Disclaimer: I do NOT own Soul Eater. All rights reserved to their proper owners.
WARNING: The following story is rated M for Mature due to the following reasons: blood, gore, suicidal thoughts and/or actions, foul language, and other scenes not suited for those under the age of 18. Reader discretion is advised. Should you ignore this warning, I am not responsible for any actions taken from reading this story. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
Death Weapon Meister Academy, commonly known as the DWMA. Created by the Shinigami himself, this is where students learn to combat and obtain the souls of Kishins, beings who have strayed from the path of light. However, there is a cardinal rule among the academy students. They must NEVER eat the souls of humans. Should one do so, they risk turning into a Kishin. If they ignore this rule, they're expelled by Shinigami as punishment. However, should they commit a crime viewed as heinous, they must deal with one of their own. This is the origin story of the Academy Criminal Investigative Bureau.
A young female runs as someone approaches her from behind at a slow pace. The being held a dagger. The girl ran into a group, tackling a boy down.
"Are you okay, Soul?" A girl asked.
"What the hell, lady?! Get off me!" A boy said.
"Please! You have to help me! He's gonna kill me!" The girl said.
"Huh?" Another boy asked. They all looked and saw a young male approaching them.
"Wait a minute! Isn't he a student at the DWMA?!" Another girl asked. The boy grinned and charged. The girl gasped and tensed as the others moved in to protect her. However, before anyone could act, a pebble was thrown and it struck the charging boy.
"Tch! Who threw that?!" They asked. They looked at the direction the pebble came from, seeing someone approach from the shadows.
"Rogue Meister Benjamin 'Benedict' Arnold," the person spoke, "wielder of Death Weapon Helen. Under Academy Guidelines, Section 2, Subsection 4, Lines A through D,… you're under arrest for the Rape and Murder of Death Weapon Yugito." The boy gasped in shock and realization as he saw who it was. The others looked and the girl that Benjamin chased felt a huge wave of relief wash over her. Benjamin charged at the person, dagger raised high. However, the person skillfully dodged his attack before performing a backbreaker that paralyzed Benjamin, who soon fell down and dropped the dagger. The dagger turned into a small girl who ran to the person in tears and hugged them.
"Thank you! I'll testify against him!" She said. The person nodded before approaching Benjamin. They knelt down before pulling out a pair of handcuffs and restraining Benjamin. The person then picked Benjamin up and looked at the others.
"Can one of you contact Lord Death for me? I need to make sure he doesn't escape." They spoke. One nodded and approached a window before blowing on it, causing it to fog up.
"Wait," one of the boys said, "just who are you?"
"All will be explained once Lord Death is contacted." The person said.
"Exactly. Oh, come on! I can't believe it! Thanks a lot, Kid! Now I have to fog the window again!" The girl said.
"My apologies." The boy said.
"Just keep your mouth shut! Fogs the window again Now then, 42-42-564, whenever you want to knock on Death's door." The girl said. The window then brightened and everyone stood before it.
"Yes, Maka? Why did you call on me?" Someone asked.
"Designator Alpha-1-9-1-7-6." The person said. The being gasped in shock an realization.
"Joseph?! You had Maka call me?!" They asked.
"I did." The person, now known as Joseph, confirmed.
"Why?" The being asked.
"I need a prisoner transport." Joseph spoke. The atmosphere soon grew cold.
"You managed to catch him, didn't you?" The being asked.
"I did, Lord Death. Rogue Meister Arnold is in custody." Joseph said.
"Understood. What of his Death Weapon?" The being asked.
"Clinging to my leg like a scared toddler. She's willing to testify against him. She may need psychological therapy." Joseph spoke.
"A transport is on its way for your suspect. I ask that you bring Helen to me personally. Maka," the being said, "you and your friends should come, too. I owe you all an explanation."
"Your son said as much when he interrupted Meister Albarn from contacting you the first time. Reagan out." Joseph said. Afterwards, the window returned to normal. A vehicle pulled up and Joseph led Benjamin to it, opening the back door and setting him in the back seat.
"OW!" Benjamin exclaimed, hitting his head on the roof.
"Watch your head." Joseph spoke. He then closed the door and banged twice on the roof. The vehicle drove off and the others looked stunned.
[In the Death Room….]
Joseph stood with Helen and went to attention before saluting.
"Meister Joseph Reagan, reporting as ordered!" He said. There, standing before everyone, was the Shinigami, himself. However, everyone simply called him Lord Death.
'He takes this too seriously.' The others thought. However, Lord Death returned the salute and Joseph lowered his before standing at a weird position.
"What is that position?" A boy asked. Lord Death looked at the boy in utter disbelief.
"Have you even been paying attention in class?! This is the position of 'parade rest!' What has Stein been teaching you?!" Lord Death asked.
