The Soul of a Hero

Chapter 12

Now to peek in on the blonde duo. Though some of this will involve Melissa getting more accustomed to her role as a meister and what that entails. After all, she just been going with the flow so to speak. Even though she made a "path" choice, that doesn't mean she's fully resolved to it. So, on with the show.

(No POV)

"You're shitting me!" Jon said while on a call back to his old world. He had been discussing a few matters with Lord Death, his weapons, and Sid. "I assure you I'm not. That's not the kind of man I was." Sid said while leaning against the desk in the Death Room.

Jon shook his head before saying, "of all people to be considered and asked to be a Death Scythe. Harudori?!" Lord Death cleared his throat before admitting it was an odd case, but there was precedence. "She and her partners, all three of them, did manage to kill a witch. Even if they are in the NOT class. And this was before I name Soul Eater the last Death Scythe."

Liz Thompson though brings up the more likely reason the Witches were asking for her to be a Death Scythe. "My guess, they want a more peaceful or possibly gentle weapon. Compared to the battle junkie or attached to battle junkie like Black Star and Ayame." Patty nodded before bringing up that Ayame was in a funny position given she had absorbed a sorcerer's soul too.

Before that could go further, Star asked how Tensei was doing with the lessons from Sid. "Not bad. He seems a little uneasy to dive underground. Might have to do with what happened last time he went into a tunnel. But he's working on it. Now we just need to get him a weapon." Sid reports with a shrug.

Jon agrees while thinking of Kosho who was currently the only available weapon. "Big trick will be if their souls are compatible with one another." Ming notes while leaning back. She seems to be contemplating matters and wondering if they should have Johari searching full time for other weapons.

"Enough of that. I understand that young mister Midoriya, Jane, and Mary were successful?" Lord Death says before addressing the larger matters. Star acknowledged that to be accurate before noting that Melissa and El were in Rio De Janeiro. "Not sure why they're there though. The targets are in Colombia."

And the reason they were there was because….. they wanted to relax and have some fun. Or rather Eldora wanted to have a bit of fun and dragged Melissa along with it. Be it enjoying some of the nightlife or taking her sister to Praia do Abricó. And making sure she had absolutely no tan lines.

"I can't believe you made me go there!" Melissa shouted while looking over her very tanned skin. El just shrugged and signed, "c'mon! You had a little fun. At least once you finally realized that no one was looking at you. And don't think I didn't notice you checking out some of the boys and girls on the beach~!"

The final line was accented by the wagging of Eldora's eyebrows while Melissa turned scarlet. She smacked Eldora before saying they had to get to work. "The gang we're after is in Colombia. They've been dealing in human trafficking, so the whole gang is on Lord Death's list. We just need to find them." Melissa said before looking up ways to get them to the rough area they need.

They catch a cab to the airport to get to Bogota. And from there they start their investigation of the gangs that could be involved in the matter. "They were supposed to be a group of kidnappers among other things. Not sure on the best way to look into this." Melissa says while resting in their hotel room.

El catches Melissa's attention before signing that she had something of an idea already. "I didn't want us to go to Rio for no reason. I've been posting pictures to some of the social media sites for the last few days. If these guys are kidnappers, then we need to look like tempting targets."

"Are you crazy?!" Melissa screamed to her partner. El gave Melissa a slightly withering look from her golden eyes before pushing her back to sit for a moment. El let out a breath before signing, "no. But the best place to take souls or villains like these out, is when they least expect it. And as hot as we look, there's no way they won't try."

El preened a bit before bringing out some rather flashy dresses to get ready for the mission. Melissa groaned before asking if she was certain about this and if there wasn't another way. One involving heroes and the other authorities. The shield looked back to her nervous meister before asking her to hold out her arm.

Once done, El transformed to her weapon form. She then resonated with Melissa and told her to look out the window. The inventor meister was befuddled but went along with her weapon's request. And as she gained El's unusual Soul Perception, she could see the fear, worry, of the civilians. Some who were hoping to see their missing children.

And she could also see the apathy neglect and other issues with the heroes and police of the city. "The DWMA acts as the world's police force. Because of Lord Death, we act as the accurate and impartial protectors of the world. Stopping and limiting these actions as needed." El says within her soul space.

Melissa sighed before asking what her partner and sister had in mind. The main plan was mostly to seem like a pair of rich party girls who were wandering various cities and clubs. While using El's Soul Perception to get an eye on their targets.

With both of them going out for a few days and nights to enjoy the sights and sounds of the city. Though it was starting to take it's toll on Melissa after the third day. "How are you not dealing with a splitting headache?" Melissa asked while leaning back on her bed.

"You just need to use your soul a bit more to compensate for the pain." El signed while putting up another set of pictures. And then noticing something very important. There was a common group of thugs in the background of a few of the pictures.

She smiled before signing to her partner that they should have their targets soon. "Good. I don't know how much more I can take. So…. I'm guessing we act like the usual ditzy blondes and let them get close?" Melissa said.

El nods before signing, "yeah. Then we'll take them out when they try to take us." The golden eyed girl takes her time to get another set of skimpy dresses out as camouflage. Melissa though has a different thought.

