A/N - I, uh… I guess you're expecting an explanation, huh?

I'm sure you're expecting some big story about how I got caught up in something super important or something great/terrible happened to me, but the truth is much more mundane: I lost interest a little. A lot. I burnt myself out; too much Soul Eater too fast, and eventually I got tired of it. I'm sorry, if it helps. I know I missed the one-year mark since I started, which is really disappointed for me because I wanted to time it so that the arc I wrote during that day would be thematically appropriate and stuff.

Also, Homestuck started updating again and I got caught up in that. Damn you, Andrew Hussie! You made me reveal myself for the Homestuck trash I am! *Shakes fists* Damn youuuuu!

So, uh, yeah. I'm so sorry. On the bright side, though, I've become a slightly better writer, so that should show through in later updates! (It probably shows in this update, as I wrote like a third of it and then stopped for THREE MONTHS WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME.)

Update on the poll: Alecto and Tempus are tied for first, with Panthera in second and one of the Kishin eggs in third! No points for Nadia, though. Sadface.

Also, this chapter was supposed to be longer and include the Cook, but things got out of hand again. Guess we'll be doing a one-Egg-a-chapter, then. Adding the conclusion chapter, that should be around five chapters total for this arc. That's five chapters from which I stumble and fail at my attempts to write someone else's character, people. Be very afraid.

I'd like to thank Zeuswillknockyouup2 (what a username), little101, MegglesGG, and Keyworks Kid for leaving lovely reviews during my (second) unintentional hiatus! To Zeuswillknockyouup2 (again, what a username) I say thanks, and I'm really glad you brought up Alecto's backstory, because part of that is getting unfolded in the very next arc! Not the super plot-important stuff, but definitely stuff that will help expand on my characters as characters, you know? As for Alecto's deal with her soul and Panthera's experiments, well, I can't say whether or not they're linked, but I can say that Panthera will have her role to play in figuring out just what the heck is up with Alecto. (Hint: it's probably not what you guys think it is. Unless you're my sister, in which case it's exactly what you think it is because I've told you what it is so you don't count.)

To little101: Well, I wouldn't call it active attraction, I mean they've known each other for what, a couple months? It's more like "if you asked me if she was pretty I would awkwardly dodge the question and change the subject because I would not outright disagree with the sentiment." Which… okay, yeah, that's basically attraction. But, like, passive attraction? Eh, Idunno, I'm not an attraction expert.

MegglesGG: Haha, good to know that Hungarian!Me has acquired a small fanbase. And yeah, you're point about Kid's drama queen levels is very valid, and would explain that sense of "ehhhh this isn't quite right" that I was feeling as I wrote this. Kid's a tough cookie to get right; he's pretty serious and down-to-business, but he's also a huge drama queen at the exact same time. And he pauses mid-mission to do radical tricks on his flying skateboard, so, you know, there's that little facet of the sparkling gemstone that is Death the Kid. Not that I wouldn't be doing some sick flips if I had a magical flying skateboard I could summon at will, but… y'know. Time and a place, dude. (God I love the Runaway Express mission.) Either way, I upped the ante a bit with this chapter and Kid's symmetry love, so I hope I managed to pin down his personality this time!

To Keyworks Kid, I'm glad you enjoy the story and the concept! I wanted to do something that was my own without going too overboard and lore-breaking with it, and I'm glad that people find the concept of time distortive souls interesting!

Again, so sorry for the wait! I'll try to do better! (Yes, I know I've said that before. I'm really sorry. :( )

DISCLAIMER: Soul Eater is the intellectual property Atsushi Ōkubo. I have no intention of monetizing my fanwork, and this is merely an enjoyable passer of time.


Chapter Thirty-Six - Countess of Blood - The Shinigami's Struggle Against Báthory, Part Two

Kid slipped into a defensive stance, keeping an eye out for any signs of aggression on the Seneschal's part. He looked harmless on the outside, but Kid knew better. This was a Kishin Egg, after all. Behind him, Liz and Patti shifted into a similar stance, ready to change into weapon forms at a moment's notice. "You know who I am, then?" he asked.

