I do not own Soul Eater or Owl House.

If I did... maybe this would be a comic instead of a novelization.

She had been getting used to living by candlelight.

Although it turned out that Eda did in fact have a generator in her basement (one that she had rigged to run entirely off of ambient Magic, no less), most of the house hadn't been constructed with electricity in mind. Even beyond its sheer age, the Owl Lady had built her abode from the Magic of the Boiling Isles; most of the light came from the massive windows. During the evenings - or intense storms, as the case may be - daylight was replaced by the many candles that either sat on high dedicated shelves that wrapped around the corners of several of the rooms, or were nestled into the various candelabrum that hung suspended from the ceiling on heavy iron chains or standing on equally heavy iron stands like lamps. They were all practically dripping with wax, both melted and melting, their innumerable soft glows supplemented in the living room by the maw-like hearth, and in the kitchen by the fires of the massive cast-iron wood stove, giving the entire house a dim, but warm and rustic atmosphere, even amidst the dark clouds and rolling thunder of the storm beyond the windows.

Even with all that in mind, however, the sheer number of candles her mentor had brought into the living room since her sudden declaration seemed to verge on overkill.

The coffee table that had once sat in the center of the room had been shoved firmly against the wall. Candles of dark red and purple had been set on nearly every surface, some even floating in the air as Eda etched a circle onto the surface of the leather mat she'd set in the table's place. Many of them were already lit, the heady scents of incense wafting on lazy plumes of smoke; a smothering haze was swiftly filling the room, forcing the girl to occasionally blink back tears.

"Sooo… Eda," Luz began, grimacing at the very taste of the air, "What's with all the candles?"

"Part of an old Witch technique," the Witch grunted, seeming utterly at ease with the mingling myriad of miasmas, "It's meant to help you get in touch with your Soul Wavelength."

"What, like a meditation thing?" the human leaned forwards, poking one of the floating candles; it shifted slightly, then floated back into place as soon as she pulled away, gently anchored in place by an unseen force.

"Something like that."

"Isn't that supposed to be with… weaker incense, though?" she waved a hand in front of her face, trying in vain to gain a gasp of fresh air as she turned back to face her mentor, "I feel like I'm gonna suffocate in here…"

"You got any sort of swimsuit, Luz?"

Luz blinked, caught entirely off-guard by the query; curiosity quelled discomfort almost entirely as she approached, trying to peer over Eda's shoulder to see what she was making, "No… summer camp wasn't supposed to have any kind of pool. Why?"

"Hm," the Owl Lady did not look up from the circle; it was a strange series of waves and runes, an ink painting that almost resembled a whirlpool, edged by a series of five candles that seemed to be the origin for most of its lines "Well, I guess we'll just have to make do."

"Make do?" the mocha-skinned youth reached down to touch the dark etching - only to find her wrist gripped by Eda's bone white fingers, the mischief in the Witch's smile doing little to hide the stern warning in her gaze.

"This won't be your standard meditation, Luz," the one-woman parliament's talons relaxed, letting the teen pull her hand back as those golden eyes dipped back down, the ink swirling again of its own accord, an animation of calligraphy, "These candles are infused with a ton of Magic from the materials they were made from, which is being released as they burn; this takes some of the burden off of me for the spell I'm going to cast, since most of that released, ambient Magic will be feeding directly into either me or the spell itself. Either way, it makes my part in this easier."

"Makes what easier?" the girl asked, a slight edge of frustration seeping into her tone.

"All in good time, my apprentice," the ink finally stopped; seeming satisfied with the resulting array, Eda turned to face Luz, hand outstretched and expectant, "Box."

Again, Luz blinked, "Box?"

"Your purple scroll-box," the Witch prompted, "You aren't gonna need it."

"Oh, my phone," the girl murmured, brown eyes dropping to her pocket; she dug for a second, then handed it to her mentor.

The Owl Lady nodded, slipping the phone into some unseen pocket before gesturing, "Now step into the circle for me."

The tanned teen glanced down, biting her lip; the swirls of the ink stretched about six feet across from end to end. None of the candles had been lit, but the shadows playing across the circle seemed to mix with the blackness, adding to the illusion of a maelstrom pulling everything it touched down into the dark…

Nonetheless, she took a breath, and stepped in.

Nothing happened.

A long second passed before Luz finally let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, a hand going to her chest as her heartbeat dropped back down to a more standard rhythm; she turned to face the Witch again, hands set on her hips, "So, what now?"

"Now?" Eda raised a hand, fingers poised to snap, "Don't hold your breath."

