So, I've learned that Word's spell check doesn't like to look at everything. There may be misused words or strange phrases. Please let me know some of them in a review. That way, I can avoid similar problems in the future.

Chapter 2

Kidd had been the first to arrive. He'd felt an immensely powerful soul somewhere in the vicinity, but as soon as he'd arrived at Black Star's compound, only fragments of energy lingered about. He'd gotten a call from emergency services; the neighbors of the 23rd east block had heard a scream and a fight break out.

Kidd scowled when he heard the complete address, and his stomach lurched. It was Black Star and Tsubaki's address.

The door was closed, and he knocked on it. Hearing no answer, he turned the knob. The door was locked tight. He focused, and searched for Tsubaki's aura; being a weapon-meister and Death's son, he was naturally attuned to weapon's souls.

Her aura was faint, and it almost seemed like her soul looked cracked in places. There were flecks falling off of it.

He aimed Liz at the door and shot the knob, shattering it. He reached in through the hole and unlocked the door, threw it open, and ran inside.

"Black Star! Tsubaki!" He called out, scanning the room. Nothing was overturned. No glass had been broken; no signs of struggle showed anywhere. The fight must have been further inward. He sniffed at the air, and his heart churned in his chest. He smelled blood.

He peered his head around the corner of the hallway, and gasped. He ran up to them.

Tsubaki and Black Star were lying on the floor, Black Star holding her tightly. She appeared to be unconscious.

"Kidd. Kidd, he-he killed them. That son of a bitch, he k-killed them!" Black Star struggled to say. Kidd could tell he'd shouted himself hoarse; the poor man's voice was cracking. From the puffiness of his eyes, he guessed he'd been crying heavily as well. Killed them? Oh, Death, he couldn't be talking about the kids, could he?

Kidd, the girls. I don't-I don't sense anything. Liz brought to his attention. Kidd blinked, swallowed the lump in his throat, and looked over into the room. It was too dark to see anything. He stood, hoping to get a better view. The tiny amount of moonlight didn't help much. He shakily stepped into the room.

He cried out at what he saw, and fell to his knees, slumped over in horror. He gaped, wide-eyed at the grotesque scene before him. His pistols slipped from his fingers. Liz and Patty transformed after they hit the ground, and then wished they hadn't.

Shira and Asa were lying in pools of blood, gaping holes in their chests where their hearts should have been. He crawled to Asa's body and closed her eyes, then crawled to Shira's body and closed hers, too.

"I'm sorry. I should have gotten here sooner." He whispered. Maybe then, the two children wouldn't be dead. He could only imagine the wreck Tsubaki and Black Star were in.

"Tsubaki! Black Star!" Maka's voice called out. Kidd hurried to the door and slid it shut. He didn't want anyone else to see what'd happened. This was bad enough.

"Don't open the door, Maka. Call Stein. Now!" He ordered. He listened, and heard Maka asking them what'd happened, and Soul on the phone with Stein. Hopefully the crazy doctor could do something. He'd managed to turn Sid into a zombie, but with the children's hearts gone, he doubted Stein would be able to do anything.

His mind raced with questions. Who'd attacked them, and why? How had he managed to get past the barrier of Death City? With his father's soul surrounding the city and the spells Angela and Blair had cast, no one with the intent of harm could get in. It'd been proven when a group of witches attempted to storm Death City in revenge of Medusa's death.

He backed against the door, and slid down to sit on the floor. Liz and Patty joined him, stunned. They held his hands, and he could feel how cold they were. Hell, he was sure his own were cold, too.

Roughly twenty minutes passed, and Kidd looked up as he heard Stein and Spirit's voices in the hallway. He stood and slid open the door, slipping through. Kidd tried to hide the view as much as possible, not sure who was in the hallway.

"The kids?" Stein asked as Kidd emerged from the darkness of the room. Kidd looked at him, mouth slightly agape. He stood aside and looked at the door.

"I see." Stein moved past Kidd and stepped into the room. Spirit followed, and immediately turned around, hand to his mouth as though he were going to puke. He pushed past Kidd and hurried into the bathroom, slamming the door shut. Even with it closed, he could hear Spirit vomiting.

Concerned for his friends, Kidd looked at the start of the hallway for them. They'd been moved. He walked into the living room, checking there. Tsubaki and Black Star had been covered with robes, and Tsubaki had woken.

They looked frightful. Tsubaki's lips quivered, and Black Star was visibly trembling. Kidd wondered what was going through their minds, or if anything was going through them at all. They may have still been in shock.

