The wind stung Kid's face as he sailed through the night sky. He was riding Beelzebub (Soul had teased him about being a man who still played with a skateboard, but why fix what wasn't broken?) while Maka and the rest rode on Soul. Black*Star had wanted to use his own flying technique, which he had improved greatly over the years, but Kid had wanted to be there as soon as possible. Thus, Maka flew on Soul's Scythe form with Black*Star behind her and Tsubaki in her Weapon form for easier carrying.
It was lucky for Kid that Beelzebub knew how to get to Brooklyn, because his master found his mind rather preoccupied. Liz and Patti were at the forefront, of course, as Kid worried for their safety while simultaneously assuring himself that they were plenty capable of defending themselves. Of course, they didn't know that Maka and a team from Border Patrol had gone through Death City with a fine-toothed comb and found more bomb caches, and they were 99.99% sure there were no more. So while that was of course wonderful for Death City, Kid worried that Liz and Patti wouldn't fight back if they thought Franky still had power over them.
You'll find them soon, Kid told himself. And you can tell them then, and all will be well.
Another thought weighing heavy on his mind was the way the witches had responded to his request. Did they really distrust him that much? Though he was loathe to even think about renewing hostilites with them, he also wasn't sure he should sign the treaty for another year before dealing with their obvious trust issues. Today actually would have been the day, but Kid had asked for a postponement until Death City had recovered more, and thankfully they had understood that.
Kid was brought out his ponderings by Maka. In a concerned voice, she asked, "You okay, Kid? You're quiet."
"Of course," he answered after a minute. "Just...just thinking."
Maka seemed like she was going to say more, but then Black*Star pointed and exclaimed, "New York ho! Let's go! Scafidi, your soul is mine!"
"Hey, that's our line!" Soul cried indignantly. "How come you get to go after that scumbag?"
"Cuz I called him first, duh," Black*Star replied.
"As long he gets taken care of, that's what matters. Right, Kid?" chimed Tsubaki.
Kid nodded. "That's right, Tsubaki. I would like to get him myself, but I have to deal with the witch on my own."
They continued flying for a little while longer, until they were over Brooklyn, before landing. Thanks to the CIA, and Roy and Garth's, operations, Kid knew exactly where Franky's base was. Too be honest, it wouldn't have been that hard to find, as it was a huge white mansion, shaped like a tiered cake, with two giant Italian flag banners hanging from the gutters. Surely Franky wasn't too stupid to have all of his underworld dealings right there, though, but then again, he'd been stupid enough to blackmail Death's own Weapons, and bomb Death City.
The five of them lingered on the sidewalk across the street from the house, hiding in the shadows provided by the street lamps and Franky's search lights. There were a few guards on the front step, and at the other entrances, Kid assumed. They wouldn't be a problem.
"So how we getting in, Kid?" Black*Star asked, Tsubaki's Smoke Bomb form in his hand. Kid didn't answer him, instead walking across the street and straight up to the guards. It took them both a minute to realize he was there, and when they did, they both jerked back in surprise.
"W-what the heck, punk?" one of them asked, glaring as he stepped closer to Kid. "What dya think you're doing here?!" The other one pulled out a knife and leveled it at him threateningly.
Kid merely looked at them. Normally, his calm demeanor in battle was enough to at least confound enemies, but this time his gaze was a little different. Since becoming a full Shinigami, he had discovered something that Patti had dubbed "Death Glare Beams," or the ability to make grown men whimper on the ground with just a look. Such an effect was probably what had led his father to change his appearance and hide behind a mask, so he wouldn't frighten his new students. Kid didn't wear a mask yet — most likely he wouldn't have to for a few years, since he was still young, and almost everyone close to him was used to his soul, even fully grown.
But these men were not used to his soul, and he was deliberately turning this deadly gaze directly on them. The armed one dropped his knife immediately, and they both staggered back, looks of horror on their faces.
"Wh-wh-what are you?!" one of them cried, his voice shrill. Kid cocked his head and stared at him.
"Death," he answered simply. They began to whimper. "Now," he said, "you're going to do a few things. One, you're going to let me and my friends in. Two, you're going to keep quiet about it. And three" — he leaned in closer, so he was right in their faces — "you're going to tell me where the h*ll is Francesco Scafidi?"
"O-o-o-ok-kay," one of them answered shakily. "He— he's probably in his study! Third door on th-the right!" Kid stepped back to let him scramble up and unlock the door; his companion just stayed where he was, staring out into the dark. Suddenly he gasped, and his eyes widened even more; Kid turned, somewhat concerned, but it was just his friends.
"D*mn, Kid, that was one heck of an intimidation!" Black*Star complimented Kid. "I like this side of you, it's pretty cool!"
"Don't get used to it," Kid replied as they stepped into the foyer of the mansion. A thick red carpet led up the stairs, which was a curving, sprawling structure that wrapped around; the rest of the floor was black and white marble. "It's only for really serious missions."
"Yeah, yeah, I know." Black*Star looked around. "So the fireworks guy is that way?" He pointed in the direction the man outside indicated, while eyeing the stairs.
"Should be, yes."
The assassin nodded thoughtfully. "Okay. C'mon, Tsubaki. Ninja Sword, let's go."
"Right."
Black*Star gave the rest of them a wink and went up the stairs. Kid frowned and thought about calling him back, but decided he probably knew what he was doing — or at least, Tsubaki did. He had things of his own to do.
"Let's go ourselves," Kid said to Maka, who nodded. They walked in the right of the stairway, counting the doors (it was remarkably devoid of people, though Kid could sense a large concentration of souls in one of the upstairs rooms). When they got to the third one, they stopped and, without any further ado, kicked down the door.