Sparks flew from the Witch's fingers, as if they had been flint to steel; the tiny flames danced around Luz to each of the candles that surrounded her, granting each of them their own warmth and glow. Already, a strange hum seemed to fill the air, sending a chill down the girl's spine and sending a shudder through her whole body as Eda lowered her hands to her waist, palms up and eyes closed…

Then the ink beneath her feet began to swirl and deepen, seeming to grow more solid; the distant, disconcerting sound of water began to fill the room, forcing her to search the room for its source. Eda's eyes snapped back open, and with a sharp breath, her cupped hands shot upwards, as if to lift a cup from a basin…

And then metaphor became reality.

Luz felt her heart skip a beat as the ink spiral turned pitch black; liquid darkness rushed up to meet her from the floor, a dark whirlpool that swept her up and off her feet entirely. She only had a split second to scream before she plunged into the black, the current carrying her up and away to shadows unknown.

She couldn't see; the water blocked all light.

She couldn't hear; the water brought nothing but silence.

But most concerning of all, she couldn't breathe. No matter how hard she thrashed, no matter how hard she stroked, she couldn't breach the surface. Her lungs burned as she kicked and pulled and pushed, trying to kick up and out of the abyss-

'Breathe.'

All at once, she stopped struggling, her panic severed by the echoing word in her mind.

For a split second, she could have sworn she had heard Eda.

But there was no one else here…

'You need to breathe.'

That time, she'd definitely heard it.

But she couldn't bring herself to take a breath; there was no air, only water. If she let out what little air was left in her lungs, if she tried to find air down here, then surely she would-

'You won't drown, Luz. I promise. Just take a breath.'

Her lungs were burning from the exertion of holding her breath, and her body was screaming at her to hold it, to fight and cling to every last scrap of oxygen she had. The Witch's promise did little to soothe the primal fear that was now writhing in Luz's stomach, trying to keep its claws sunk deep into her mind, to keep her fighting for her life…

'Nice and deep, kiddo. In…'

Despite the screaming fear, the girl forced herself to stop thrashing. Muscle fought against muscle as she curled in on herself, forcing her lips to part bit by bit, letting the water seep past her teeth and tongue…

The last ounce of air escaped her in a bubble that she felt rush past her face and into the unknown depths; she coughed as water shot down her throat, filling her lungs and making her struggle all over again. For a brief moment, she was certain she was dead, drifting off into an endless sleep…

… but then… she found the water slipping back out.

She opened her eyes; there was still nothing but darkness all around, so deep she couldn't even see her own hands in front of her. But with every breath she took, her heartbeat began to slow; through some bizarre trick, the water was slipping in and out of her lungs as smoothly and naturally as air, as if she had been meant to breathe it all along. Slow, deep breaths washed away the panic, a strange serenity taking its place as she floated, equal parts relieved and perplexed by her situation.

'There ya go. In and out, nice and easy.'

Luz opened her mouth to speak, only to find herself coughing again; it seemed making words from water was a more difficult task than she'd initially anticipated.

'Easy, kiddo. You won't be able to talk normally in there; try sending me a thought.'

She tried to lick her lips, an uncomfortable sensation under the water, before trying, '... does this mean I can breathe underwater, now?'

The Owl Lady let loose an echoing chuckle in her mind, 'Not quite. That's just part of the spell. Sorry, Luz.'

'Aw,' the girl pouted, 'Yo quiero respirar bajo el agua…'

'¿Nada te bajonea por mucho, cierto?'

'Considerame una optimista,' the youth smirked, trying to bury just how frightened she had been, '... not entirely sure where I am, though. What is this, Eda?'

'Ever heard of a sensory deprivation tank?'

'Oh, yeeeaaah,' Luz felt her face light up, 'Those little pools you float in, right? Total darkness, total silence?'

'That's the idea,' Eda confirmed, 'It's an old technique that was developed to help young Witches who were having trouble with their Soul Wavelength get a better hold on it, although I find it even helps me every now and again. An environment with no distractions, leaving you alone with your thoughts and your Wavelength.'

'Okay, I think I see where this is going,' the girl cupped her chin, 'Is this supposed to help me focus on finding my Soul Wavelength?'

She sensed an affirmative 'nod' from the elder woman, 'Normally, getting in touch with one's Soul Wavelength is a bit of a lengthy process. It can take months for a person to find it. Distractions can make the process take even longer; but in an environment where there are no distractions, I'm hoping we can streamline the process to about a week.'

'A week?' if Luz could have blinked, she would have, 'Is that possible?'

'Depends on a couple of factors. Including, but not limited to, how quickly you get started.'

The girl snorted at the friendly barb, but smiled nonetheless, 'Alright, alright… but I'm not gonna be spending a full week here, right?'

'No. But you will be spending most of your free time in here until you've found your Soul Wavelength,' the teen could almost see the silver-haired vixen crossing her arms, 'This isn't something that we can put off. The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can get on with you learning to see Souls, and then actually learning some Magic.'