"Forgive him, Lord Death. He's too ignorant to care about studies." Joseph spoke.
"What was that, you jerk?!" The boy asked. Joseph merely gave a glare and the boy tensed up in fear.
'I regret everything!' The boy thought. Joseph turned his attention back to Lord Death, who simply nodded.
"You have brought justice to the family of a fallen student. Thank you." Lord Death spoke.
"No thanks is necessary, Lord Death. I'm just grateful I could stop him before he hurt someone else." Joseph said. Lord Death then approached Helen, who was still in tears.
"Did your Meister do anything to you that you didn't like?" He asked. Helen merely nodded.
"He… u-u-used me." She said. Joseph's blood started to boil and Lord Death understood.
"How often?" Lord Death asked.
"Three to five times a day." Helen choked out, breaking down. Lord Death then knelt down, pulling Helen into an embrace. She cried into him, the others looking confused.
"Isn't she a Death Weapon? He's supposed to use her for combat." The boy from earlier spoke.
"She wasn't used for combat." Joseph spoke, seething in rage. Helen gasped before looking at Joseph.
"Please don't hurt him!" She said.
"It's not my place to." Joseph said, still seething. Lord Death then understood and looked to the others.
"Patty," he said, "go to your gun form, please."
"Shouldn't it be both me and Liz?" A girl asked.
"Not this time." Lord Death said.
"It's alright, Patty. Go ahead." Someone else said. One of the girls then transformed into a gun and went to Lord Death. He caught the gun before looking to Joseph.
"Lay waste to the proper targets." He said. Joseph grabbed the gun before going to a shooting stance and aiming at several targets that popped up. Joseph then fired and hit each target in the center, stunning everyone there. Someone then ran in and charged.
"DIE, REAGAN!" They yelled. Joseph then heard a weapon being drawn and turned before firing one shot to the person's knee. They screamed in pain and fell down hard before looking up and seeing Joseph holding the gun to their face.
"No u." He spoke. The person glared and jumped up, but Joseph shot them first. Lord Death sighed as the person and targets disappeared. The gun then turned back into a girl and she went to the others, a visible blush on her face.
'So cool!' She thought.
"Who is this guy?!" A boy asked. Joseph looked at the others, finally calm, before going to attention and saluting.
"My name is Joseph Reagan. I'm a Meister here at the DWMA." He spoke.
"Joseph is a special type of Meister. If there's a student of the DWMA who uses their weapon to commit crimes," Lord Death explained, "then Joseph is the one who searches for them. He has a natural ability to solve crimes, too. However, because of his demeanor, no weapon will choose him."
"Wait," a boy spoke, "he's unarmed?!"
"I'm afraid so. He has no partner, either." Lord Death spoke. One of the girls then approached and held out her hand.
"My name is Maka Albarn." She introduced. Joseph lowered his salute and shook Maka's hand, nodding.
"A pleasure to make your acquaintance." Joseph said. A bell chimed and Joseph sighed.
"I'll tell you the verdict tomorrow. Go get some rest." Lord Death said. Joseph faced Lord Death, saluted, lowered the salute, stepped back, did an about-face, and walked off. Now it was Maka's turn to blush.
'So disciplined.' She thought.
[Hours later….]
Joseph was sitting on the ground, sighing. He then saw someone approaching and looked, seeing Maka with the others she was with.
"Why aren't you at home?" She asked.
"I have no home." Joseph spoke. A boy then stepped forwards and held out a hand.
"Name's Soul. I'm Maka's weapon." He said. Joseph shook Soul's hand, but got pulled up by Soul.
'What the?!' Joseph thought. Soul gave a look before another boy approached.
"I'm Black Star, a Meister." The boy said. A girl stood next to him.
"I'm Black Star's weapon. My name is Tsubaki." She said. Joseph nodded before being hugged. He looked and saw one if the girls that could turn into a gun.
"Forgive her. She seems to have grown attached to you." A voice said. Joseph looked and saw another girl, deadpanning.
'Not again.' He thought. A boy then cleared his throat and the girl stopped hugging him. The boy then approached and held out a hand.
"My name is Death the Kid," he spoke, "a Meister of the DWMA and the Son of Death. The two girls with me are my weapons, Liz and Patty. You may call me 'Kid,' if you prefer." Joseph shook Kid's hand and nodded.
"Feel free to call me 'Joe.'" He spoke.
"Are you hungry, Joe? We're on our way to get something to eat." Maka said.
"I appreciate the offer," Joe spoke, "but I have to decline. I don't have any money to pay you back."
"That's no issue! You don't have to pay a dime!" Black Star said.
"It's immoral." Joe said. He then held up a hand and caught a rotten tomato before sighing.
