Chapter 11 – Secrets
"Goldie, stop hogging all the chips!" Mamoru laughed doing his best to sound mad but failing miserably at it.
A smile stretched across her face, "You're getting fat so I'm doing you a favor."
Mamoru gasped looking offended while the rest of the room exploded with laughter.
Angel, Evan, and Mark had crammed Sid and Sully's recovery room with chairs, a TV, and video game system.
Sid was still far from being back to normal, but in the two days that past a lot of color had returned to his face. Gold Star wasn't allowed to do much of anything after her spying attempt with Mamoru. Sully couldn't stand for very long without feeling lightheaded so he stayed in bed and was milking his injury for all it was worth. Mamoru felt fine, but h popped his stiches when he exerted himself by attempting to lift the TV by himself.
"My turn!" Sid yelled reaching for the controller Angel was holding. He was propped up with pillows so he could see the TV comfortably. Although, he winced every time he made any movements that jostled his back.
She passed it over before he could lean forward too far and cause himself unnecessary pain. Angel sat on the floor next to Sid's bed leaning against Evan's chair. Evan sat watching them while devouring cold pizza like it was the thing he had ever tasted.
"You're so going down!" Mark spun around in the desk chair he commandeered from Kid's office. Kid hadn't noticed it was missing, but when he did Mark's life may be a lot shorter than he expected.
"Good luck, Mark, Sid kills at this game." Masa said looking up from her book. She was perched on a bean bag chair in front of the bed Gold Star and Mamoru occupied. Her sprained ankle didn't bother her, but she still had to stay off it until it was no longer swollen.
"My bro can take him!" Sully said sprawling out on the bench under the window. He had given up his bed since Gold Star needed it more and he was tired of laying down.
It was funny how being holed up in a tiny room had brought the eight of them closer.
Mark and Mamoru explained that they let Death City six years ago to study with Crona. They had learned to use the Black Blood without Mark completely losing himself to madness. But the Black Blood still took its toll on both of them no matter how much time they spent training. They also mentioned that they planned on coming to Death City sooner but things had never worked out in their favor.
Evan recapped the two years he had spent training with Justin Law and Stein. Justin showed him how to use his weapon form without needing a meister. While Stein taught him to amplify his wavelength without the help of a weapon. Mark had been fascinated to no end by the mystery behind Evan being a meister and weapon.
Angel briefly told them about her training with Lord Death and Kid. She was learning to control her powers as a Grim Reaper, but it was a slow process. She had mastered the Death God Martial Arts but had never been able to activate the Lines of Sanzu. Everyone laughed hysterically when she explained that Kid drove her nuts during training so she begged Death to help her whenever he could.
Sid and Sully had gone through some training with Liz and Patti. The twins were taught how to use each other in fights if anything were to happen to Angel. It had been a tedious process but well worth it now that Sid and Sully could fight without the help of a meister.
Gold Star and Masa endured the brutal training of Black Star and Tsubaki for a time. Gold Star and Masa were still working to master the uncanny sword mode. It took a major toll on them, but they couldn't complain. Gold Star was positive that in a few short months they would master it.
After that it felt like no time had passed since they were separated.
"Who's my next victim?" Mark's sinister laugh filled the room. Despite Masa's goading he had beaten Sid without much trouble.
"Me, me!" Mamoru was practically jumping up and down. Luckily for him Stein wasn't there or he's get yelled at for risking popping his stiches, again. Sid chucked the controller to other side of the room and he caught it with little effort.
Kid walked through the door taking in the scene with a sweeping glance. His eyebrow twitched at the mess and lack of symmetry.
"Yo, long time no see!" Mark said his pale green eye never wavering from the TV.
"Is that my chair?" Kid's eyes narrowed at the site of his oversized chair that had vanished from his office yesterday.
"Yes," Mark smiled, "It's very comfortable."
Kid let out a long breath letting go his grievance over the chair. "I have an assignment I need Angel and Evan to take care of." Kid looked at his daughter.
"Oh, and what about the rest of us?" Mamoru asked pausing the game and turning his attention to Kid.
"In the remaining teams either meister or weapon is injured, naturally you will be sitting out." Kid answered blandly.
"How exactly can Angel go without Sid and Sully?" Mark looked confused and very interested in the answer.
"Because I can resonate with any weapon and I'm the only one that can use Evan when he's in full weapon form." Angel explained fixing her eyes on the ground. Sid and Sully grew very quiet knowing that Angel didn't like people knowing this. The last thing she wanted was to have weapons ask to be used by her; it happened a few years back and was still awkward.
"When did you learn to do that?" Mark looked confused.
"What Angel didn't mention earlier is that she trained stein as well." Evan chimed in smiling as Angel glared up at him. "Angel mastered manipulating her soul wavelength."
"So, you can use any weapon?" Mark asked intrigued.
"Yes," she hissed between her teeth.
"And you can nullify anyone's soul wavelength?"
"Yes."
"Even my dad's soul menace?"
"Yes, including the Successive Palm Menace of his." Angel glowered. "Don't even ask about the methods he used to teach me."
"I can probably guess it wasn't pleasant." Mark grinned.
"What I'd like to know is why you're the only meister that can use Evan?" Gold Star asked perking up.
"It's a secret," Evan whispered loudly.
"I highly doubt that," Mamoru rolled his purple eyes.
Evan glared at him, "Not another word, Pinkie."
"Hey only Gold Star can call me that!" Mamoru glared back.
Kid tapped his foot, crossed his arms over his chest, and looked relatively annoyed. "Angel and Evan, I'm sending you to handle a problem that has come up in Slooth, Romania. You'll be going alone since Cassandra's attention is otherwise occupied at the moment. She will not notice you have left Death City and she will not expect you to be paired together. You'll be leaving in two hours and the village elder will inform you of the situation upon your arrival." Kid left the room.
Angel sucked in a quick breath. Evan frowned at the top of her head wondering what exactly Kid and Angel discussed at that meeting. She refused to tell him anything about it. He wasn't sure if that was on Kid's orders or because she didn't want anyone to know. Either way it had never stopped her from telling him in the past. She must have been hiding dangerous information.
"I have a bad feeling," Sid said.
"I bet they're having vampire trouble." Masa shuddered.
All eyes turned toward her.
"What? Everyone knows vampires originated in Romania." She said defensively.
"There's no such thing as vampires." Sully said in his logical, know-it-all voice.
That launched Masa and Sully into a very animated argument about vampires. They were soon joined by Mark and Gold Star against vampires and Sid and Mamoru for vampires.
Evan dipped his head down to whisper in Angel's ear. "Worried?"
"Not in the least, are you?" She tilted her head looking at him out of the corner of her eye.
He flashed a crooked grin, "Nope."