Kid and Chrona sat at an iron café table outside of Deathbucks. As fall bled into winter, it was more common for chilly overcast days to hide both shadows and sun. Though as gloomy as the weather was, Chrona was glad she'd mustered enough courage to sit across from him after the whirlwind of emotions the party had stirred up. As it was, every time she thought to speak, she found herself second guessing her intentions. Or rather, how others perceived them. She couldn't help but wonder if Maka's well intended excitement was feeding into the awkward wall she found between herself and the shinigami. She sipped carefully at her cup of hot chocolate, trying to buy time within the silence to broach a more pressing topic than the rabbit hole of speculations that plagued her.
Kid hadn't been able to convince his father to let her come along during his mission in Massachusetts. She wished she could have gone, but Lord Death had been rather stern on the matter. It was getting to the point the two seriously considered Shinigami-sama knew more about what they were doing than he was letting on. Her partner in crime slumped further in his chair, his gaze locked with his coffee in a lifeless staring contest. Perhaps he couldn't bribe his emotions with sweets as easily as she could.
"How did the mission go?" She finally asked. The boy jolted at her voice, guilt and fatigue written on his face. As the rush of adrenaline subsided, he sighed and shook his head.
-The Previous Day-
The mission itself proved to be simple, if not annoying. A demon going by "The Bloody Pit" had been hiding in the shadows of the Hoosac tunnel for centuries, luring travelers into oncoming trains by concealing the sounds within the tunnel. It was only after careful observation that Shibusen was able to identify it as Kishen activity. There had been no telling how many souls it had consumed over the years, leading Lord Death to ban Chrona from the mission entirely. It didn't matter how competent a fighter either was, Lord Death didn't want a witch anywhere near a kishen egg with that much potential. Kid found it odd, considering The Bloody Pit was terrified of the light. One flood-lamp during midday was enough to corner the monster for collection. Still he had to respect his father's wishes, so following the mission he had to investigate on his own.
Kid walked among the shelves of an ancient book store. In his hand a list of fifteen books that held mention of Iroha. He scanned the shelves for one of the titles; his gaze was drawn to an empty slot on the shelf. He sighed; the volume must have been purchased by another patron. Shaking his head, Kid moved on to the next title. Yet the same occurred with the next book and the next. He pulled at the hood that covered his stripes in irritation. All of the books were collector's items, some hand written, it was hard to believe none of the originals were here. Someone couldn't have just bought them all , it was too much of a coincidence.
"What are you doing!" Demanded a small, haggard old man. Kid turned around abruptly to face the hunched senior.
"I'm looking for a book on the Sekaigami Iroha." Kid said. The man regarded the disguised shinigami.
"How would you know about her?" The man groused. "You're far too young." He lowered his glasses, peering at Kid with beady black eyes.
"That's just it; I don't know anything about her. I would like to remedy that." The man snorted, and held back whatever biting remark first came to mind.
"Your lucky I have a soft spot for preserving what mortals try to forget." He paused, expecting some sort of gratitude. When none came, he merely grumbled under his breath and ushered Kid to follow. "Well you won't find any of those books out here. Come this way." He hobbled past the shelves and preening bird statues to the back of his shop. Inside a glass case was a charred grimoire. "I've tried to find copies of the others, but my competition is unreasonably persistent." Kid reached for the book to have his hand grabbed. "Be careful!" The shop keep shook his head. "Young people, honestly. No respect for knowledge what so ever."
With a whistle, a scarlet statue ruffled its feathers and took flight. The ibis gracefully landed above the book, and gingerly turned a page with its beak. It waited patiently for Kid to lock eyes with it before turning the page.
"So how much will it cost?" Kid asked, still skimming through the book.
"Nothing," the man snapped, "it isn't for sale. I make it a point to never sell books to young people, regardless of station or power. Not after the last time." Kid paused in his search. Pages had been torn out of the book, any page that had her name scrawled on it appeared to be missing. "See what I mean." The bird closed the book and launched itself into the air. "I caught one of them in the back alley burning all the records I had let him borrow." The bird landed on his head, fluffed and agitated.
"What did he look like?" Kid demanded.