'... okay,' she tried to pull her body into a sitting position as best she could, 'But what if something goes wrong?'

'I'll be monitoring you the whole time, Luz; if something goes wrong, I'll know,' the sense of a gentle smile tinged the Owl Lady's words, 'In the meantime, you won't be hearing from me. You settle in and focus on your breathing; that's where you'll want to start.'

With that, Eda's presence simply vanished from her mind.

Finally, Luz settled for crossing her legs; she tried to swallow a wad of spit to ease the anxiety that was now growing in her gut, and instead coughed on water again for her trouble.

There was no up or down in the abyss. No hot or cold, no sound, no light, not even a sense of gravity she could use to orient herself; all she had was the water, suspending her in total darkness. In such utter shadow, it was hard not to imagine herself having just accidentally stepped out of a spacecraft, drifting off into the endless void beyond the atmosphere, hurtling through the universe with no way to stop, and no way to breathe…

But she was breathing.

And she wasn't without a lifeline.

With that thought in mind, she placed her hands in her lap, closed her eyes, and tried to focus, calling to mind her sister's lessons…

"So, how's our guest doing?"

Spirit's eyes rose to meet his partner's as Stein stepped into the room; the lackadaisical smile was accompanied by half-lidded eyes, a hand once again adjusting the screw, a sound that the Weapon was beginning to grow accustomed to, whether he wanted to or not.

He let his gaze fall back down to the unconscious Sorcerer, who still lay silent after three full days, "Well, he still hasn't woken up…"

The boy's entire body had been bandaged, white fabric wrapped tightly around each of his limbs, around his neck and torso beneath the hospital gown, and even his forehead - both by the hospital's doctors, and by Stein when he had finally deemed that he could step away from Soul for an hour without risking the younger Weapon's life. Although apparently he'd never been in critical condition as the student had, the soldier's wounds had still been a grisly sight; without his daughter's presence to keep him occupied, Spirit had no choice but to join his partner as an additional layer of security in case the Sorcerer awoke, his body too damaged to risk the use of any sort of narcotics to ensure he stayed unconscious.

Thankfully, it had never come to that, but that didn't stop the grimace that ran down the Death Scythe's spine at the memory; Stein picking bits of broken glass, shattered tile and splintered wood out of the boy's back, before washing wounds all across his body and stitching them shut; the horrid cracking sounds as the Doctor ensured that fractured limbs were properly set before applying the splints; the insertion of an IV drip into his arm, the clear concoction at the top slowly dripping down the long tube; the burn scars on the teen's palms and fingers when the bandages had been unwrapped, both old and new, speaking to possible years of trying to handle the Magic in his staff…

Even after all that, with the child seeming to have been completely immobilized, he'd been strapped down to a stretcher rather than left as he was. If Spirit hadn't known any better, he would have likened it to some medieval torture device, the boy shackled to the mobile bed by cuffs and leather, every limb bound to keep him firmly in place and his staff locked firmly in a case that was now in the redhead's quarters for the flight home…

It was hard to believe it was all both for the blond's safety, as well as the safety of everyone around him.

After all, he was more than likely to react violently when he woke up, no matter how much pain he was in - and even with all the bandages and bindings, they wouldn't necessarily be enough.

A Soul as strong as his was hard to bind, after all.

"Well, let's hope he stays that way until we reach the Academy," the lab coat-clad Professor stated, sinking into a nearby chair and sliding open the window, "I have enough on my plate managing Soul at the moment without him causing a stir."

Torn between keeping his partner's gaze and watching the sleeping teen, Spirit settled for staring out across the cloud cover; with how fast the plane was going, it had been a near constant sunset for over half an hour, the light bouncing off the rolling grey seas and dying them a gentle orange.

"... you're sure they're both stable enough to move?" he finally asked, cyan eyes drifting to grey, "I know this is a state-of-the-art plane and all, but…"

"They're as stable as they're getting, Spirit," the smile on his partner's face faded; finally, his hand fell from the screw to his chin as he settled on one of the chair's limbs, "Believe me, this isn't ideal. If it weren't for their Soul Wavelengths, I doubt we'd have been able to move either of them for at least three more weeks, even with Death Scythe Marie pulling some strings with Italy's government to get us a plane.

"But we can't afford to wait any longer; we'll be better equipped to accommodate our guest at the Academy, and more importantly, there's tools at my lab and in the Academy's medical wing that I simply don't have in a standard operating theatre."

This time, Death's Weapon didn't bother to stop him as Stein pulled out a carton, lighting a cigarette and taking a long, slow breath; he was too preoccupied with the implications of his partner's words, his jaw setting and his brow creasing into a deep frown, "... so… there is more to Soul's wound than you were letting on, before."