Soul sat at Black Star's side, and Maka sat at Tsubaki's. Maka was holding Tsubaki's hand, and Soul had his arm wrapped around Black Star's shoulders.

As Kidd sat across from them, Maka opened her mouth to speak, but closed it. She couldn't ask what was on her mind. Not in the presence of her friends who'd just lost their children. Liz strode to the kitchen, filling a teapot with water and setting it on the stove. Maybe, some tea would comfort them.

Spirit entered the room, a dour look plastered on his face. Kidd looked at him, expecting an answer of some sort. Spirit turned his head away. He had nothing he could say. He walked out of the house, and a few seconds later, the scent of a cigarette wafted through the air.

Liz walked out with a tray of teacups, and set it on the coffee table. She picked one up and set it in Black Star's hands. Maka reached out and put one in Tsubaki's hands. It didn't seem to make a difference. Kidd took one too, but only stared at it. Noticing the blood on his hands, he wiped them off onto his pants subtly to avoid catching attention.

"Kidd." Stein's voice called. He jumped and snapped his head up.

"Y-yes?"

Stein waved a bloody hand, motioning for him to follow. He wanted to discuss things out of earshot of Black Star and Tsubaki. They stopped at the far end of the hallway.

Voice hushed, Stein began to speak, wiping his bloody hands on a cleansing wipe.

"Their hearts are gone. Do you know anyone who would have done this, and why?" He began. Kidd inhaled deeply, only to find that it caught in his chest. He shook his head.

"I-I have no idea. Whoever did this somehow got past our barriers." Kidd answered. Stein sighed.

"How are they?" He asked, jerking his head to refer to Tsubaki and Black Star. Kidd stared at his feet.

"Still in shock, I think. We can't seem to bring them out of it." He replied.

"Is-is there anything you can do? You, you turned Sid into a-

-yes, but he still had all of his organs. Without their hearts, there is nothing I can do. Besides… even if I could and did, they would not be the same." He explained.

Kidd thought about it, and nodded in agreement. He turned his head as the sound of sirens approached.

"Get them out of here. I don't want them to see-ahem." He cleared his throat, referring to the corpses inside the room.

The request was reasonable. Kidd walked back into the living room, and approached Tsubaki and Black Star cautiously.

"Come on. We should… we should step outside for a bit." Kidd offered, reaching out a hand for them to take. Slowly, Black Star reached out his hand, and they helped them stand. Leaning Black Star against himself for support, Kidd guided Black Star to the front door and onto the porch.

"We can't leave them." Black Star whispered, voice full of pain. He turned his head to look back at the house, eyes welled up with tears.

Kidd didn't know what to do. He wanted Stein's help.

"We-we have to. You're… in shock, Black Star. You both can sleep in the guest room for a while. For however long you need." Kidd offered, trying to sway them.

Black Star turned and glared at the medics walking into his house with utter hate and fury. They pushed along a gurney with a large, black body bag. Tsubaki tried to run after them, but Maka held her back.

"What are they doing? No! No, they can't! They can't!" She cried.

"Tsubaki, please! We have to-we have to go!" Maka called. Tsubaki shook her head, scrambling to get away, reaching out for the side of the door. "NO!" She screeched in anger.

Maka and Soul struggled to carry Tsubaki off of the porch as another pair of medics stepped in with a gurney, and it took Kidd, Liz, and Patty to get Black Star off of the porch.

A few minutes later, the medics stepped out, carrying the gurneys. Tsubaki watched as they strolled them down the sidewalk, and struggled to run to them. She threw a punch that collided with Soul's cheekbone, shaking him off of her. She grabbed Maka's shirt and whipped her around, throwing her to the ground as well.

Rushing for the medics, she ordered them to stop.

Spirit stopped her before she could reach them, and Stein focused his energy, shocking her. Paralyzed, she fell limp in Spirit's hold.

"Don't let them take them away! Please, no, please!" She begged. Stein sighed and hit a spot on the back of her neck, knocking her out. He walked up to Black Star and did the same, since all of his friends were holding him back.

"Take them somewhere else." He ordered again. He stepped into the ambulance before it took off, and Spirit stepped into the other.

Kidd carried Black Star while Soul carried Tsubaki, and together they headed for Gallows Manor.

They rested the two side-by-side in one of the guest bedrooms, and covered them with a blanket.

"Do you think we should keep watch?" Maka suggested. Kidd nodded. He had plenty of rooms to spare; they could stay for the night.