"No need to shout. His hair had odd white lines in it and he wore this tasteless human mask. When I asked him what he thought he was doing, he bolted." The old man shook his head. "Not even a century old and he thought he could dip his fingers into other people's domains… It's no wonder there's been so much war the last few hundred years."
"Wait, how old are you?" The shop keep rolled his eyes. Leave it to a fledgling demi-god to not recognize his predecessors. Still, his collection hadn't survived as long as it had by starting meaningless squabbles with sheltered immortals.
"That's none of your business you filthy little boy." Kid gave a quick bow, acutely aware of the growing number of birds that surveyed his actions from every bookshelf. He took his leave with what little notes he could transcribe. "Stupid kids, running around my shop, disrespecting their elders. In 900 years you'd think they'd gain a little common." He mumbled.
"Thank you for your help." Now he was sure of it. Something happened involving the Sekaigami long ago, something his father wanted to hide.
-Present Day-
"That was the only lead we had left." Kid sighed. "I think… maybe we should give up." Anyone who had been alive at that time wouldn't even give him the time of day, let alone an interview on his father's personal life. Trying to negotiate with a witch was too risky for either of them to try as well. Without any concrete evidence, he couldn't even justify bringing in their other friends.
"We can't give up now!" Chrona exclaimed. "You just found out that Shinigami-sama is hiding something. You almost found out what is was too!" Chrona knew from experience people only hide things that couldn't be distorted with lies. Considering the position of power Lord Death held, it was concerning he felt the need to go this hard to hide something about a witch. Surely, the city's stance on witches was already at an all time low, no more should need to be done.
"He got there first, hundreds of years before us." Kid emphasized.
"Well maybe if we back track-"
"It won't do us any good, we've already exhausted our previous options." Kid attempted to drink his coffee and grimaced. It had long chilled from the fall air.
"Could you get any leads from the rest of the book?" Chrona fingered the lip of her cup nervously. If they stopped the investigation, then there would be no reason for him to talk to her. There would be no more late night study sessions or secret missions. She would just be another friend to him then; the thought alone made her nauseous.
"Only the location of the brew." If they went after it for themselves, he knew it would catch his father's attention. That was something they couldn't afford to do, especially now. Maybe, if Liz and Patty were death scythes, he'd be 'worthy' of deeper family secrets. As of right now, he was still viewed as a child.
"Then we can check there, after all Eibon died protecting it." Chrona suggested, but Kid shook his head at the idea.
"There was an accident, the building combusted and left behind a residual magic field. It surrounds the ruins and can erase a person's body after twenty minutes." Kid confessed. Chewing at her lip, Chrona looked up at the shinigami.
"I thought that where the school's next big mission was... They're not sending you guys there alone, are they?" She asked, increasingly aware of how everyone she knew had been recruited for this mission. Another mission she wasn't allowed to go on. Kid silently nodded. "Well, maybe you'll find something while you're there." Crona said hopefully. "I'll continue searching here at the school. Between the two of us we should find something." Kid gave her a weak smile and nodded.
"Maybe you're right." Kid said. "I have to go now. I'll see you tomorrow." Chrona nodded and bid him good bye. Little did the pair know, a small green frog overheard their conversation.
Chrona walked through the back streets that lead to Shibusen. She didn't think talking with Marie-Sensei would help regulate the cascade of anxieties that threatened to pull her down. Ragnarok's 'figure it out yourself' attitude would be even less helpful. She liked being around Kid, alone, but that was because one person was easier to deal with than a group. Wasn't it?
It's not like Chrona had ever sought out someone's attention before. She didn't even really hang out with Maka without an invitation from the blonde. Without a common goal, how was she even expected to persuade someone her presence was necessary? Especially with the looming chaos that was the Kishen, all of Death City was in preparation mode. Even if she wanted to try 'wasting' time with someone, it hardly seemed appropriate now. Especially with her.
An airy gasp tore the girl from her thoughts.
"Chrona, is that you?" a childish voice asked. Chrona's whole body froze on instinct. Even with a stranger's voice, she recognized the chilling aura of her mother.
"Medusa?" Chrona stuttered. Fear coiled around her as she turned to face the witch as she used a child as a living puppet. She sat on her snakes, suspended over a crate, with a perturbing angelic smile.