"I did not," the Seneschal said, grinning broadly and showing off every last tooth he had. Unlike the Constable's hideous maw, his teeth were clean and even, with not an molar out of place. "But my mistress did, oh yes. She saw you, flying in from the eastward skies. No human can fly under their own power; oh, yes, my mistress knows that for certain." Kid didn't think it was the best time to correct him by telling him about Grigori souls. "But she knows of the Grim Reaper's son, heard him in the fearful whispers of others like us, in the last dying breath of our dear brother Constable." His smile disappeared abruptly, a scowl taking its place. Kid tensed up. "My mistress is very clever indeed. She figured out that you weren't human in seconds. It's a shame, really. I would have expected them to send someone a bit more… imposing."

Kid shot a fierce glare at the Seneschal in return. "If you know who I am, you know why I'm here and what I'm capable of," he said. "What you've done here is appalling, and the Academy will not allow you to live for it."

The Seneschal scoffed. "Oh, look at me, shaking in my fancy leather boots. The Constable was the weakest of us, and his death was not unexpected. But you'll soon find out that the Countess will not go down so easily." Something dangerous flickered in his dark eyes. "Actually, you won't. I will not allow you to lay a finger upon my mistress."

He charged forward. Kid half-turned to call to Liz and Patti, but he didn't have the time to say anything before the Seneschal had closed the space between them and driven his fist directly into Kid's stomach in a solid punch that took the Reaper completely off guard. Pain lance through his abdomen as he was knocked to the ground. Damn, he's fast! Kid was more surprised than anything, but he recovered his breath quickly. "Liz, Patti!" he managed to call out.

"Way ahead of you, Kid!" Liz and Patti had already started the change when he'd called for them and were now in full pistol form, their voices a familiar echo in his mind as they fell through the air towards him. Without missing a beat, he rolled to his feet and grabbed them, firing off twin shots at the Seneschal.

The Kishin Egg wasn't fast enough to dodge them, at the very least, and he stumbled back a bit, his red velvet jacket smouldering a little. "You're a resilient brat, that's for sure," he growled, a low animalistic hiss creeping its way into his voice. "A normal human would have been seeing stars after a hit like that."

"It's like you said, isn't it?" Kid shot back. "I'm a Grim Reaper, after all. You'll have to do better than that to take me down."

The Seneschal let out a low chuckle. "Oh, I'm sure. But I'm not some weakling either." His voice hitched upward in volume as he shifted into an attack stance. A really readable attack stance, his focused gaze betraying his intended target; if Kid was right (and he was rarely wrong when it came to reading combat patterns), the Seneschal would go for a simple blow to the throat, multiple times if necessary, intending to incapacitate him before striking a killing blow. "My will to protect my mistress is made of steel, and that I embrace that desire and make it a part of me. As long as the Countess lives, I am undefeatable!"

He lunged, throwing his fist outward. Kid had been right about what the Seneschal had been planning, naturally, and dodging his flurry of punches was a simple enough matter. He countered with a strike of his own, jabbing the Kishin in the ribs with Patti and firing. "If you're going to try and act like you're a threat, at least back it up!" Kid snapped, swinging Liz around to strike the Seneschal across the face.

The Seneschal recoiled at the blow, the loud crack and rapidly forming purple spot indicating a cracked cheekbone. (Kid was a little disgusted at himself for only managing to bruise one cheekbone and not the other). He stumbled back across the threshold into the castle, his eyes wide with offense. "You dare strike a man on his mistress's land?" he sputtered. "I'll show you just how dangerous I can be, boy! Come inside and fight me on my own turf, if you're so convinced that I'm a threat!"

"No thanks," Kid deadpanned, taking aim. "I can shoot you fine from right here." He lined up his shot with meticulous precision, both Liz and Patti pointed directly at the center of the Seneschal's chest, where his twisted reflection of a soul was. Just what is this guy up to? "Didn't you want to keep me away from the Countess? Why are you inviting me inside?"