"I appreciate you not bringing that up with Maka," the Doctor smiled again, holding out the box and the lighter as an offering, "It certainly made reassuring her easier."

"I suspected as much," Spirit admitted, accepting the carton, but not the lighter, eliciting a chuckle from the grey-haired man, "Demon Swords always have some sort of trick up their sleeves; you think you've got them all figured out, and then, bam," he slammed his fist into his palm, "something else blindsides you. Telling Maka about a potentially cursed wound wouldn't have helped ease her nerves at all."

The stitched Professor pursed his lips, eyes narrowing in thought, "'Cursed' is the wrong word."

A raised eyebrow from the red-headed Weapon, "Is it?"

"Honestly, I'd say it's more of an infection," slowly, Stein straightened, elbows set on his knees, hands set in front of his chest, fingers outstretched, "It's not like the wound is refusing to heal, or anything like that. Typically when you see cursed wounds, the curse is intended to prevent the wound from healing, or make the wound itself deadly regardless of its actual severity. In the case of the former, the target is either crippled due to improper healing, or dies due to infection or blood loss or what have you; in the latter case, it almost invariably ends in a grisly death. Unless, of course, the curse can be broken before it can take full effect."

"But that's not the case here," Spirit pressed.

"No. Over the past couple of days, Soul's muscles, bones and organs have begun to knit back together; the damage is grievous, certainly, but nothing seems to be impeding the actual healing process," those clammy fingers interlocked as he spoke, knitting into one another until Stein's hands were clasped tightly together, a display of a healing cut, "It seemed unusually straightforward compared to the work of other Demon Swords I've read about, though admittedly I haven't had the chance to take a more recent look at the records."

"The Gáe Bolg comes to mind," the Death Scythe shuddered, "One cut and your whole body just fills with thorns from the inside out…"

"As well as its ability to flip cause and effect," a wry smile from the Doctor as he stared into the open air, "I would love an opportunity to experiment on that Spear…"

"Your point, Stein?" the redhead prompted, lips twisting with his discomfort.

"My point, Spirit," those cold eyes regained their focus, "Is that while there doesn't appear to be anything wrong with Soul's wound, I've found something else that's altogether more concerning."

"Well, don't leave me in suspense," the Death Scythe leaned forward in his seat, "What is it?"

Stein sighed, taking another long drag of the cigarette; the embers had almost reached his fingers, though if he noticed, he didn't seem to care, "A certain percentage of Soul's red blood cells appear to have turned black."

At this, Spirit blinked, "Black?"

"Not enough to overtly change the colour of his blood - right now, it's still clearly red," the doctor assured, "And these black blood cells appear to be operating as normal red blood cells would, carrying oxygen and nutrients throughout his body - but it's still a troubling development, considering what we saw from the Demon Sword."

"Isn't it possible that these black blood cells are carryovers from the Demon Sword?" the Death Scythe queried, "That was a nasty slash, and red blood cells can last for weeks in the body; if the sword was made from that kid's blood, and these black blood cells operate identically to red blood cells, then-"

"I considered that already, but that simply can't be the case," the Doctor interrupted, tone grim, "If that were the case, Soul's immune system should have destroyed them all by now; going off the samples I collected from the Chiesa, the black blood's shapeshifting properties appear to have gone completely inert without a Soul Wavelength to direct them, meaning they wouldn't be able to operate within his body independently. Moreover, the Demon Swordsman's blood type is entirely different from Soul's, and that slash shouldn't have transmitted that much black blood in the first place."

"Even considering the wound's size?"

"Especially considering its size, and how fast that sword must have gone through him for the cut to have gone all the way through," Stein shook his head, "The only conclusion I can draw is that Soul's body is producing these black blood cells; and if that's the case, the most reasonable explanation is that he's been cursed. In order to confirm it, I need to run more tests, and if I'm right, that will mean even more tests to try and predict the effects the black blood will have on him - his Soul Wavelength, his Weapon form, everything. And not only do I not have the means to conduct those tests in a normal hospital…"

"... the fact that all this came from a Demon Sword means this is all going to be classified straight to Hell," Spirit finished, leaning back in his chair and bringing his hands to his eyes, "Jesus fucking Christ…"

"Been a while since I've heard you swear, Spirit."

"Lay off, Stein," the black-clad Weapon dragged his hands down his face, "It's been a long time since I've had an assignment this stressful."

A bemused eyebrow ascended the Doctor's forehead, "You saying your time with Lord Death has made you rusty?"

"Like Hell it has," the Death Scythe muttered, then sighed, "Why couldn't it just be a Witch?"

"If it makes you feel any better, a Witch is involved, like we predicted."

"It really doesn't."

Stein helplessly splayed his hands, "In which case, I can't help you, Spirit; I'm not qualified to be a therapist."