"Go die in a ditch, ya snitch!" Someone said. Joe threw the tomato in the trash before walking off.
'I may just do that.' Joe thought. However, Soul stopped him and Black Star glared at the one who threw the tomato.
"Back off! He just caught a Meister who went rogue and committed crimes! Said Meister also ASSAULTED their weapon in a way that not only scarred her for life," Black Star spoke, "but might have gotten her PREGNANT! If you want to throw rotten tomatoes any ANYONE, it should be THAT Meister! How would you feel if YOUR weapon was attacked like that?! Huh?!"
"Just let it go." Joe said.
"What?" Soul asked.
"All the other Meisters just see me as the Academy's Internal Affairs. I'm used to stuff like this. It's the reason I don't have a home." Joe said, walking out of Soul's grip. Maka gasped in shock as Kid was taken aback. Just as Soul was about to say something, a barrage of rotten eggs hit Joe. Kid was stunned as Joe merely walked through it, a look of pure sadness and regret on his face. The barrage stopped, but Joe kept walking.
[Moments later….]
Maka and the others were looking solemn, save for Kid, who had a look of pure rage.
"The way Joe gets treated disgusts me." He said.
"I wish there was something we could do to help him." Tsubaki said. That's when Maka got a scary thought.
"Not help. Save!" She spoke.
"Huh?" Soul asked. Black Star then gasped.
"You don't think he's gonna kill himself, do you?!" He asked. Kid then jumped up and looked out a window.
"I won't let that happen." He spoke.
"We're with you, Kid!" Liz spoke. They all ran out before Maka gasped as she saw a shadow.
"This way!" She said. She ran towards the shadow and the others followed. They then gasped at what they saw. There, hanging from a rope, was Joe.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Patty screamed. Black Star glared and grunted.
'Not on our watch!' He thought.
"Tsubaki," Black Star said, "Ninja Star Mode!"
"Right!" Tsubaki said, transforming into a giant shuriken. Black Star stood in a position to throw Tsubaki as Soul charged. The moment Black Star threw Tsubaki, Soul had stopped DIRECTLY under Joe. Tsubaki then cut the rope before turning back to Black Star, causing Joe to fall. Soul then caught Joe and set him down. Maka then ran over and checked for a pulse.
"Is he still alive? Were we too late?!" Soul asked. Maka then put her ear in Joe's chest, hearing a heartbeat.
"He's still alive," Maka said, "but it might not be long!"
"Let's get him to the Academy's Infirmary!" Kid said. Soul picked Joe up and all of them ran, Tsubaki transforming back into her human form. They ran past others, but never stopped to answer any questions. The moment they barged into the infirmary, Lord Death was about to snap on them. However, after seeing Joe with a cut noose around his neck, Lord Death was shocked.
"Who did this?!" He asked.
"He's being bullied and hazed, Father." Kid said.
"We saw it first hand, Lord Death. It's happened for quite some time now." Maka said.
"Why does he smell so bad?" Lord Death asked.
"He was pelted with rotten eggs, Lord Death." Soul said.
"The bullying became too much for him." Tsubaki said. Lord Death seemed to seethe in rage.
"Start treatment immediately." He spoke.
[Moments later….]
Black Star and Soul stood outside the infirmary, standing guard. Kid was inside with Maka, Liz, Patty, and Tsubaki. Kid stood in front of the door, Liz and Patty on either side of him, while Tsubaki stood in front of the window. Maka, however, was sitting next to Joe. The bruising around his neck was gone, but he was unconscious. She placed a hand on his before grabbing his hand and holding it up. She placed her forehead on it and closed her eyes.
"I don't know if you can hear me," Maka said, "but you don't have to worry about someone attacking you. We won't let anyone hurt you." She put his hand down and went to let go, but gasped as he gripped it. Joe then gave a soft grunt and scrunched his eyes before opening them. He looked around before seeing Maka.
"M-Maka?" He asked, his voice raspy. Maka then gently hugged him.
"I'm so glad you're okay." She said. Joe gave a solemn look before the door opened. Maka released Joe from the embrace and looked, seeing Lord Death.
"I see you've woken up. How are you feeling?" He asked.
"Like I shouldn't be alive." Joe responded, his voice still raspy.
"Get him some water." Lord Death said. Tsubaki left her post and got some water before handing it to Maka, who took it and set it on the table beside Joe. Tsubaki returned to her post and Maka helped Joe sit up. He then took the water and drank it.
"Why would you try and kill yourself?" Maka asked.
"Better to do it myself than give someone the luxury of it." Joe said.
"They told me what has occurred. This stops now." Lord Death said.
"You can't stop what's already happened." Joe said.
"Don't talk like that." Maka said. Joe went to speak again, but Maka stopped him by putting a book on his head.