"Well, it is rude to refuse a guest hospitality after all," the Seneschal says, spreading his arms out in a welcoming gesture. "I can't have my mistress's reputation as an excellent host be spoiled by a petty little thing like my unending desire to see you dead. So come on, why don't I give you a red carpet welcome!"

The instant the words left his lips, a cylinder of red flew past the Seneschal and barreled out the door, giving Kid barely enough time to let out a "What the-?!" before it rammed into him at top speed. He flew several meters back through the air before hitting the dirt and skidding to a halt.

"Holy crap!" Patti exclaimed. "What was that?"

"I think it's an actual red carpet," Liz replied, the pistol's nervousness seeping through her voice. "What a weirdo."

Kid struggled to his feet, ignoring the lingering twinges of pain as he did. He was a Grim Reaper, he would heal up in no time. Instead of worrying about any injuries he might have sustained, he took the brief second he had to quickly analyze the situation. Liz was right; that was definitely a red carpet, rolling and swaying like some sort of grotesque cloth tongue. It was quick, yes, but fabric was fabric, this wasn't a-

"Did you think that the Countess graced me with the responsibility of managing her house because I know how to do paperwork, boy?" the Seneschal growled. "I can manage all the affairs of the house! Now, don't be shy, boy, and take a gander into my mistress's parlor!" The carpet shot out and wound its way around Kid before he could act, tightening around him like a python and pinning his arms to the side. Turning him upside-down, the carpet dragged him inside, stopping only when he was face-to-upended-face with the Kishin Egg. "Now, see how much better this is? You're in our domain now. Every stone brick in these walls, every piece of furniture in this fortress bend to the will of my lady, the Countess, as directed through me!" As if to emphasize his point, the castle began to tremble and shake. "I will crush you, boy, and serve your soul to my mistress on a platter!"

Kid had to admit, he wasn't in the best of situations. His arms were trapped, pinned to his sides so he couldn't move or try to shoot the Seneschal. His hands weren't covered with cloth, and he could try to fire his weapons, but given how he was tied up the only things he would be hitting would be his feet (and with his luck, he'd end up hitting them asymmetrically, completely ruining his balance.) with every passing second the red silk wrapped around him grew tighter and tighter, trapping his breath in his lungs and threatening to squeeze the life out of him. If he were alone, he might actually have been in something resembling "trouble."

But he wasn't alone. "Patti!" he shouted, throwing his younger weapon up in the air as best he could to give her the space she needed.

"On it, Kid!" Patti metamorphosed into her human form, landing on the edge of the carpet with a lively bounce that caused her to almost fall to the ground. After a moment of inelegant flailing, she managed to right herself and swipe Liz from his other hand. "All right, you big ugly!" she shouted, pointing her sister at the Seneschal, who was gawking at the scene in front of him. "I'm gonna get you good!"

"Wh-what's this!" the Seneschal exclaimed. "There's not supposed to be two of you!"

Of course there are, Kid thought. I can't maintain my symmetry with only one weapon.

Patti simply stuck her tongue out at the Seneschal and fire, hitting him square in the chest and following it up with two more quick shots. He was too stunned to dodge, simply falling back in a daze from the force of the hits. His confusion had the added effect of causing the carpet to loosen its python hold on Kid, dropping the young Reaper unceremoniously to the ground. Patti hit the ground next to him, having the advantage of being able to land on her feet, and tossed Liz back to him, following her with a transformation back into weapon form.

He caught them both with precise dexterity, and in the same fluid motion spun them around the face the grounded Seneschal and letting loose with a barrage of gunfire. The Kishin Egg screamed and recoiled for a brief second before slamming his palms into the ground, causing the boot-worn wooden floor to lurch and surge underneath them and throwing Kid off balance. "Damn it!" he shouted, struggling to find his footing.

"Whoa!" Patti exclaimed. "It's like an earthquake in here!"

"Kid, this guy is really powerful! What are we going to do?" Liz asked.

