Hello everybody.
I'm back... AFTER A REALLY LONG HIATUS THAT I DID NOT WARN YOU ABOUT. Good news is: I graduated! Bad news? None really. Except that I have so much more time bc college is a breeze tbh. You know what that means? Updates.

I hope if anybody is still with me they'll enjoy. It's a long one. :3

Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater.

Char grinned in excitement as we walked toward the stone structure in the middle of the forest; the training ground that would protect anything from my, still difficult to control, element. At this point, I was able to summon and throw balls of fire at will, either from my hands or the air around me, but I had a difficult time aiming where I wanted them to go... which really annoys me considering I'm a damn archer, but I digress.

When we got there, I breathed a sigh as my eyes set on Dominic, my least liked trainer out of the two. He was a jerk when he wasn't being a complete tease, and though he has lightened up a bit since our first meeting, I still think there might as well have not been a change at all.

"Well good morning to you too." I spotted a hint of a smirk on his face and flashed him a fake smile.

"G'morning." Char gave us both a look before chuckling. Glad to see she found us amusing. "So whatcha got us doing today, tree hugger?"

"Seriously? Not you too." Dominic rolled his eyes, already having to deal with his sister calling him that. "Just turn into a weapon."

"Well I like it..." Char muttered as she turned to me, and I stifled a laugh while she took my hand and became a bow. I grabbed an arrow from my quiver.

Dominic rose his palm up, a large boulder rising from the earth and onto the ground. "Make it disintegrate."

I blinked.

There was a pause as he waited, but nothing happened. "The hell are you waiting for?"

"The hell do you mean by "make it disintegrate"?" I exclaimed, mimicking his tone. "I just set shit on fire, I don't know how to disintegrate."

He sighed, "We've been over this. The more you concentrate, the stronger your power. The higher the temperature, the faster things turn to ash."

With an exasperated breath I rose Char, aiming at the boulder and concentrating on the tip of the blade. There was a spark and the arrow's tip was covered in a small flame. I smiled, happy to at least be able to do that.

"You did it!" Char cheered.

"That's not going to do anything." he said, my smile leaving as fast as it came.

"Oh, really? You sure about that?" I glanced sourly at him. So much encouragement, I swear.

He shrugged, "Shoot it."

It whistled through the air, hitting the rock and bouncing back lamely onto the dirt.

"I told you."

I placed a hand on my hip, "Okay, so how do we do this?"

"It just takes a lot of concentration and practice. That's what most of this training is for. There's no real instructions. Have you been meditating at home?"

With a sigh I picked out another arrow and readied Char, staring at the tip and waiting for something to happen. "You can do it, Kuro." Char whispered softly. I closed my eyes and tried to imagine the fire channeling into my hands and flowing into the arrow; concentrating on the heat, the power. I heard something flicker to life and I opened my eyes. The flame was larger now-

"Nothing's changed. Try again." I heard him say.

"I mean, it's a little bigger." I grumbled.

"Try again."

Instead of getting another arrow, I stayed with the one I had and simply closed my eyes again. This was such a pain. All of it. I missed the way everything seemed so easy before I awakened. All I had to worry about was making myself a more than decent Meister, but now I have to worry about making myself at least a decent Elemental.

"Kuro..." I heard Char mumble, feeling my uneasiness.

"It's getting smaller. Whatever you're thinking, stop thinking it."

I growled softly, getting tired of his voice. Funny how when I awakened, everything was too powerful. Now I can barely summon fire on my arrow. Everything was on fire that night. The trees, the ground, the air around me, even my insides. I opened my eyes, a thought popping into my head that brought a faint pink with it. But nothing compared to what I felt when he kissed me.

I dropped my stance, cursing myself for bringing that up again. It wasn't even something I should've been thinking about during that thought, but whenever I go back to that night it doesn't fail to come back to me. I've been able to avoid talking to Kid about it by claiming I have no memory of it, but not without making it painfully suspicious that I'm lying. It doesn't help that I caught myself staring at his lips during class yesterday, or how giddy and nervous I get around him. I never used to be like that. He's so observant that he's bound to notice. It happened a few days ago but I can't get over it. I haven't been able to talk about it with anyone so I guess it's been simmering. I can't keep hiding it but I also can't involve myself with him like that; it's too dangerous. It would change everything.