'What the?' Joe thought.
"I won't let one of my friends berate himself." Maka said. That got his attention quickly. Lord Death then held out a badge to Joe, who was stunned.
"This badge will signify that you're not to be trifled with." Lord Death said.
"You shouldn't call it a badge. It should be called something more meaningful." Joe said.
"What do you think it should be called?" Maka asked, worried Lord Death will cause harm to him. Joe looked directly at them before taking it.
"A shield." Joe said. Both of them were stunned. Maka then started blushing intensely as she realized one thing.
"Y-you can let go of my hand now." She spoke. Joe then realized it himself and immediately let go of Maka's hand. She brought her hand to her side and Joe removed the book from his head.
"Huh. 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle." Joe said. Maka immediately tensed up.
'Crap!' She thought.
"I didn't know you had an interest in detective novels." Joe said.
"Uh…. I like books of all kinds!" Maka said, a sheepish smile on her face.
"NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERD!" A voice yelled.
"Huh? Who said that?" Maka asked, looking around. Joe looked over to Patty and she quickly tensed up.
"Really, Patty? Really?" He asked. Kid sighed and facepalmed.
'Not THIS again.' Kid thought. Lord Death snickered a bit before clearing his throat.
"Now then," Lord Death spoke, "we must find you a suitable weapon. I've arranged a meetup in private in the Death Room. I hope this is acceptable."
"It is. Let's get this over with." Joe said.
"Um," Lord Death said, "you may need to wash up first."
"I have no other clothes." Joe said.
"I have a solution for that." Lord Death said.
[Two hours later….]
Joe was wearing an old uniform for a military service. Maka nearly fainted when she saw him wear it, but kept her composure. Everyone stood outside the Death Room as Lord Death stood before it.
"Are you prepared, Joe?" He asked.
"Let's get this over with. We all know what the outcome will be." Joe spoke.
"Don't be so sure." Lord Death spoke.
"Just make sure to keep Maka's father in check." Joe said. Someone in the shadows tensed up and Joe walked in. He approached a table that had a girl Soul's age at it. The girl looked at him before turning her head.
"Get lost, snitch." She said.
"Saw that one coming." Joe said. He immediately turned around and left. The others just stood there in pure shock and disbelief, even Lord Death. Joe then kept walking before getting hit in the head with a sharp rock. Lord Death glared and several students tensed up. Maka ran to Joe and helped him up.
"Are you okay?" She asked.
"I'll live." Joe said, removing the rock.
"Get away from him, Maka! That guy's a snitch!" A student said. That made Joe go sullen.
"Stop talking. All of you." Lord Death said.
"What kind of Meister goes after other Meisters?! It makes no sense!" Another student said. Joe then went to an open window and looked outside it. The girl in the Death Room walked out with a disgusted look.
"Why don't you just die and save the Kishins and Witches some work?" She asked.
"ENOUGH!" Lord Death yelled.
"So be it." Joe muttered. He then stepped onto the ledge and Patty gasped.
"DON'T DO IT!" She yelled. Everyone looked and Maka gasped.
"Get down from there!" Lord Death said. Soul grunted.
"You guys see what you're making him do?! This is the SECOND TIME he's tried to KILL HIMSELF!" Soul said. That sent a cold chill down their spines.
"What?!" A student asked.
"He's actually tried to kill himself?!" Another asked.
"It's all because of your bullying and hazing. It's disgusting." Kid spoke.
"We managed to save him once," Tsubaki spoke, "but if he falls from this high up…."
"He'll actually die." A voice spoke. Everyone looked to see one of the teachers, Dr. Franken Stein, approaching.
"Please talk some sense into him, Dr. Stein!" Patty said.
"The only ones who should talk to him are his loved ones." Dr. Stein said.
"I don't have any. I'm all alone. It's blatantly obvious that it's gonna stay that way." Joe said.
"Joe, don't do it!" Maka said. Joe shed a tear before looking at the others.
"I'm sorry for being such a burden on you all." He said. Everyone gasped and Black Star ran towards Joe, Liz following.
"NO!" They said. Time seemed to slow down as Joe jumped off the window. He closed his eyes as he felt the drop. However, time had resumed as someone grabbed him. His eyes shot open and he looked, seeing Black Star. He also noticed he was no longer falling. He looked behind Black Star and saw the girl from the Death Room holding a rope.
"EVERYONE PULL!" She yelled. Black Star and Joe were then pulled up and brought back into the hall. Lord Death closed the window and locked it as Maka held Joe close to her.
"Thank fuck." She muttered. Kid glared at the other students.
"You all should be ASHAMED of yourselves!" He spoke.
"Driving a fellow student to suicide. That's no different than KILLING THEM!" Soul spoke. The girl from the Death Room approached Maka and Joe, but was stopped by Liz.