"Hold on…" Kid grumbled, still stumbling back and forth across the cedarwood floorboards, which were still threatening to toss him in the air like an enraged bull. "Let me just regain my footing…"

"We don't have time for that, Kid! We have to think of something to do now, or-"

Krshknk. Tnk tnk tnk.

The floor suddenly stilled, stick in a hideous state of unevenness, and Kid blinked. He glanced over at the Seneschal, wondering just what had caused everything to come to so complete a halt. As it turned out, the Seneschal had been knocked into a state of near unconsciousness, blood trickling down his face and pieces of gold-painted porcelain lying around him in a messy heap. It seemed that some sort of chinaware had fallen on his head, but from where? Kid turned a scrutinous golden gaze upwards, and noticed a singular shelf sticking out of the wall a good eight or nine feet above them. A long line of various vases and urns lined the shelf, from tiny little metal bowls to two massive amphoras on either edge. Kid perked up when he realized that everything on the shelf was organized in a perfectly symmetrical manner, with each side being a reflection of the other. Except for…

"No, no, no," Kid moaned, his shoulders slumping forward as he raised his hands to clutch at either side of his head. "Nooooooo. That bastard."

"What's wrong, Kid?" Liz asked.

"Look at it," Kid whimpered, gesturing at the shelf. "There's a golden urn on only one side now. The Seneschal shaking the floor the way he did must have caused the other one to fall over on top of him." He sank to his knees, despair rushing through him like a tidal wave. "It was symmetrical," he said. "It was perfectly symmetrical and he ruined it."

He could hear Liz sigh through the haze of disgust that was beginning to cloud his thoughts (wrong wrong it was all wrong what's wrong with him how could he do such a thing). "We don't know that, Kid, really," she said in a desperate bid to get him to calm down. "Maybe it was already a few inches off before he knocked it off the shelf?"

Kid slowly shook his head, trying not to be sick. "No," he said. "Look at everything else. That shelf was organized precisely and perfectly. Why would the urns be any different?"

In front of him, the Seneschal began to stir. "Wh… what are you talking about, you little bra-"

Bang! The Seneschal froze, his eyes wide as he stared down in horror at the final wound in his chest. "B-but… who will protect my mistress?" he whispered, before dissolving into a mass of ribbons, leaving only his hollow and twisted abomination of a soul behind.

"Unforgivable," is all Kid could say, spitting the word like it was poison. His hands shaking slightly, he got to his feet and glowered up at the shelf. After a few seconds, he managed to find his voice again. "Girls, give me a hand. I need to rearrange the shelf so that it's even again."

The Thompsons switched into their human forms, Liz shooting an incredulous stare his way. "Kid, do we really have time for this? There are still two of those things left," she pointed at the Seneschal's soul for emphasis, "and if they didn't know we were in the castle before, they sure do now! I don't wanna be here and get eaten when they try see what was going on! Can't you deal with this when we're done with the mission?"

"Don't be absurd," Kid snapped. If he left this alone in its lopsided state, it would gnaw away at his thoughts until it consumed him entirely. "No, we need to handle this now," he insisted. "Give me a hand up, would you?"

With an exasperated sigh and a roll of her eyes, Liz knelt to the ground, cupping her hands out in front of her to help give her meister a boost up. "Fine. But if we get eaten by some scary monster, I'm blaming you. You got that, you brat? Come on, Patti, let's get this out of the way now."

"Okie-dokie!" Patti mirrored her sisters pose, and the two of them together helped support Kid as he stepped up to move the remaining golden urn to the exact middle of the shelf. After several minutes of measuring his adjustments to make sure the urn was centered properly (with a few added shouts of "Could you hurry it up, Kid? My arms are killing me down here!") he was finished, stepping down off the girls' hands to admire his handiwork.

"Hey, Kid!" Patti piped up, pointing at something above the shelf. "Look at that painting! Who do you think that is?"