I flinched when Dominic flicked my forehead. "Wha-!" I rubbed the place he hit, "That hurt!"

"What's up with that look on your face?" Dominic looked at me with furrowed brows, obviously impatient and... concerned?

"...Nothing." I muttered, moving to his side and picking the stance back up.

He sighed and stayed beside me. I took a deep breath, staring the tip of the arrow down, telling it to do something in my head. Anything, any sign of fire.

Nothing.

"Ease up," he said, but instead of the sharp, mocking voice I was used to, it was replaced with one that was almost gentle. It caught me so off guard that I looked at him, but he avoided my eyes. "Don't be so hard on yourself. We all started out like this. The only difference is I had Adria; she had to do this on her own. You have both of us." he paused before continuing, "It's best to have a clear mind, but if it's really that hard then think of someone or something that makes you feel at ease."

"Uh," Char blurted, taken aback by his attitude just as I am.

He didn't respond and neither did I. I just stared. He was so calm, so serious. Not a single smirk, not one snicker. A small smile formed on my lips as I turned back to the target, and my shoulders relaxed at the thought of Kid. I urged myself not to think about what consumed me earlier, but rather how I felt around him in general. Safe and warm; things I had been missing in a majority of my life. I'm amazed I can find it all in him.

"Kuro! You're doing it!" Char grinned, and I came to just as the whole arrow was set ablaze. I gasped, expecting to feel my flesh or my clothes burn, but it merely touched my skin like a breeze on a windy day.

"It's spiritual; that's why it doesn't damage you. Only you and your Weapon are unaffected." Dominic spoke, "Now shoot."

I let the arrow go, watching it hit the boulder and leave nothing behind but a pile of rubble and ash.

"What a mess." Adria said, looking around the training grounds at all of the piles. "You two must've been pretty busy today."

"Sure were! And we've gotten a hell of a lot better! Right, Kuro?"

"Still have a long way to go if you ask me." Dominic glanced at Char, who had just turned back into a human in time to stick her tongue out at him.

"Well, we have plenty of time. We'll be sticking together for quite awhile." Adria smiled.

"Really? You guys aren't leaving?" I asked, honestly happy that Adria wasn't going anywhere. Training with her is a lot more pleasant, and I really admire her abilities.

"Not anytime soon." she responded, "Strength in numbers, and it's rather convenient for you to train around here. Gives us a place to stay rather than be stuck on the road."

"Strength in... numbers?"

"Yeah." Adria glanced at Dominic , who shook his head. "You see, an Elemental's soul is highly sought after for its power. It can attract tons of pre-Kishins and witches alike. Which is why it's best to stick together and not stay in one place for too long."

Char jumped in, "I'm sure staying here wouldn't be a bad idea, though. There's nothing we can't handle, especially with such strong Weapons and Meisters on our side."

"Well, we'll see. It's just imperative for her to learn all she can now before we teach her how to use Soul Protection. There wouldn't be much of a point if she's using her powers to train. Besides, it's not just about her protection or what you guys can handle. There are other people in this city..." Adria trailed off, narrowing her eyes slightly at my face, "You look completely clueless. Did Kid not tell you?"

"No," I muttered, "He didn't."

'Is there anything else I should know about?'

'No.'

He lied to me. The last time I was in the infirmary.

"Huh." she mumbled, "I figured he would, considering you two seem... close."

"Don't be stupid, Adria." Dominic smirked, "You knew he wouldn't; for that exact reason."

I glared at him, seeing that he was back to normal.

Adria sighed, "I patrol the area when you use your power. Nothing's shown up, and you've been using it to train every other day. I'm sure everything will be fine." she smiled reassuringly, "Just learn quickly."

I nodded, a little perturbed by the thought of Kid lying to me. That wasn't like him. Why did he do it? I mean, I was lying to him too, about my memory but... this was beyond a kiss.

Dominic stomped his foot, a large boulder picking him up off the ground and into the air, "You walking them back to campus?"

"Yup, I'll see you soon." Adria said, motioning for Char and I to come along.

For awhile the walk was silent, I was too busy in my own thoughts to really start any conversation, and Char's stomach was growling so she was probably too hungry to try. It wasn't until Adria cleared her throat that it was interrupted. "I always feel like I should apologize for my brother." she laughed.