Spirit's eyes narrowed, "Wasn't one of your majors in psychology?"

"Yes, but that doesn't mean therapy is what my studies were geared towards."

"Fair enough," the Scythe muttered again, then sobered, "How long have you been awake for, Stein?"

"... I was about to ask you that," that wry smile again as the stitched man adjusted his glasses, "I've been awake for… ninety hours?"

The redhead's frown only deepened, "We're supposed to be operating in shifts, Stein."

Stein just shrugged, "We don't have that luxury right now. Soul's condition can take a turn at any moment. I can't afford to sleep until we're back at the Academy, and Soul is in Doctor Gorgon's equally capable hands."

"What am I, chopped liver?"

"Don't you have a noted dislike for the kid?" that infuriating smirk only grew, "Besides, you're an administrator, Spirit, not a doctor."

At this, Spirit couldn't muster a response, only managing a weak, gurgling growl before slumping back in his chair, defeated.

"How long have you been awake, Spirit?"

"Nowhere near as long as you," he rubbed the back of his head, "Maybe eighteen?"

A flat look, "You look like you're pushing thirty."

Death's Weapon glowered at his partner, "Well, maybe if we'd stuck to the shift system like I'd suggested…"

Again, that wry smile, "Why don't you go get some sleep, Spirit?"

The aggression drained from him all at once; he leaned forwards on his elbows, lips pulled into a thin, solemn line, "... you're sure you can look after them both on your own? Even considering your Soul Wavelength, you're pushing it; you're gonna start having microsleeps soon, Wavelength or not."

"I had no idea you cared so much," Stein chuckled, "I'll be fine; it's gonna be a long flight, but Doctor Gorgon already knows we're coming. As soon as we reach Death City, Soul and our guest will be transferred to her care, and I'll be able to get some sleep," the smile faded into a more serious neutrality, "If you get some sleep now, you'll be able to help everyone better once we're back in Death City."

"... alright," Spirit slowly pushed himself up and out of the chair; he stepped forwards, his whole body suddenly feeling heavy, before stopping in front of the door, "... you'll let me know if they wake up?"

"Why the interest?" there was no barb; only genuine curiosity.

"... those boys put their lives on the line for my daughter," the Death Scythe glanced back at the boy strapped to his bed, silently breathing, "I admit, I don't like Soul much. He's a smug little smartass who's too cocky for his own good."

"Like you were?"

The redhead ignored the teasing barb, "And I don't know where the Sorcerer is from or why he protected them; I don't doubt he had his own reasons for it."

He turned his attention back to Stein, managing a small smile, "... but that doesn't change that they saved her. Risked their lives for her. That's something most adults would struggle to do, much less kids. No matter how much I dislike Soul, no matter what was going through the Sorcerer's head… I need to respect that."

A long moment of silence passed before another smile graced his partner's lips, "You just keep finding ways to surprise me… alright, Spirit. I'll let you know."

"Thank you, Stein."

With that, he pulled open the door, and stepped out into the plane's cramped hallway.

She thought she'd known what it meant to be alone.

Ever since Luz was little, she'd understood that there was a divide between herself and her peers. An intangible barrier that burnt prospective bonds to nothing before they could even form; a bottomless chasm that she could not cross on her own, and that those around her more often than not refused to even attempt to bridge. Even those that made the attempt seldom succeeded, unable or unwilling to follow her leaps in logic, or satisfy her hyperfixations for more than a few minutes. They were driven away by anything ranging from frustration to fear, or they simply found her to be an amusing animal to abuse and abandon at their whim.

She knew what it was like to be bullied.

She knew what it was to be left behind.

But this wasn't even remotely close; Luz knew that Eda was still there. At this point, she fully trusted the Witch not to abandon her.

No, this was a different experience altogether.

As it turned out, there was a critical difference between being truly lonely, and being truly alone.

The complete absence of light and sound was a bizarre enough experience on its own; the only thing the girl could do in that regard was be grateful she wasn't afraid of the dark. While it was difficult to avoid picturing herself sinking ever deeper into an ocean of infinite depth towards whatever nightmares might be down there, or helplessly spinning into the endless emptiness beyond the atmosphere with no way to stop herself, at the very least there was some comfort in knowing that the Owl Lady was keeping hold of her lifeline, ready to pull her out the instant that something went wrong.

But that wasn't enough to curb the other anxieties that arose in the dark.

Luz hadn't been aware just how much she relied on external stimuli. Even on the days where she was alone in the house with nowhere to go and no one to see, there was at least something to do; books to read, games to play, paper and pens to draw any number of vistas or characters or creatures, or lose herself in written words and written worlds of her own creation. Videos, podcasts, movies, music, anything to fill the silence and keep her mind occupied, to keep the anxiety and loneliness at bay, and then move onto the next, right up until she was too tired to think anymore and fell into depths of slumber.