Kid's gaze drifted upwards to a painting hanging above the shelves. He wasn't sure how he managed to miss it before; it was incredibly large, looming over the three teenagers like a titan among art pieces. He wondered just how large it was, and how the artist managed to paint upon such a large canvas. It was certainly a masterpiece, depicting a lone woman sitting against a dark background with incredible detailing that caught everything from the sharp angle of her nose to the warm glow of her brown hair. The woman was wearing a dark red dress that was portrayed as having a satin-like sheen, with more golden threading around the neckline than Kid had ever seen. She was sitting in a chair, and rest on her lap was a book upon which she draped a delicate hand across, finger brushing the yellowed pages. What stood out to him the most, however, was the expressed of composed contempt that the woman in the painting held for those looking upon her, the stiffness of her shoulders and the cold look in her eyes betraying how she felt about whoever she was looking at.

"That must be Elizabeth Báthory," he said in response to Patti's eager question, "perhaps before she became a Kishin Egg? No… definitely after. She probably wouldn't have had the resources to commission such a big painting before she took over Nagyecsed."

"It's a pretty gaudy picture," Liz said. "I guess she really wanted people to see what she looked like, huh?"

Kid nodded. "That's certainly a possibility. Of course, it's also possible that it's a display of power, a way to remind guests just who was in charge here."

"She's pretty!" Patti declared. "Not as pretty as you, sis, though." She paused for a second, a thoughtful expression flitting across her rosy features. "So if that's what she looks like now, and she had to eat a lot of people to become pretty, what do you think she look liked before? D'you think she was super ugly?"

"She probably looked the same. She's crazy, remember, Patti!"

"Oh, yeah, you're probably right, sis!"

Choosing not to involve himself in the girls' conversation, Kid instead stared up at the painting, his expression stern and determined. This was her. This was the woman who'd pinned an entire village of innocent people under her thumb, using her lackeys to scare them so badly they couldn't even mention her name. This was the woman who'd bathed in the blood of her victims as she devoured their souls out of some desperate sense of vanity.

This woman was vile, and in the name of the DWMA… of his father… he would rid the world of her. But there was something else he had to do, first. "Liz, take the Seneschal's soul so we can be on our way," he said, closing his eyes and reaching out with his Soul Perception. He wasn't quite as good at it as Maka or Professor Stein, but he still prided himself on his ability to track down Kishin Eggs even when they were trying to conceal themselves. And the Countess was most certainly not concealing herself. He could feel her soul pulsing its twisted, arrhythmic pulse upstairs, making itself known to anyone who could hear it. He grimaced at the sensation. As good as he was at finding Kishin, he hated the feeling using his Soul Perception on them brought. They were chaos, raw madness, with no sense of reason to their wavelengths.

He swallowed his disgust and searched further, because it wasn't the Countess he was looking for. He'd no doubt that once she figured out exactly what was going on, she'd track him down with a vengeance. No, he was looking for something else, and he found it; a smaller Kishin Egg, located right and a little ways downward. "This way," he said stalking in the direction of the weaker Egg. "This must be the way to the kitchens…"

"Uh, Kid?" Liz asked. "I don't think this is the time for a midnight snack."

"We're not going to the kitchens for dinner," Kid replied. "There' still one more of the Countess's lackeys to deal with: the Cook." He frowned, a faint shiver running down his spine. "I shudder to imagine just what sort of food it is he prepares…"


A/N - Bluh, I'm off my game. I remember when I could churn out 3000 words a day. Then again, I remember back then I didn't stop and think about the smaller stuff in my story and continuity and stuff like. Honestly, I'd rather be slower and better than faster and worse. (And I'm not just saying that because I'm looking at my older chapters and recoiling in terror. I swear, once I get to a certain point I'm going back and rewriting everything before chapter nineteen.

I also sort of bullshitted half the fight with Seneschal. Ah, well. The Cook should be more interesting. Because reasons. :3

Again, no Alecto, no Latin, so no Latin translations. I don't even think there's a mention of Alecto in this entire chapter.

Chapter 37 will be a thing... soon. Maybe not super-soon, but not a fricking three month gap, that I can promise. In the meantime, feel free to favorite and leave a review!

- Diana "Nocte"