"It's alright, it's not your fault he's an asshole." Char said before covering her mouth to hide a yawn.

"He has his better moments. Sometimes." I added.

"He was a lot sweeter. Still is, he just doesn't show it as often. Fears attachment. Like me." she paused for a moment before saying, "We lost our parents to a pre-Kishin. It traumatized us. It affected him a lot more because he was so young. The only reason we made it out alive was because I had just gotten my wind and I was able to kill it."

I opened my mouth but then closed it, not knowing what to say. I understood that type of loss.

"I'm sorry." Char said, "That's terrible."

"When the water Elemental told us why we were attacked so often, we blamed ourselves for awhile. In the end, though, it's not like we knew. It's slowly pushed farther back in our memory, he tries hard not to think about it. We were taught Soul Protection, and he helped me train Dominic. Dominic got very close to him, treated him like a big brother, so when he died..." Adria smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Well, it didn't help that it was the same way our parents died."

Char and I looked at each other silently, unsure of what to say. Surely she knew it wouldn't excuse his actions, but it did shed some light. With the Academy now in view, Adria said goodbye and disappeared as a wind rustled the trees.

"I hate when people tell me sad things." Char said, opening the door and holding it for me to go inside.

"Why?"

"I never know what to say."

I gave her a small smile, "Join the club."

"Oh man," Char sighed contently, stretching her arms over her head as we left the pizza place. "I'm stuffed. After a long day of training, chowing down on cheesy deliciousness feels ten times better!"

"Training would be a lot more enjoyable had it been with Adria. Sorry to drag you into this." I smiled sheepishly at her, knowing deep down that she enjoyed the time we spent together, but feeling guilty anyway.

Char shrugged, "It's no big deal. It's honestly pretty cool; I never thought I'd have a Meister like you. The students are buzzing about us. Besides..." she grinned suddenly and slammed into me for a hug. I almost landed on the ground. "You're my Meister and I like being your Weapon, so I'm going to do what I have to do!"

"Okay... Okay!" I couldn't help but laugh even though I struggled to breathe, "You're crushing me! Char!"

She giggled and let me go, "You know," she lowered her eyes, " I never told you this, but you're the first Meister who didn't toss me aside after learning that I was just a bow." My smile faded. She kicked at a small rock on the ground, her gaze following it as it rolled across the sidewalk and clattered into a storm drain. "They considered the whole manual arrow replenishing thing a huge disadvantage. It didn't really affect me though, not having a Meister and all. At first I didn't even really see the appeal to it; having the title of a "Weapon"... seems a little degrading, if you really think about it. But you treat me like the person I am. You're my best friend... not all Weapon-Meister partners can say the same." she smiled, "You and our friends, well, are great people."

"Char..." I blinked, "Char what's gotten into you! Come on!" I giggled, pulling her in the direction of our dorm. I'd never seen her this way.

She laughed sheepishly, "I guess I just wanted you to know you were appreciated."

"Thank you." I whispered, not really sure how what to say in return. "I appreciate you, too." She stayed with me after finding out about Noah. Stayed with me after finding out I was gonna be way more than she bargained for. Why couldn't I just say that?

"Looks like sad things aren't the only things you don't know how to respond to!" Char grinned.

I smiled softly, stopping at the curb and waited for the light to turn. The streets were bustling with people trying to get those sales coming in for the holidays. Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza...

"Hey, isn't your birthday coming up?" Char suddenly asked. I tilted my head slightly, realizing that it was in one week.

"Oh... yeah. December twentieth."

"Funny how you're a little spitfire yet your birthday is during Winter..." she paused, "...Spitfire..."

"Please don't start calling me that. Please."

"It's pretty cute!"

"Oh, for Death's sake."

"Never mind that! I need to get you something..."

I sighed, walking ahead across the street as Char rambled on about ideas for a gift. After nearly five minutes I said, "Listen, really, it isn't that big of a deal-" I stopped mid sentence and looked across the street at the small boutiques as Kid, Liz, and Patti walked out. Patti seemed as hyper as usual, Liz looked satisfied with herself and Kid... looked torn. He must've felt my gaze on him because he looked up and caught my eyes. They seemed to light up as a smile formed on his face, and I hadn't realized how much I missed him until I felt my chest tighten. It had only been a day, so why did it feel like weeks?