In this abyss, there was none of that.

There were no books or controllers for her hands to grip. No animation or text for her eyes to drink in. No sounds or music to take her away in their rhythm and melody. Not even any ground for her to walk on. Even her phone had been taken away, her pockets empty, her fingers twitching for something, anything to hold and fidget with to take the edge away. Even her sense of time seemed to be slipping away; she could count the individual seconds all she liked, but that didn't make it any easier to tell how long she'd been in here. For all she knew, it could have been hours, or even days, leaving her longing for some kind of clock so she could at least tell the time - but there was nothing.

Nothing but Luz, and her thoughts.

Utter solitude.

Truly alone.

She'd curled around herself, knees hugged to her chest, unable to tell if her eyes were open or closed anymore. Each breath came slowly, the water harder to pull in and push out of her lungs than air - and though it kept her calm in a strange sort of way, it made her thoughts that much harder to escape.

She just couldn't stop. Memories flooded back to her, replacing sight and sound with phantoms of the past whether she wanted them or not, entwined with the foetid fantasies she'd conjured against her will, dark dreams of what people really thought of her, born of shame and fear.

The blond crossed her arms, blue eyes narrowed, 'Why are you even here? You know they'll never give you a part-'

Her mother rubbed at her forehead, exhausted and exasperated over the messy scrawl on the paperwork, 'Mija, please. I know you're trying to help, but-'

A ripple of disgust across the boy's face as he held the card she'd put hours of work into between his fingers, as if she'd handed him a dead animal, 'What makes you think I'd go out with you-!?'

A jeer from a child in the neighbourhood, 'If your dad loves you so much, then where is he-?'

One of her group partners rolled her eyes, adjusting her glasses, 'We've seen your work, and we don't want your help. Just shut up and take the free grade-'

A chuckle from a clique as she dug through her locker, 'I don't think even her mother likes her-'

The voices and people continued to mount; she clamped her eyes shut and her hands over her ears, but it did nothing to stop them. The ridicule came from the confines of her skull, seeming to grow louder and louder in the echo chamber of bone and brain matter.

'Seriously, Noceda? This book's for children-'

'Would it kill you to be normal for once-?'

'What do you think this is, show-and-tell? Grow up-'

'What is wrong with you-!?'

It all began to blend into an unintelligible cacophony; one by one, the figures began to blend and meld, morphing into more distinguishable, more recognisable silhouettes.

… Mami.

… Papi.

… Maka.

One by one, their mouths opened in her mind's eye, ready to add their derision to the discord-

'STOP IT!'

Luz gasped for breath, hands falling from her head once again; the maelstrom of sound and shadow in her mind dissipated at her own internal scream, leaving her breathless in the dark once more.

She slumped, insofar as she could slump while floating, her whole body just going limp. The girl brought a hand up to her forehead, a low groan escaping her throat.

'...¿esto nunca lo voy a poder descubrir, verdad?...'

'No con esa actitud.'

She blinked, straightening; sitting up as best she could manage, she cocked her head, as if she could actually hear the voice, 'Eda?'

'Right here, kiddo,' the wry voice of the Owl Lady was a relief, after the nightmarish shadow play her mind had just performed, 'You doin' okay?'

'... not really,' the girl admitted, curling in on herself again; with her mentor's voice refocusing her, it was easier to center herself, to remember how long she'd been at this.

The past two days - two whole days - of trying had left her floundering and flailing impotently amidst the storms in her stomach and skull, and brought her no closer to her Soul Wavelength than she had been before - only struggling to get any sort of purchase whatsoever against her own mind. She hugged her knees to her chest, helplessness awash in her stomach, '... I think I underestimated how hard this was gonna be.'

'Being alone with your thoughts is always hard, the first few times around. This is only your third try, Luz,' the Witch seemed to nod sagely, 'It's easy to get lost in there, with nothing to guide you.'

Luz glanced up, trying to meet Eda's invisible gaze, 'You said kids do this?'

'When they're having trouble getting in touch with their Wavelengths for the first time. Granted, my take on this spell might be a touch old-fashioned.'

'Define "old-fashioned,"' the girl managed a wry smile.

'Rooted in old Magic, and maybe a touch cruel,' there was a playful ruefulness to the Witch's tone, 'I admit, I threw you headfirst into the deep end with this one.'

The tanned teen sighed, idly kicking her legs, 'So… does this mean I'm done for the day?'

'If you want. Alternatively, we could try something a little different with this spell.'

Despite herself, Luz felt her curiosity pique, her spine straightening at the prospect of something new, 'Something different?'