There had always been doubt in the girl's mind that Professor Stein was successful in slaying the snake witch. After all, the whole school was completely ignorant on the mechanics and methods of magic. Still, it seemed logical that if the witch had survived, she'd thrown Chrona away as punishment. After all, what use was a demon sword that couldn't hold onto a single soul.
"You even recognize me!" Medusa cheered. "I'm so glad I found you, I've been worried sick." She clapped her hands together, offering sugary platitudes to the shaken miester. "You've done better than I could have hope."
"W-what do you mean?" Chrona asked cautiously. Such behavior had always been used as bait in the past.
"Why, you've gained the trust of Shibusen. Not only that, but you're making valuable allies on the inside to spy Lord Death." Is that what it looked like?
"You got the wrong idea." Chrona said, backing away slowly. "I'm helping Shini-kun, not the other way around. Besides, we've given up, so there's nothing more to talk about."
"Oh, that's too bad." Medusa pouted. Chrona was almost far enough away that she could bolt toward the street signs. Marie's home was closer than the school, surely she could convince the Death Scythe to let her stay the night. "If only there was a way I could help… oh wait, I can." Her daughter froze. "I was there when the Grimoire castle was destroyed; I even know what happened to Iroha-san." A snake flicked out from the witches mouth. "But, you don't trust me anymore, do you?" She hung her head with a pout, as if ashamed. The witch hoped down from her crate and started to walk away. Chrona merely stood there in silent fear. "Well, Eruka's always around, should you change your mind."
Chrona had made it back to the school safely and locked her door tight. That night her friends had to go over strategies for the upcoming siege to retrieve the brew. This left Chrona alone with her thoughts. Deep within her soul a small war was waged.
Inside of the reflection of her soul, water lapped at Chrona's feet. Her personification of the self had a younger form that studied the bizarre reflection in the sea. Where once, her shadow would lay, a bright reflection shown back at her. It mimicked her in every way but one, the eyes were a deep purple in contrast to her own soft blue.
"Hello." The reflection greeted. Its voice the same as her own. "We haven't met in a while." It hadn't been that long ago that the whole realm had been a wasteland of endless sand and debris. Now the silence was broken with the sound of crashing waves from a wind torn sea. The wide shoreline had replaced her small, self imposed boundaries, though she dare not wander into the water.
"You look different." Chrona mumbled at her reflection. "You changed." Just like her old shadow, the reflection had a mind of its own. Though see it's opinionated reactions through the sea foam was harder to look at than a lifeless shadow.
"I didn't change, you changed. I am you after all. Well I guess technically you are me, or I need you. I'm not entirely sure myself anymore." The image confessed, "So much has happened, it's hard to keep track of... If you don't mind, I'd like to ask you some questions."
"Can I say pass?" Crona asked.
"I suppose." The reflection sighed. "So, what's your name?"
"…Chrona." She answered. The reflection beamed through crisp, clear waters.
"Good we're finally making progress. Medusa's back, how do you feel about it?" The clouds in the sky fragmented as the wind pulled at the shoreline.
"Pass."
"We're already back to that?" The reflection seemed to grow darker, sorrow was evident on its face. "Your mother didn't seem terribly interested in you, did that bother you?"
"Pass."
"Surely you must think something of it?"
"Pass."
"A change of subject then." The image digressed. "You went to a wonderful party last night, did you like it?"
"Pass."
"Not talking about that either." She sighed. "Well, if you don't want to talk to me, what do you want to do?"
"I want to help Shini-kun." Chrona said. The reflection frowned.
"Why?" It asked, there was something in her voice. Desperation? Fear? Maybe a little of both.
"He… he needs me." Chrona said. The reflection's face contorted, this wasn't good. Usually it wasn't this personable.
"That's not true." The reflection frowned, "You've already helped him more than enough. He said himself he wants to give up; why don't you?"
"I don't want to lose him." Chrona said.
"You won't lose him; you'll still see him at school. You'll be living a normal life. Isn't that what you always wanted?" It demanded, it looked… frustrated at her. But why? She had answered the questions, more than usual, that should have been enough.
"It isn't the same." Chrona rationalized. "He won't want to talk to me, just me."