You know why. I told myself, but that wasn't something I needed to address. He lied to me. Why did he lie to me?

"Guys!" Char waved. We moved forward and crossed the two lane street towards them. I felt tense, and I knew he would sense something was wrong.

"Kuro, hey. How did training go?" Liz asked with a grin. I smiled, receiving the usual hug and nuzzle from Patti along with a cooed "Kuro~".

"It went pretty good, ah..." I glanced at Kid, surprised to find that his eyes were still on me. I cleared my throat, looking down, "Char and I are working really well."

"The fire doesn't hurt you, Char?" Patti asked, tilting her head.

"No it doesn't. We were told why that night we brought her back, remember?" Char said.

"Oh, yes yes! Soul wavelengths!"

"Adria explained everything today at the training grounds." I looked up at Liz and Patti, purposely avoiding his gaze, "Everything I missed." From the corner of my eye, I saw Kid finally turn away.

With a sigh, he spoke. "Liz, Patti, Char," he began, "There's something Kuro and I need to talk about. Can you leave us for a few minutes?" he handed a confused looking Patti a bag, probably whatever they bought from the boutique.

"We'll be around the curb at the cafe." Liz nodded, the other two Weapons giving her questioning looks before they followed her down the sidewalk.

"Come on." Kid muttered, taking my hand and pulling me towards the direction of a bench. Just him holding my hand made me shiver in this Nevada heat. Just his presence kept me from thinking straight. We sat down, and it was silent between us for a time.

I was the one who broke it. "You lied to me."

"I can explain."

"I'm not angry. Being angry would be stupid, it's not like I wouldn't have found out... but why? What was the point? Why couldn't you tell me? You've never lied to me."

He was silent.

"Did you think... I was going to leave? With them?"

Silence.

"I-I mean. I don't have to leave, right? I know that it would be safer but there's nothing that can't be handled." I wanted to be selfish; to, for once, have something work out the way I want it to. "Honestly, we've managed Gopher and Crona... What could be worse? Kid, I don't want to leave. I don't want to leave you, I don't want to leave Char or our friends. You guys are all I have. Being with Adria and Dominic... it wouldn't be enough, and... and all I'd think about-" I knew I was starting to ramble, but that's not why I stopped.

And all I'd think about is you.

"I don't want you to leave either." Kid said, his eyes locking mine, "That's why I didn't tell you, okay? I figured if you found out you'd be hunted down, you'd leave to keep us from getting involved." his voice softened as he held my hands that laid limply in my lap, "You don't have to leave. I'll protect you, Kuro. I swear. On everything I am."

I felt my face heat up and I looked away towards the street. I moved my hands only to allow my fingers to intertwine with his. "I... don't need protecting."

I could tell he was gazing at our hands. "Kuro."

I kept my eyes away.

"You remember what happened that night, don't you?"

My breath caught and I only looked at him in sheer panic. If it wasn't obvious before, it was certainly obvious now from my reaction. It took me seconds too long to realize that was exactly what he had planned.

No. No.

Kid suddenly turned his head, looking in the direction of the souvenir shop across the street. I was still in shock that what he said didn't register, and it wasn't until he pulled me to him and threw me away from the bench did I realize something was wrong. I picked myself up and looked back but the bench was gone, blown to smithereens, along with the buildings that used to be the souvenir shop and many others. Screams erupted from the citizens, and I stood up only to see that Kid wasn't with me. "Kid...? Kid!" I spun frantically, only to find him on the ground almost ten feet away; unconscious.

"Oh no." I shook my head, running to him, "No, no, no!"

"Kuro! Kid!" I heard our partners close by over the screams of people and moans of the injured. They must've stayed close, we were almost a block away when we went to the bench.

"Char!" I screamed, trying to help them find me. I put his arm over my shoulder and tried getting him off the ground. I needed to get him out of here. When I got us up, I realized I was hyperventilating. Fire, smoke, screaming, blood, rubble, bodies, limbs. Everywhere, everywhere, everywhere.

Over all of the chaos the only thing that could be heard next was a roar as a large mass emerged from behind the smoke.

"WHERE IS THE ELEMENTAL?"

End of Chapter XXIV

Man, writing this was a treat. I missed this way too much.

Well, hope you enjoyed!