"Relax," the girl said, "I won't hurt him."
"Your comment caused him to go on that ledge." Liz said.
"That was before I knew he ACTUALLY tried to kill himself! That's how I lost my FIRST Meister!" The girl said. That got Joe's attention.
'Her first?' He thought. The girl then started shedding tears.
"My first Meister threw himself off a cliff because he was being bullied! I don't want anyone to suffer that!" She said.
"His name?" Joe asked.
"Huh?" The girl asked.
"What was your first Meister's name?!" Joe asked. The girl choked up before taking a breath.
"Bill." She spoke. Joe then got serious.
"Who told you he committed suicide?" He asked.
"A friend of his. I always resented you because three days after Bill died," the girl spoke, "you had arrested the one who told me of it. You never said why!"
"Because I didn't want you to resent all Meisters in general." Joe said. That got her attention.
"What?" She asked. Joe stood up and looked as serious as he did when he arrested Benjamin.
"Bill didn't commit suicide. He was murdered by that friend who told you." Joe said. That hit everyone like a ton of bricks.
"W-what?" The girl asked.
"It's true. Everyone might call me a snitch," Joe said, "but I don't mean to be one. It was forced upon me after witnessing a Meister using their Death Weapon to rob a bank. I didn't have a Death Weapon, but I knew various types of martial arts. Had it not been for my knowledge of that, I would have DIED that day."
"So you used what you knew to protect everyone." The girl surmised.
"I couldn't let that Meister get away with committing a felony." Joe said.
"So he turned him in to me," Lord Death said, "and I gave him the task of going after Meisters that went against the rules and regulations of the DWMA. He's no snitch, nor is he Internal Affairs. He's a special type of Meister, and one I'm now publicly announcing. Joseph Reagan is a Special Agent Meister in our new investigative branch, ACIB."
"ACIB?" Patty asked.
"Academy Criminal Investigative Bureau." Joe said. Everyone tensed up in pure shock, save Lord Death.
"Precisely." Lord Death said. Maka then stood up before looking at Lord Death.
"Sign me up." She said.
"Me, too!" Black Star said.
"Meisters who use Death Weapons to commit heinous crimes are disgusting. I refuse to stand for it!" Kid said. Soul stood near Maka and gave a nod.
"I agree." He said. Everyone was stunned, but the girl went to Joe.
"You say Bill was murdered? I want proof." She said. Dr. Stein gave a chuckle and held up a file.
"Bill's autopsy results. Cause of death was a broken hyoid caused by a blunt object." He said.
"I found a baseball bat at the scene. It matched the bruise perfectly." Joe said. The girl was stunned before gritting her teeth and glaring at the other students.
"Beware Meisters. If you use your Death Weapons to commit crimes of ANY sort," she said, "ACIB will be on you like white on rice. That's a guarantee!" Lord Death seemed to give a smile.
"Well said." He spoke. The girl looked back at Joe and dried her tears before holding a hand out.
"My name is Shiori. I'm a Death Weapon." She introduced. Joe shook her hand and gave a nod.
"Special Agent Meister Joseph Reagan," Joe introduced, "ACIB."
"I look forward to working alongside you." Shiori said. That stunned everyone, including Joe.
"Are you saying what I think you are?" He asked. Shiori then turned into a katana and everyone gasped.
"Looks like you finally have a Death Weapon." Lord Death said. Joe shed a tear, but it was wiped away by Maka.
"No more tears today." She said. Shiori then turned back into her human form and smiled.
"Let's go get something to eat." She said.
"I know the perfect place." Maka said.
[Moments later….]
Soul was laughing with Black Star about something as the others were doing their own thing. They all were at Maka and Soul's place. Joe was sitting in a corner, meditating, while Patty was just looking at him. Just then, a woman walked out wearing nothing.
"What's all the commotion?" She asked. Soul, Black Star, and Kid each got bloody noses and fainted. Joe, however, never paid attention.
"Huh. Guess he drowns the world out whenever he meditates." Shiori said.
"Oh, I didn't know we had guests!" The woman said.
"It's fine. My name is Shiori. The man meditating next to you is Joe." Shiori said.
"My name is Blair!" The woman said. Joe then got up, his eyes still closed, and walked into the kitchen before opening his eyes.
"Why did he wait until he got into the kitchen to open his eyes?" Patty asked.
"I have more respect than to look at a woman naked without permission." Joe said.
"Seems legit." Liz and Tsubaki said. Joe then started to help Maka cook, stunning her.
"You can cook?!" She asked.
"I've known how to cook since I was little." Joe said. Maka, Liz, Patty, Tsubaki, Blair, and Shiori all blushed.