"Other people do the same thing every day and that doesn't bother you. What's so special about him?"
"He…he just is. He knows what it's like to be paralyzed by 'normal' things and I like that he tries to make me comfortable without treating me like a child. He's kind and he's smart, and his soul-" Chrona blushed. "When I'm around him I don't feel alone. I don't want to lose that warmth I feel when he's around. But... if I tell him that, it just sounds so selfish."
"So what are you going to do?" The girl asked. "Medusa said she knew something about Iroha, are you going to ask her for help?"
"I don't want to talk Medusa." Chrona whispered. "She scares me." The wind howled as it threatened to drag both into the depths of the sea.
"Well you don't have to," the reflection stated, "it's your choice." Her choice, Chrona thought. 'I don't care what choice you make, just don't half ass it.' That's right; she promised Ragnarok that she would stick by her decision, whatever the consequences. If Medusa had information that would help Kid, well then she would have to get it.
"I'm going to ask her." Chrona decided. She stood against the wind and dusted the sand off her dress.
"I hope he's worth it." The reflection mused. The tide pulled out, taking her reflection with it.
"Eruka," Chrona peered out of the barred window of her room. "Eruka." A small frog wriggled up onto the window sill and croaked softly.
"Hey Chrona, have you made your decision?" The girl nodded in response.
"I... I need to talk to Medusa." Chrona affirmed.
"Great," Eruka cheered with relief, "now let's get you out of there." The amphibian pushed on one of the bars to her window. It popped out of the stone wall with ease and soon the others joined it on the floor. Chrona hoisted herself up onto the foot thick window sill and paused. "Chrona, what's wrong?" Chrona lifted her hand to reveal worn grooves on the sill, grooves that had been there long before Eruka had pushed on the bars.
"Nothing. Let's go." Chrona fell clumsily to the ground only two feet below her window. She dusted herself off and followed Eruka to the back ally where she had met her mother earlier that day.
"I see you've chosen to learn the truth about what happened to Iroha-san."Medusa said. Chrona took a deep breath.
"Yes, please tell me."
"Alright then," Medusa sat herself down on a crate. "I grew up with Iroha-san. When our home had been attacked, she took my sisters and I into her manor in Salem. Many young witches practiced magic there, mostly spells to protect each other's wave length. Then she made the mistake of dealing with Lord Death. He found out that we were all witches and destroyed the whole town. Many fled instead of trying to fight him off; my sister was one of them. Afterwards Iroha-san had vanished, her wavelength no longer could be found."
"Did she die?" Chrona asked.
"No, I found her again two years later; though I wish I hadn't." Medusa fought the sorrow that shown on her face. "Lord Death didn't physically kill her that day in Salem, but he might as well have." Anger built up in the tiny witch. "His betrayal drove her mad. She gave up on order, just held away in her tower and asked us to gather things; those of us who were left."
"To make the brew?" Chrona asked.
"Oh that was the first thing we had to fetch. No, it was to make something else, something more powerful than the brew. She thought if she poured her soul and magic alike into this... thing, she could mend the divide between both sides. She lost her mind trying to stop the protect everyone; she couldn't see that the only ones left were taking advantage of her.
"Even I was too concerned with my sister at the time to notice what was going on. Arachne was creating demon weapons like Ragnarok at the time, by stealing the souls of human infants and witches. I tried to stop her, but she disappeared and left Iroha-san defenseless with aftermath of her heresy. Lord Death blamed her for everything, even though she was a desperate shadow of her former self." Medusa was unusually candid, unable to hide her mourning and fear while in her child-like state.
"I can still remember the power of the blast Lord Death created. He murdered her in a massive display of power and has been trying to justify his actions for years. He knew she what she represented and eliminate her." Medusa collected her emotions and hopped off her box. With that same uncanny sweetness, she curtsied. "Will that suffice?"
"I-I think." She frowned. Knowing her aunt was involved in the incident could open up further investigation, but it wasn't solid evidence to go by. Still, anything was helpful at that point. She went to leave but was stopped by Medusa's small hand.
"Oh, but Chrona." The witch grinned sadistically. "Nothing is for free." She held up a blue pen and placed it in Chrona's hand. "I need you to do me a little favor."