'I had it in my head that you'd pick up on this a little more yourself. But, I'm starting to see that was a mistake on my part as your teacher,' the pale woman began, 'So, if you'd like, you can stay in there for a little longer, and I can try to guide you through how this is actually supposed to work.'

Her head tilted, lips pulling into a smile as she processed the words, 'A guided meditation!? With the Owl Lady!?'

'Don't get too excited, Luz,' the Owl Lady warned, 'This won't be as exciting as you think. It's still gonna be a lot of sitting around in the dark. The main difference from before is that I'm gonna be instructing you.'

'Hey, I like listening to you,' the chocolate child chastised, 'You make learning fun.'

'We'll see if you still feel that way in a few minutes,' despite the words, the girl could still hear the Owl Lady's smirk, 'Now, sit down, cross your legs, hands in your lap; get as comfortable as you can.'

Wordlessly, Luz obeyed, pulling herself once again into as close of a meditation pose as she could manage without anything to actually sit on.

'Eyes closed or half lidded, whichever is more comfortable.'

Her eyes fluttered closed; not screwed shut as they had been before, but merely, gently, closed.

'Are you ready to begin, Luz?'

'... yeah,' she nodded, 'Let's do this.'

'... we're going to be focusing on your breath. Each one is going to be long and slow - for the first few, I'll let you know when to inhale, and when to exhale. In…'

Again, she obeyed; her lungs filled, and once again, she couldn't help but marvel at the fact that she was breathing water rather than air.

'... out.'

The command came far later than the girl had been expecting; nonetheless, she obeyed, letting her lungs empty into the dark around her once more.

'Your breath is the focus here. That's the only thing I want you to focus on right now. Nothing else to trouble your mind. Just in, and out. Breathe in.'

Like a bellows, she took in the breath; but all the same, Luz couldn't stop the question, 'How is this supposed to get me in touch with my Soul Wavelength? I've… heard that meditation helps, but… I don't know how or why.'

'Don't worry about your Soul Wavelength. That's not what we're focusing on right now. Breathe out.'

Again, the breath slipped into the surrounding water.

'Breathe in.'

The water flowed in.

'Breathe out.'

The water flowed out.

In.

And out.

In.

And out.

Luz slipped into the slow, slow rhythm of the breath, following Eda's instruction as closely as she could. A newfound focus was flowing over her as she breathed, an odd tranquility that she'd felt something close to a few times before…

But it was a fleeting focus; it didn't take long for her mind to wander.

Maka's lessons echoed in her mind, urging her to search for something that she didn't know how to look for; she shifted, lips twisting, trying to follow a map of spoken words through a filter of memory that just wasn't intuitive to her no matter how she tried to follow them…

'... you're getting distracted.'

Were it not for the amused tone in the Owl Lady's voice, the mocha-skinned girl absolutely would have choked; as it was, she had to stifle a gasp. She hadn't realized how distracted she'd gotten, her breath forgotten entirely and her posture completely abandoned.

'S-Sorry,' Luz mumbled mentally, settling back into position as best as she could.

'Don't apologize. Getting distracted is part of the process; when you notice it, all you have to do is start over. Now, breathe in.'

Again, she obeyed, 'But… how do I stop it? Isn't meditation just… stopping thinking so you can focus super hard on one thing?'

'Of course not. Meditation is about being present - being truly there in the world, free from all the little distractions that take you out of the moment,' Eda's smile was palpable in her explanation, 'That doesn't mean you just stop thinking. It means that you're mindful of your thoughts, and you don't let them carry you away.'

'Carry me away?'

'Think of your thoughts like clouds, Luz. You don't need to chase every one that enters your head; just watch it, examine it, and then let it pass by.'

Luz couldn't help biting her lip, 'But what if I end up chasing them again? What if I get distracted?'

'Then just come back to the breath when you're ready,' the Witch reminded warmly, 'It's as simple as that.'

'... this is way less frustrating than when I tried this with my sister,' the youth murmured, sinking back into the breath once more, 'She had all these steps I needed to follow…'

'One thing at a time; that's the best way. Breathe in.'

It didn't take long for all sense of time to slip away once more.

But it was different from before; where alone, the dark and silence brought a distressing chase through her own mind, where Luz couldn't tell if she was the pursuer or the pursued, the Owl Lady's guidance brought her into something far closer to a tranquil trance. Every now and again, she would find herself chasing her thoughts once again, but every time, she could bring herself gently back to the breath, where everything began.

It wasn't exciting, no.

But it was peaceful. Soothing, even, her former swirl of anxieties almost entirely forgotten.

… and then, she felt something else.

'... okay. I think that's enough for now,' Eda began, 'You ready to come out, Luz?'