"Yeah. You can stay if you want. Go home, grab some things. I'll take the first watch." He said. There were no windows to this room, so he didn't have to worry about them escaping or an intruder breaking in. Not that they'd wake up anytime soon; he held confidence in Stein's ability to put someone to sleep for a few good hours.

He sat down across the hall from the door, staring at it, deep in thought.

He couldn't begin to process what they were currently going through, or even what they would be going through. He'd been young when his mother died, so it didn't affect him quite as much. He hadn't had any other personal experiences with the loss of a loved one, especially so suddenly. He didn't know how to help them.

Maka's mother was still alive, traveling the world, and she'd send postcards occasionally. Soul didn't talk to his family. He didn't have a clue about Stein, though being as smart as he was, Stein would probably be their greatest help. Perhaps he could ask his father. Though he refused to talk about it, his father would probably know best, considering his mother had been ill for a while before her death.

He took a deep breath and slowly let it out. He felt the sleep on his eyes, but he fought it off.

Half an hour passed, and Kidd turned his head as he saw Maka and Soul walk up to him.

"Have they woken up?" Maka asked, concerned. Kidd shook his head.

"No, but that's probably a good thing. They've just lost their kids. I-I can't even imagine how they feel." He admitted. Maka and Soul sat down next to the door.

"Neither can I. For… for people as powerful as Tsubaki and Black Star, whoever did it must have been ten times as powerful. Or, wasn't alone." Soul mused. Kidd nodded, recalling the energy he'd felt left behind. Considering it'd been fallout of battle, for there to be that much signaled their foe wasn't a common bum.

"Did you feel anything when you arrived, Maka?" Kidd asked. Maka looked up at him, and nodded slowly.

"I think so, but I am not sure. I was pretty riled up." She admitted.

Maka leaned her head against Soul's shoulder and took his hand, intertwining their fingers.

"What can we do to help them?" Patty asked Kidd, looking up at him. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and kissed the top of her head. Liz leaned her head on his other shoulder, and he took her hand as well.

"I-I don't really know. I was thinking about it earlier. I could talk to my father, but you know how he is. Stein would probably know best. Maybe… maybe we should keep them distracted. But, we should give it a few days. Maybe a few weeks. They'll need to… adjust." He stated, recalling how strange it'd felt when as a child he slowly began to realize that he wouldn't see his mother again. Perhaps the funeral would be the best form of closure Black Star and Tsubaki would get.

"Will they fully adjust, though?" Soul asked. It sounded harsh, but he'd meant it with the best intentions. Kidd shook his head. Things had never been the same since the death of his mother, not within himself, or even with the relationship with his father. He would be willing to bet that his father still struggled with it sometimes.

"You should get some sleep, Kidd. You'll probably be busy with a lot of things tomorrow." Soul suggested, leaning his head against the wall. Kidd sighed. After this onslaught, Soul was right. They'd no doubt be up to their eyeballs in press.

He stood, made his way to his room and sat down on his bed, leaning forward and holding his head in his hands. Muffling his cries, he sobbed, and Liz and Patty kept close by to comfort him.

Tsubaki opened her eyes, groaning. Her body was sore, and her heartbeat pounded in her head. As she sat up, the room spun, and she lied back down. She felt like she was waking from a heavy night of drinking, though her heart ached, as though something had gone completely awry. As a bleary flash of a wolf-man when through her mind, she thought that perhaps it'd all been a nasty dream.

She curled up against her husband, and took a deep breath in. Something didn't smell right. It didn't smell like home. Snapping her eyes open, she slowly forced herself to sit up again, and looked around.

This wasn't their room.

She froze and gasped, voice caught in her chest. She wanted to scream as she recalled what had happened. She shook her head violently, and squeezed her eyes shut. Her shaking woke Black Star, and as he saw her, he sat up to comfort her.

But, as he saw the room they were in, he stood out of bed, his heart beating hard against his ribcage.

"No, no. No, no, no!" He begged. He saw the door, and threw it open, stepping outside. Soul looked up at him, startled by the sudden action.

As Soul looked in his friend's eyes, he tried to fight the look of pity in his eyes. He got to his feet, and stepped forward.

"Asa! Shira! Tell me they're not-they're not!" Black Star pleaded. Soul looked down in shame. He tried to say the words, but his throat was knotted. He gave a nod of his head, able to mouth I'm sorry. Black Star backed away. He formed a fist and punched the floor, creating a small dent in it.

Tsubaki crawled over to him, buried her face in his shoulder, and clung to him. He pulled her into his hold, leaned against the dresser.