'So cool!' They thought. Joe then banged a wooden spoon on a metal pot and Soul, Black Star, and Kid jumped up.
"BLAIR, PUT SOME CLOTHES ON!" Soul yelled. Blair then snapped her fingers and a set of clothes then appeared on her.
"Food's done!" Joe said. He plated it and everyone got some. Joe then did the dishes before he ate. The others were stunned, especially Maka.
"If he doesn't get a girl soon," Liz said, "I'm gonna rock his world."
"Not if I do first~!" Blair said.
"Don't forget me!" Patty said.
"You know I can hear you, right?" Joe asked. The three girls tensed up as Tsubaki was about to speak. However, Maka was blushing intensely and shaking.
"I CALL DIBS!" She blurted. That stunned everyone. Shiori gave Joe a look, and he was stoic.
'It had no effect?!' She thought.
"You haven't known me long enough." Joe said, sitting down to start eating.
"I know enough." Maka said, her blush still evident.
"I know more about you than you do about me." Joe said.
"Try me." Maka said. Joe sipped his drink before looking serious.
"Your mother was a Meister," Joe said, "and your father is Lord Death's PERSONAL Death Scythe. However, you side with your mother because your father is a player, hence why you live on your own and not with him. You've never been in a relationship before, haven't been asked on a single date, and only attend school functions that require you to dress fancy. You're GPA is at a 4.0, and you make the top scores in every class you take. You nearly succeeded in making Soul a Death Scythe, but you made a mistake because you had fought Blair, who's a cat, and not a witch. Meaning, Soul had eaten 99 Kishin Souls and one Cat Soul. You had failed in your first attempt at making Soul a Death Scythe as a result. That's when you teamed up with Black Star and Tsubaki, as well as Kid, Liz, and Patty. You also encountered Medusa, a REAL Witch who was undercover as a nurse at the DWMA. You had also met Crona, her son, who had a weapon living INSIDE of him thanks to her. Afterwards, you had encountered several other enemies who were part of a group called Arachnophobia, led by the Witch Arachnae, and fought against the Kishin Asura. Since your father was a Death Weapon, and your mother a Meister, you inherited some traits on both ends. My conclusion: you're a driven Meister looking to get the better of her father by proving that what he did to your mother was wrong and immoral, while also proving to everyone that smarts can lead to better results than just fighting at random." Maka's jaw dropped and the others, save Shiori, had to set their drinks and food down before they dropped them. Joe then finished eating and went to clean his dishes. After he left the room, Soul looked at Maka.
"I don't care if you hit me with a book afterwards," he said, "you need to show him a good time."
"Soul!" Tsubaki said.
"I'm serious! Besides," Soul said, "Maka called dibs, right? That means she gets him!"
"He makes a good point." Kid said.
"It's either you 'do' him," Soul said, "or Liz, Patty, and Blair 'do' him in your place." Maka tensed up.
"They wouldn't dare!" Maka said, finally speaking.
"Wanna bet?" Soul asked, a slight glare in his eyes. Maka looked nervous, almost like she was about to run out the door. However, something was put next to her and she looked, seeing a glass of water. She looked and saw Joe, a concerned look on his face.
"Figured you would need it. You're as red as a tomato right now." He said. Maka then grabbed the water and drank it all before setting the glass down. She stood up and looked at him before leaning into his ear.
"My room, 10 minutes." She whispered. She then left and Joe took the dishes before washing them. After 10 minutes passed, Joe went to Maka's room. He was about to knock, but she opened the door and pulled him in before closing the door and locking it. She looked at him before approaching slowly. Joe, however, pulled her in close and she blushed deep. She gave a look before taking the initiative and kissing Joe softly. Joe was stunned at first, but returned it in volumes. The two stayed like this for a bit before a piercing sound rang out. They broke apart before Joe sighed and pulled out a device of some kind. The sound came from it and Joe pressed a button before putting the device to his ear.
"Reagan." He said.
"It's Lord Death. You have another case." A voice spoke.
"Where?" Joe asked.
"Body of a Meister found in their home. Dr. Stein is on scene now." Lord Death said.
"Understood." Joe spoke, hanging up. Maka looked concerned.
"Everything okay?" She asked.
"Caught a case. I have to go." Joe said.
"At least let me go with you." Maka said, worried.
"I can't. Not until you're properly trained. There's times where Death Weapons refuse to fight because they don't want to harm a fellow Death Weapon." Joe said.
"Resulting in the two Meisters fighting it out." Maka surmised.
"Precisely." Joe said.
"You can teach us, right?" Maka asked.
"Of course." Joe said. With a kiss on Maka's forehead, he left her embrace and left her room. She simply stood there before blushing.