For a moment, she thought it was just her heartbeat; after all, she enjoyed the sensation of her heart pounding in her chest, in her ears and hands and throat as she threw herself into whatever activity was in front of her, all too eager to get in on the excitement.

'... Luz?'

… but that didn't make any sense. It couldn't be her heartbeat.

After all… her heart had slowed to a pace she never thought it could reach, much less one she'd be able to enjoy.

'... Luz, you haven't fallen asleep in there, have you?'

'... I feel something…' Luz whispered.

'... what does it feel like?' the Witch's tone had changed, a stern edge entering her voice.

'Like…' the tanned teen struggled for the words; she was unable to resist the urge to physically reach out, the sensation seeming to guide her forwards, '... like a rhythm… I… I've never felt this before, but… it feels… it feels so familiar…'

'Do not chase it.'

Eda's words had shifted from instruction to command so quickly Luz nearly fell forwards entirely; she could almost feel the silver vixen's talons on her shoulders, keeping her firmly in place.

'If you chase it, you won't be able to catch it,' the Witch warned, 'Focus on your breath. Let it come to you. Slowly, now; breathe in…'

Despite the urge to somehow chase after the sensation, Luz obeyed; she pulled herself back, hands set in her lap as she took another breath.

With every cycle of the in and out of her lungs, the rhythm grew a little bit stronger. It went from a gentle tingle on her skin, to a pulse in her muscles, to a beat in her bones. It wasn't as though she was getting closer to it, or it was getting closer to her; deep down, some part of her knew it had always been there, giving off this beat that she knew so well.

She felt like a dog on a chain, wanting to tear off after it with every fibre of her being.

But she kept her pace. Slowly, agonizingly slowly, she let the rhythm come to her…

Until the light made her flinch, forcing her to open her eyes.

Floating before her in the dark was a small blue orb; it bobbed up and down in the water like a fishing lure, its surface utterly featureless, save for the wispy tail on top that waved back and forth like a single tongue of flame. It couldn't have been any bigger than her fist, but despite its small size…

It was, without a doubt, the source of the rhythm that she'd been feeling. The familiar pulse that was now so strong it felt like it was vibrating her whole skeleton, making her heart race with equal parts curiosity, excitement, and awe.

'... it's alright, Luz,' Eda assured, 'Go on.'

'... is this…?' the girl reached out, both hands gently cupping the small orb; it bounced slightly in her palms, soft to the touch. The rhythm didn't slow, nor did it weaken; instead, it seemed to steady, somehow, settling into her skin, muscle, sinew and bone.

It was thought.

It was emotion.

It was intent.

It was a rhythm that she had always known, and would never forget, a second heartbeat that would pound under her skin for the rest of her life.

'... my Soul…' tears welled up in her eyes, spilling into the water as she gave a hiccuping sob, her joy completely overwhelming her.

'That's right, Luz. Your Soul,' the sudden exhaustion in the Owl Lady's voice did nothing to hide her quiet pride and joy, 'You've found your Soul Wavelength.'

Luz clutched her Soul to her chest with everything she had, letting her own Wavelength crash over her in waves of relief and joy, washing away the silent, stubborn fears from her heart like mud in the rain. Each pulse confirmed that this was real - not some wistful daydream for her to sketch out on paper or write about in a journal, but real progress, real proof that her efforts were paying off, real evidence that she understood what she'd taught.

Everything Eda had been teaching her for the last three days.

Everything Maka had tried to teach her for over a month.

'... a Sound Soul… dwells within a Sound Mind… and a Sound Body…!'

Translation for Luz's and Eda's Spanish:

'Yo quiero respirar bajo el agua…'

'I wanna breathe underwater…'

...

'¿Nada te bajonea por mucho, cierto?'

'Nothin' gets you down long, does it?'

...

'Considerame una optimista.'

'Call me an optimist.'

...

'...¿esto nunca lo voy a poder descubrir, verdad?...'

'... I'm never gonna figure this out, am I?...'

...

'No con esa actitud.'

'Not with that attitude.'

...

Translations as always are done by the wonderful maho_kat on Archive of Our Own! Everyone, please be sure to thank her for all the work she puts into helping this fic! Without her I'd be stuck using Google Translate!

Sorry for the wait for this chapter. I wanted to hold off on posting anything more until I had the Boiling Rain mini-arc actually completed. That hasn't quite panned out, as I have another... chapter and a half to go, I think? But I hope with the pace I've set I can maybe get this wrapped up in a couple weeks. I intend to post the next chapter a week from now, and then the one following it a week after, and so on until this mini-arc is completed.

Now let's hope I can actually keep that promise this time, eh? I hope you're ready to have some FUN!

Thanks for giving this a read, everyone, and thank you so much for your patience and understanding with me. I hope you enjoyed the twenty eighth chapter of Owls and Souls, Witches and Resonance!