"Um…" Soul muttered, not sure what to do.

"Go. Just go." Black Star hissed, voice in a strained whisper. Soul nodded, obliging their wishes. He paused before he closed the door.

"If you need anything, we're here for you, just outside of this door." Soul commented. As he looked at them, he felt his words had fallen on deaf ears. Still, he closed the door and leaned down to wake Maka. He gently shook her shoulder, and she jumped.

"They're awake, but we'll wait. They probably don't want to see anyone yet." He explained. She nodded slowly, her eyes red. She hadn't pulled an all-nighter in a long time.

Soul and Maka resumed their sitting position, "guarding" the door, so to speak. They tried not to listen to the wails of their friends. It got to Maka, and it showed as she hid her face in her hands and wept, body shaking with sobs. Soul hugged her tightly.

Black Star and Tsubaki lay on the floor, exhausted. They felt lifeless, dull. A void formed where their hearts had been. Tsubaki's eyes flittered closed and she fell asleep, face pressed against his chest. Black Star's head fell forward as he fell asleep as well, too emotionally and physically drained to move.

Stein knocked on the door to Gallows Manor, and was slightly surprised to see Kidd himself answer the door. Kidd stared at his face, noting Stein looked tired as hell. His usually baggy and sunken eyes seemed more noticeable today.

"Oh, I was expecting someone else. But, come on in." He offered, stepping aside for Stein to enter. Stein did so, not lifting his gaze from the floor. His hands were buried in his lab coat's pockets, a bag containing who-knew-what tucked up under his arm.

"So, um… Well, any news?" Kidd asked, offering to take the bag from him and carry it. Stein held onto it possessively, and Kidd found himself wondering what he was guarding it so fiercely for.

"No. There's no traces of anyone with a powerful signature in Death City. Spirit and I searched all night. Where are they?" He asked. Kidd led him to the hallway, pausing in front of the door. Soul and Maka looked up at the man, and then dropped their heads.

"How are they? Have they woken?" He asked.

"They woke up earlier, but neither one of them have come out, save for Black Star. He retreated." Soul explained. Stein nodded. It was what he'd expected.

"Is there anything we can do to help, Professor?" Liz asked, looking up at him hopefully. Stein looked at the door, and leaned against the wall. He took out a cigarette from a pouch and placed it between his lips, finding comfort that it was there. It dangled and jumped as he spoke.

"Be there. Be patient. Be honest. That's all I can surmise for now; I'm not an expert." He stated, crossing his arms. The screw in his head clicked, and he reached up to turn it. Due to a pinch in his shoulder, he couldn't reach well. Kidd reached out for it, pausing.

"Which way, Professor?" He asked.

"Counter-clockwise. Click it three times." He answered. He shuddered as Kidd turned it. It was strange not doing it himself, but as it began to unwind, he felt a jolt rush through his brain. He tilted his head and stared off into space for a short while.

Taking a deep breath, he sighed.

"They'll probably be in there for a while. Keep standing watch like you are, and be sure to bring them food. Even if they don't eat it, it should help for them to know you're here. You should… probably avoid asking dumb questions or stating the obvious. And, under no circumstances are you to say that you understand how they feel; not a one of you has had to deal with this before." He warned. They nodded slowly in agreement.

He set the bag down at his feet and slid down the wall, resting his arms on his knees. As he leaned his head down, his glasses slid down his nose, slightly askew.

A mirror next to the door they all waited by rippled as though it were water, and Kidd tapped it. His father's mask looked back at him. This time, there was no wave, no bouncy hello, no "V" sign for victory. The news must have reached him sometime in the night. Kidd sensed he was serious.

"Father." He greeted.

"Kiddo. Um… how are things?" He asked. Kidd glanced around.

"I… can't answer that right now. We should move this conversation. This is not a good place." Kidd muttered, trying to keep his voice down.

His father nodded.

"Call me elsewhere. I'll wait. Or, visit in person." He added. Kidd nodded. The walk would help him clear his thoughts. He began to walk away, paused, and looked back at them.

"You're all welcome to use whatever you want. Kitchen's all yours. It's… almost time for breakfast, I think." He said, dropping a heavy hint. He turned back and walked on, making his way to the Death Room where his father kept watch on the world through his mirrors.

His father didn't turn to face him when he cleared his throat to announce his arrival. Instead, he kept a stern look forward, hands held behind his back.

"This is… grave." His father started. Kidd nodded slowly.