'So gentle and caring. How is he NOT single? Wait, WHY AM I THINKING THAT?! Have I really fallen for him before I even got to REALLY know him?! Ugh, this is like one of those cheesy romance novels I read.' Maka thought. That's when she realized it.
"I just gave him my first kiss." She said, speaking to herself.
'Oh, my Death! I gave him my first kiss!' She thought.
"What the fuck is wrong with me?" Maka asked, speaking to herself.
[Meanwhile….]
Joe walked up to a house and saw Dr. Stein with a solemn look.
"I'm glad the others didn't tag along. Especially Maka." He spoke.
"Just give me the details." Joe said.
"It's all here." Dr. Stein spoke, holding out a file. Joe took it and looked through it.
"Is the body still here?" Joe asked.
"It is. I take it you want to determine everything for yourself and confirm what's in the report?" Dr. Stein asked.
"Is Spirit Albarn a womanizer?" Joe asked.
[At the DWMA, in the Death Room….]
"A…. A…. A…. AAAAACHOOOOOOO!" Spirit exclaimed.
"Are you okay? You're not getting sick, are you?" Lord Death asked.
"Ugh. I think someone's talking about me." Spirit said.
[Back at the scene….]
Joe walked into the house and took everything in. He then approached where the body was and sighed. He then looked around and saw a piece of paper.
"Hmm…. 'I can't take the shame of what I did to her. Please forgive me.' Did to who?" Joe asked. He then looked at the body. The victim was a male, around 17 to 18, and had ligature marks around his neck. Joe looked around and saw a rope hanging above that had been snapped.
'What killed him?' Joe thought. He pulled out a pair of gloves and put them on his hands before lifting the body up. He saw a blood pool underneath before seeing the base of something jutting out his upper back.
"Dr. Stein!" Joe said.
"Yes?" Dr. Stein asked.
"What's this object stuck in the victim's back?" Joe asked. Dr. Stein looked and was stunned.
"By Death. That's a candlestick!" He said.
"How hard would one have to fall for this to impale their heart?" Joe asked. Dr. Stein looked up and saw the snapped rope. He then pulled out a noose before matching the two pieces perfectly. Dr. Stein was stunned at how difficult it was. He had to stand on a chair, one that had been knocked over. That's when he noticed it.
"Oh, shit." He spoke. Joe stood up before sighing.
"No foul play," Joe said, "and he left a note. This was a suicide." Joe then left and went back to Maka's. When he got there, the others had fallen asleep. Maka was in the kitchen, holding something in her hands. Joe looked further and saw it was TWO things: a glass and a bottle. Joe walked to her and she looked at him. She set the glass and bottle down before going to Joe and kissing him again. This time, however, Joe returned the kiss IMMEDIATELY.
'I taste alcohol on her breath. That bottle must be some sort of booze.' Joe thought. She then broke the kiss and led Joe to her room. The two walked in and Maka closed the door and locked it before kissing Joe with more passion. She started undoing the uniform Joe wore as he was slowly undressing her. Joe then kissed the nape of her neck and she gasped.
"Oh~." She moaned. Maka took Joe to her bed and pulled him on top of her, kissing him VERY passionately. Joe returned the advances and she moaned into the kiss.
[The next day….]
Maka was sleeping peacefully, under the covers, as Joe finished getting dressed. He then quietly left the room before starting on breakfast. It didn't take him long to make enough for everyone. He looked at the time and sighed. He went to wake everyone up, but saw Maka, fully dressed, already doing so. Joe smiled and started plating everything. They all smelled the air and looked to the kitchen as Joe walked in with the food and drinks.
"Breakfast is served." Joe said. Everyone was stunned and Liz looked at Maka.
"I know you have dibs," she said, "but if you haven't done anything with him, I will." Maka blushed deep and looked away. Blair grinned and chuckled.
"Looks like she DID do something with him last night, after all." She spoke.
'Even though she was under the influence of alcohol.' Joe thought. Maka looked at Joe before faintly smiling.
'He knew I had alcohol last night,' she thought, 'and acted accordingly. I'm glad that yesterday was one of my safe days. Otherwise, I'd have to hope I don't miss my period. Though, I'm going to do that just to be safe.' [Author's Note: Good call, Maka.]
"Was he any good?" Patty asked.
"Patty!" Tsubaki and Kid scolded.
"We're all curious!" Patty said, defending herself. Maka blushed a DEEP red.
"I refuse to answer that question." Maka said.
"Pretty smart." Liz said. Joe then set everything down before Maka pulled him close to her.
"You were amazing last night, Joe." She whispered.
"So were you." Joe whispered. They all then ate breakfast and Joe took care of the dishes. Afterwards, they all went to the Academy and saw Dr. Stein waiting for them.
"Sup, Doc?" Joe asked.
"Lord Death needs to speak with you." Dr. Stein said.