What they found was a rather posh office, but when Kid saw two people at the desk, his attention zeroed in on them. At the noise of door being broken, they — presumably a couple in the middle of kissing — broke apart, looking startled. The man stood up out of his chair and glared at them.
"Just what the h*ll do you think you're doing?!" the man cried.
"Looking for Francesco Scafidi," Kid responded calmly. "That is who you are, yes?"
Franky sneered at him. "And what if I am?"
Suddenly the woman by Franky's side — the witch, Kid realized with a start — gasped, putting both hands up to her mouth. "Frrranky," she breathed, "do you have any idea who this is? It's him! Shinigami-san! Oh, of all the things, I neverrr would have expected –!"
Kid sent a withering look her way. "I'll be dealing with you in a moment," he said tersely. Glancing back at Franky, he demanded, "Tell me, where are Liz and Patti Thompson?"
Franky tried to seem brave. "Now, hold on," he began. "I don't see –"
His protest was cut short by the appearance of a blade at his throat – and not just any blade, but Tsubaki in her Ninja Sword form. Black*Star, as silent and smooth as an assassin should be, had dropped from the ceiling to land on the back of Franky's chair (the better to threaten you with, my dear).
"A god just asked you a question," Black*Star hissed in a menacing voice. "And since I know you're nowhere near my level — and because you attacked my city — you don't have the right to refuse him."
"Th-th-they're in the b-b-basement!" Franky squeaked out. He then looked over at the witch. "B-b-babycakes? Little h-h-help here?"
"Oh, darrrling, of courrrse!" the witch cried. She then shot a spell in their direction; Black*Star jumped away from Franky to dodge, but it didn't seem aimed at him; instead, energy enveloped Franky in what seemed to be a white cloud, and then he was gone.
Kid let out a curse while Black*Star started, looking bewildered.
"Spatial magic," Maka realized after a second. "She's sent him somewhere else."
Black*Star's look of confusiin turned to one of anger as he looked at the witch. "Why, I oughta..."
"Black*Star." Kid's voice pulled the ninja up short, after which he sent Kid a questioning look; the shinigami continued, "You go find out where Franky is now and deal with him. Maka, head to the basement and free the girls." He nodded at the witch, who stood staring at him, a look of what might have been awe on her face. "I'll handle her."
Maka and Black*Star shared a look, but finally Maka said, "Alright, Kid. Be careful"
"Go get 'er, tiger," Soul added as his meister sprinted out the door they had just come through. Black*Star had chosen to jump back up to the rafters, opting for the path he had found. That left just Kid and the witch.
"It's just you and me now, Witch Callisto," Kid said to her, adopting a battle stance.
"My, my, Shinigami-san," Callisto purred, "what a pleasant surrrprrrise! I am honorrred that you came all the way out herrre forrr me."
"I certainly wasn't planning on it," Kid replied. "But your fellow witches refused to let me send anyone after you. In fact, they seemed reluctant to investigate you at all."
"Oh?" Callisto cocked her head to the side, seeming genuinely surprised. Then her eyes widened, and a smirk appeared on her face. "Oh, I see. Did you, by any chance, Shinigami-san, encounterrr a witch named Sherrrwood von Phoenix?"
Kid blinked, startled. By this time Kid had moved slightly closer, but still far enough away that the witch couldn't attack him too easily. "How would you know about that?" he asked warily. Had she put cameras or recorders in, or in addition to, her bombs?
"It's the only thing that makes sense," Callisto answered. "I know therrre is little love lost between me and the Witches' Council. Therrre is only one witch in a position of powerrr who carrres enough about me to rrrisk yourrr wrrrath, Shinigami-san, and that is my youngerrr cousin, Sherrrwood."
Kid's eyes widened in shock as he took in her words. Then they narrowed as he glared at her. "I see. So that's what is was." Though he was pleased the treatment he had received at Sherwood's hands was not indiciative of how all the witches felt about Death City's plight, he would have to help the witches deal with the insubordination in their ranks later.
"Oh, please don't be angrrry, Shinigmai-san," Callisto asked in a half playful, half pleading tone. "My cousin was only doing herrr familial duty. Surrrely you underrrstand that?"
"I've had enough talk," Kid answered, and rushed towards her, palm outstretched. Callisto jumped and began to flip over him. Kid brought his leg up to catch her but missed; his heel cracked the floor while the witch landed in a crouched position, a grin on her face.
"Such powerrr," Callisto observed. "I'm going to have fun playing with you." She straightened up, then put her fingers together in a square and began chanting, "Grrrizzly, Polarrr, Panda Bearrr!"
A beam of energy shot out of her hands, wide enough that Kid barely dodged it stepping to the side. It blasted a whole in the wall, revealing several of Franky's men, looks of horror and confusion on their faces. They quickly ran out of the room, stumbling over themselves to get through the door first. Kid pursed his lips as he watched them; though these men were scumbags, he still had a duty to protect them from the witch.
He focused on all his attention back on Callisto. "You've got some power yourself," he told her. "But no power in the world is strong enough to defeat Death."
With that he rushed forward.
A.N. — And I'm back! I hope this is long enough for you, and I hope Kid and Callisto's fight, the little we see of it so far, is realistic. I'll admit, I don't do fight scenes well.
Anyway, in the next chapter, we'll definitely see Liz and Patti again, probably Jason, too, so don't worry about that.
Also, just to clarify: Sherwood von Phoenix, the actual character who appeared in Chapter 8, is another cameo, from the manga Princess Resurrection/Kaibutsu Oujo. Callisto is totally my OC, and they do not have connection to each other except in my story here. Sherwood isn't even a witch in her manga, though she is a princess of the "Monster kingdom" which includes witches and lots of other supernatural stuff. It's really good, you should give it a try! It also has an anime, called Princess Resurrection, though that does differ a little.
TTFN!