"I know. Black Star and Tsubaki, they're beside themselves. It hasn't even been a full 48-hours, but I have a feeling they'll be this way for a few weeks." He admitted. Death sighed and shook his head.

"They'll be able to make it with all of us here to support them." He replied.

Kidd took his father's words to heart. They helped null the ache, and he felt a glimmer of confidence in himself and in his friends. They could pull through, certainly. All they had to do was work together.

"Did you see who-

-I did not." Death cut him off. Kidd sighed again, kicking the ground with his feet. His father's short-talk was unnerving. He wasn't sure if his father was trying to keep himself from acting out in anger, or keep himself from crying. He couldn't recall ever seeing his father cry. He found himself wondering how his father had managed to deal with the loss of his mother.

"Father?" Kidd asked. Death turned his head slightly.

"How did mother die?" He asked, wanting clarification. Death dropped his head, shook it, and turned around to face him.

"Sickness. She was perfectly healthy when I placed your fragment inside her womb, but a few years after you were born, she became extremely ill. " Death answered sadly. Kidd blinked. What had his father just said? He'd heard a few terms for "fertilization", but this phrase was just… wrong.

"When you… placed my fragment? Father, I know what sex is. You don't have to say it like-

-listen. As Shinigami age, fragments of our souls develop. In time, those fragments become somewhat sustainable, but still need a host to continue developing. So, I literally picked off your fragment from my soul and placed in inside your mother's womb, and she became 'pregnant' so-to-speak, with you." He finished. Kidd slowly sat down before he could fall over.

"I had meant to tell you when you'd gotten married, but I figured it best to wait until a fragment started to develop on your soul." He stated nonchalantly.

"So… So mom died from sickness, and in order to procreate, I have to slice off bits of my soul and place them inside of people? Wait, I have been trying to have a kid for-and you're just now telling me-are you-I'm sterile?" He sputtered. Death nodded.

"Yup. Your semen is as useless as a ship without sails. A boat with no oars. A weapon without a meister." He answered. Kidd flopped backwards and lay there, shocked and at a loss for words. He groaned. Liz would never let him hear the end of this.

They sat in silence for a while, the only sound being the rippling of the water fountain and the rhythmic thud of the bamboo fountain.

"I should warn you, whatever negative emotions you have going on within when the fragment forms seem to manifest in a form of madness in the offspring. When I picked off the fragment that was to be Asura, it was during turbulent times. I could trust few, and even had my doubts about the few I did trust. Hence, his psychopathic tendencies. As for you, I was hell bent on maintaining peace and order. Perhaps that is the source behind your OCD." He said calmly, continuing as if Kidd had asked him to.

Kidd sat up, brought to light with this new information.

"Asura… was my brother? You-we- that was my brother? Your son?" He asked, amazed. He couldn't believe his eyes as he watched his father's mask nod.

"You had us kill my own brother?" He asked, sitting up again. His stomach was taught with something, he wasn't sure. Disgust? Fear? Anger?

"Had you known then, would you have still fought?" Death asked. Kidd took a breath, thinking. The man had cost the lives of many. He'd devoured innocent humans in search of power. Such a thing couldn't be forgiven. The feeling in his gut dissipated. Of all the times he'd realized his father was right, he should have learned by now not to doubt him.

"I… see." He muttered. Death set a hand on Kidd's head, ruffling his hair.

"I am sorry. I should have told you sooner, but I feared... I feared I would lose you. That you would lose your mind, as Asura had." He explained.

His father's statement reminded Kidd of why he was here to begin with.

"What can we do for Black Star and Tsubaki? I originally came here for advice. The only person I could think of who would remember losing someone they love was you. I suppose I was too young to remember." He asked, bringing up the subject before he lost the chance to.

"Ah. The case is different, yet similar. Be there. Don't pressure them. Make sure they know they can turn to you, and listen even if you don't want to. Remember, actions speak louder than words." He suggested. Kidd nodded. It summed up what Stein had suggested.

Disgruntled and unnerved, he stood and stepped down the steps.

"I'll try and stop by more often, Father." He promised, continuing on his way down the guillotine hallway towards Death City. He wondered how he'd break the news to Liz about his "condition", and began to draft ways his group of friends could help Tsubaki and Black Star.

Yes, this is dark. As I said, I am testing my personal limits. I want to write better-not necessarily darker, but... more descriptive, more moving. I want to stun and engross my readers in a world that excites them, makes them cry, makes them laugh and feel joy, or even shudder in terror.

When you review, it puts me one step closer to achieving what seems to be a small goal.