maka.
"It was Soul," continued Arachne. "He forgot to turn the burner off and ruined your dinner." Maka glared at the weapon. Suddenly, the witch turned her attention to Sarah. She chuckled softly to herself, a smug grin on her curvaceous red lips. "Sarah, the little orphan girl. It was you and Daniel who went out to buy Chinese food, and, interesting. You also keep a diary. How cute. I wonder if they know what you write in it!"
"Be quiet, you," said Sarah, itching to slap the smile off of her pale face.
"And then there's poor, neglected Crona. I know all about you and Sarah from spying on my dear little sister, Medusa."
Crona's eyes widened even more, his eyes more than a bit insane. With a hysterical yell, he launched himself towards the witch, trying to attack Arachne. Luckily for her, she put the large, dark, ornate fan in front of her face, blocking the blow. It hardly took a sweat for her to move so fast, it appeared. "How disappointing." With a single forceful flip of the black fan she pushed the boy away. "For eight centuries I've been sleeping, watching this world through my precious spiders. What a very cold and boring welcome back party. Heh. I guess for now, I think I'll leave for somewhere nicer." Her eyebrows lifted upwards in a vague expression of Giriko!"
"Yes, Lady Arachne?"
"We'll be going now, the golem is destroyed and I'm tired."
"W-wait!" yelled Maka, but Giriko had already picked up the witch.
"See you later, runts!" he said, sticking out his tongue grotesquely, disappearing into the forest.
"They're gone," said Soul, staring after the villains incredulously.
It was only moments after their escape that Justin appeared. "Hello students!" he yelled. "I heard you were in need of assistance!" His innocent blue eyes sparkled with such bishounen pride, Sarah couldn't help but giggle when she looked upon the young Death Scythe.
"You're late!" answered Soul with a sneer of contempt, picking up Maka as they made their way to the bikes.
-Infirmary-
Maka and Sarah lay in two hospital cots, side by side. One was on the other half of the room, with Sarah near the window. She stared at her food tray blankly, stomach rumbling.
"...I can't believe we both fit in that coffin..." said Maka. "Hey! No fair, Sarah why can you move?"
Sarah was attempting to lift her uninjured arm to get the grape juice on the food stand. It shook viciously but it moved at least. "Oh?" she gasped and her arm dropped. "Darn it!" Her eyes moved to Maka. "I was experimenting with my wavelength."
"R-really?" said Maka nervously. "How?"
"I had this idea to try and neutralize the magic with a bit of it. It works a little, but only if I concentrate really really hard."
"I should try too." And in a few minutes Maka was trying to reach for her cup with more success than Sarah.
"No fair," said Sarah, who was having a hard time concentrating. Black*Star and Kid suddenly barged in.
"SARAH!" said Kid, frantic.
"MAKA!" yelled Black*Star with their weapons, including Daniel, trailing behind.
"ANE!"
"ARE YOU OKAY?" asked all three boys. Sweatdropping, the girls sighed.
"Yeah," replied Maka. "We've figured out a way to kind of move, but it's hard. Nygus says the curse won't lift until three days at least."
"Is there anything we can do?" asked Black*Star. "I know I'll sign your faces." He whipped out a marker and scribbled his autograph on Maka's face before she could protest. He moved on to Sarah, but in a burst of adrenaline, she quickly moved her hand upwards, grazing the marker before its tip came in contact with her skin. It split into two and Black*Star backed away.
"Sarah Slash," she sighed weakly, giving Black*Star her sternest frown.
"OK, I won't sign!" he said, accidentally bumping into Soul in his retreat. Soul protested loudly, and he and Black*Star begun to argue about 'personal space' issues. Watching the argument, Maka rolled her eyes, as did Kid and Sarah.
"Um, Kid-kun?" asked Sarah.
"Yes?" he tried to ignore the fact that one side of her hair was a bit shorter than the other by a significant margin.
She looked at him with a doe eyed stare and pouted, knowing that he couldn't resist once she told him the complaint. "I can't sleep; the shelf in front of me isn't symmetrical."
Kid looked to the shelf across the way from her bed and gasped in horror. "Oh my!" said Kid, dismay making his voice squeak. "I understand completely, it looks absolutely dreadful! Let me fix it." Sarah giggled as a very serious Kid tried to arrange several items on the shelves in a symmetrical fashion. He scurried to and fro from the supply room and back to try and correct the horrible wrong that was asymmetry. "We need one more jar of cotton over here, Nygus!" yelled the boy. "STAT!" Liz and Patty covered their mouths, stifling the hysteria.
Over the next few hours a few more people came in to visit them. (Excluding Spirit, for he was banned from their room upon request.) Nearing almost ten, Soul was still trying to feed Maka, but she was refusing.
"Ahhh," droned Soul as if he were feeding a baby.
"No, it's embarrassing," complained the Meister. "Feed Sarah instead. I'm not hungry."
"Fine." He then turned to Sarah. "Ahhh," repeated Soul, lifting the spoon. Blushing, Sarah accepted the spoonful of food obediently and chewed.
"Uh...th-tha-than—," she sputtered in between hurried bites.
"You're welcome," said Soul, grinning fiercely at the ultra-cute reaction. He could see that the cousins were both a little stubborn in their own way, but one thing he knew was that Sarah would never pass up a meal-even if it was embarrassing if it was fed to her. Soul raised the spoon again and she took another bite. Trying to convey her anger at his forwardness, the little girl simply glared, which gave him the creepy feeling that he was going to pay for passing the boundary of him liking this scene of vulnerability too much.
"Hey guys," said Black*Star knocking the door as he came back into the room. "Just wanted to say hi again." He held out a piece of candy wrapped in cellophane. "Here Maka."
"Candy?" Soul accepted the gift for her. "But where did—?"
"Yeah, it's some sweet candy from a sweet old samurai." And with that lone, and out-of-characteristically calm, statement, he left.
"Where's my candy?" asked Sarah sadly as Soul unwrapped the unexpected present and gave Maka the candy.
"It's salty, not sweet," griped Maka under her breath as she chewed.
"Oh, well..." began Soul digging in the lunch bag. "Here's a strawberry," he said lifting it up and taking off the green top. "You like 'em right?" Sarah stared at his eyes for a full ten seconds before mumbling "yeah."
"Ahhh," said Soul, feeding her the fruit. She blushed deeply as she ate it, Soul's fingertip lingering on her lips a bit too long before he withdrew his hand swiftly and blushed himself.
"Th-th-th—," she said after munching on the sweet fruit, but the rest of the sentence died in her mind, nothing sounding right.
"No problem," he replied, looking away. Somehow he found his eyes wandering to the food tray, where Sarah's grape juice remained untouched. You know what happens now, said the red devil, right, Soul? Something moving in the darkness of the beverage in the plastic cup seemed to hold all of his attention so easily.
It'll soon be time for your recital... whispered an unknown voice in his mind that frightened him down to his core.