"Understood." Joe said. Shiori started to go with him, but Dr. Stein stopped her.
"Just him." Dr. Stein spoke. Shiori then understood the seriousness and nodded. Maka then stopped Joe and kissed his cheek.
"Keep your wits about you." She whispered. Joe smiled and nodded. He then walked to the Death Room and saw it was empty, save for a mirror. Joe walked to it, keeping his senses sharp. He reached the mirror and fogged it with his breath.
"At least I remember the number. 42-42-564, whenever you want to knock on Death's door." Joe said.
'Glad Maka was able to do it to where I could copy it.' Joe thought, watching as the mirror activated. Lord Death then appeared on it and Joe went to attention and saluted.
"Designator Alpha-1-9-1-7-6. Special Agent Meister Joseph Reagan, reporting as ordered." Joe spoke. Lord Death returned the salute and Joe lowered his before going to parade rest.
"I asked you here because the verdict came back on Rogue Meister Benjamin Arnold. It didn't take long. He was found 'guilty' on all charges." Lord Death said.
"That's good. Means he won't be causing any harm or trouble." Joe said.
"I also wanted to show you something. We found this in his home." Lord Death said. He then held up an evidence bag that contained a familiar weapon. Joe was stunned.
"That's a Sig Sauer P229. Those types of weapons were banned by the Academy!" Joe said.
"He had a stockpile of them. He also had an assortment of rifles." Lord Death said.
'What?' Joe thought.
"We interrogated him on the weapons," Lord Death said, "and he claimed to know nothing. However, he soon confessed to finding them after killing a Kishin by the name of Alex Bello. He was looking into this group called 'Blue Templar,' and was hoping to join them. However, he soon changed his mind when he discovered they consisted of Kishin. To make matters worse, they were all once members of law enforcement. They planned on killing you."
"You're referencing Blue Bloods again, Lord Death." Joe spoke.
"Oh, forgive me. Wait, why are we breaking the fourth wall?" Lord Death asked.
"Eh, probably so no one gets confused." Joe spoke.
"So, you being named that is just a coincidence?" Lord Death asked.
"My parents were named Edith and Phillip, you tell me." Joe spoke.
[Meanwhile….]
Maka was sitting in class and saw her father with Dr. Stein. They both looked at her and saw her worry.
"What do you think she's worried about?" Spirit asked.
"Probably Joe. She was really affected when he tried killing himself." Dr. Stein said.
"You think she likes him?" Spirit asked.
"Not my place to say." Dr. Stein said. The intercom for the school then turned on.
"Meisters Maka Albarn, Black Star, and Death the Kid. Please report to the Death Room with Death Weapon Shiori." A voice spoke.
"These intercoms are EXTREMELY convenient. Why didn't Lord Death have these to start with?" Spirit asked.
"No clue." Dr. Stein said. Maka and the others then left and went to the Death Room.
"Guess Lord Death wants to fill us in on something." Black Star said.
"Just shut up and focus, Black Star." Soul spoke. They entered the Death Room and saw Joe with old military uniforms.
"Why do you have those?" Kid asked.
"Lord Death has authorized the use of these for ACIB. Said all ACIB personnel are to wear them." Joe said.
"Seriously?!" Black Star asked.
"Seriously. He also gave us badges to wear." Joe said. After a few moments, everyone was dressed in the uniforms and had badges on their belts. They all liked how they looked. Kid, however, nearly had a freak out. However, he soon saw the symmetry of how they looked and calmed down.
"We look like soldiers! Awesome!" Black Star said.
"These uniforms will let others know to be on their best behaviors," Joe spoke, "and will serve as a means of letting Death City know the Academy means business."
"Does that mean we're not only trying to turn our Death Weapons into Death Scythes," Maka asked, "but we're also going to protect others using what we know from the Academy?"
"It does." Joe confirmed. Maka soon smiled before giving a nod.
"Then let's get started." She said. Everyone nodded and Joe smiled.
Maka Albarn and Soul Evans. Black Star and Tsubaki. Death the Kid, Liz Thompson, and Patty Thompson. Finally, Joseph Reagan and Shiori. These are the DWMA students who go after Kishins, and Rogue Meisters. They are… the Academy Criminal Investigative Bureau!
"So," Patty asked, "are you and Joe a thing now, Maka?"
"Huh?" Maka asked.
"Why would you ask that?" Soul asked.
"Well," Patty said, "she DID 'sleep' with him. Doesn't that make them a couple?"
"Patty," Kid said, "it's time you learn of relationships."
"That doesn't answer my question." Patty said.
"Should we just tell them?" Maka whispered.
"Nah," Joe whispered, "let them figure it out." Maka gave Joe a quick peck on the lips and smiled.
To be continued….