"You said that we were the world's police right? Then why don't we try to get to more of the root of this matter. And go after the bosses?" El seems surprised at first but then smiles before asking what Melissa had in mind. "We don't take them out right away. We wait until they have us close to the main hideout. Then we can save the others."

El's smile widens before agreeing with Melissa's idea. Helping her refine the ability to push out or resist influences with her soul. "We'll need it for this. Now let's put on a show and save some people," she signs while slipping into her tight silver dress.

Melissa sighed while putting her own light blue somewhat revealing dress on. They were fully dressed up and ready to bait. Especially when they made their way to one of the bars and El quickly drew the eye of all the people in the room. Melissa was uneasy, but she was able to act well enough to make it seem like she was enjoying the loud music and lights again.

"Hey senorita! What's a pair of beautiful girls like you doing alone?!" a very attractive young man said from behind Melissa. His quirk only seemed to be a few goat horns on his head, but a little something Melissa had on her said otherwise.

She played along as she and El danced with the man's friend. An almost innocent looking person with hair that made him look like sheep. He sidled up to El and lost themselves in the music. Or that was what the duo believed.

El was subtle about it and she could see some of the intentions of the two. As well as a few other men in the club. Once the music changed, the two men escorted El and Mel to a table to rest. "What do you say we get some drinks?" the goat horned man asked.

Melissa went with him to keep an eye on him and the bartender. And confirmed something she picked up on with a special piece of tech. Once back at the table, she tapped El's leg to quietly resonate with her.

'The goat guy has some kind of quirk that lets him drug a person. He's probably kept it hidden because they only focused on his horns. I think he subtly secretes it,' she said in their mind/soul space. El nodded before asking if Melissa noticed the others around the club.

'Yeah. I figured we weren't the only marks. But there are a number of men being honey trapped too. Hard to say if we're all going to the same place.' El nodded subtly before reminding Melissa to use her soul to protect against the effects.

Right as the drinks touched their lips, both girls felt their heads go fuzzy. But a subtle flaring of their wavelengths let them push back the effects of the goat man's quirk. All the while pretending they'd had too much and were vulnerable.

They vaguely could feel their hands being tied as they were brought out of the club and loaded into a truck or van. El gently opened one of her eyes to get a better look at the targets. 'No doubt about it. These are all ones on the list and needed to be taken down,' she thought while smirking.

The pair ride for what felt like an hour before stopping a distance outside of town. Once there, El quickly transforms and attaches herself to Melissa's arm. "We got some good looking ones tonight. They always fall for your pretty face and my innocent fluff. Without even realizing that we've done something to their drinks without them knowing."

"Oh I wouldn't be so sure." Melissa said as they villains opened the back of the truck. She steels herself before punching forward with El's full weight. And decapitating the villain who drugged her with the edge of the shield. Before the fluffy man can raise more of an alarm, Melissa punches him in the stomach to knock the wind out of him.

And then takes his head off with a soul resonance boosted uppercut that would make her uncle proud. One of the other girls groans a bit as she finishes the first two villains off. And sees Melissa tear her dress while taking down the villains in the other truck. Snapping necks and taking off heads with the sharpened edge of Eldora's weapon form.

One villain bulks up on her and tries to overpower the girl, but she makes use of El's other abilities and sets the edge of the shield on fire. Burning her hands before knocking the villainous woman to the ground. And using El to bash her face until the woman stops moving.

"Stay away!" the girl who was waking up says in Spanish. El translates before helping Melissa to tell what was going on. "You need to get the others out of here. Contact the police and heroes for help. Preferably ones with less rumors about them." Melissa said while cutting the ropes on the girl's wrists with El.

The young woman asked what Melissa intended to do, but the direction she was looking said enough. She was glaring at a large mansion. One that housed a number of souls within that she could see. Many were scared, others were almost broken beyond help. And the worst were the ones who were gone or were abusing those who were captive.

The young American meister gripped her fists before taking a breath to steady herself. Her soul flaring and the hidden aspect of it growing to spread out from within. She adjusted El's straps before asking if she was ready. "You know it. I'll follow your lead sis." El said within her soul space. Melissa nodded before making her way toward a side entrance to the complex. One that seemed to be under guarded and took aim with El.

She calculated the patterns to attack and threw her weapon as hard as she could. Decapitating one villain with the initial throw and then it bounced around to kill the second guard. Once El returned, Melissa took another look with the linked Soul Perception and noted that none of the others were moving their way. While also noting something odd around the door and in the hallways. There seemed to be almost root like protrusions scattered throughout the manor.

"Okay. Let's be quiet about this. Or at least as quiet as a shield can be." Melissa said while sweat dropping at the slight ridiculousness of what she was doing. She shakes her head to refocus and makes her way inside and towards where she saw the more innocent souls.

But they weren't the only souls down there. She took out a few of the guards and freed most of the captives before asking them to quietly make their way up. While a few were making their way towards the alarms for the building. "Nice try. But I noticed you earlier!" Melissa quietly shouted before throwing El.

She didn't kill one right away, but the trio that had been moving to the alarms were each struck in the head by the shield. Melissa ran her way over before sliding in and smoothly slipping into the enarms. And then using the edge of the shield to take out the villains that were pretending to be captives.

The civilians were shocked by this, especially as the criminals turned into souls and El absorbed them. "Get above ground and out of here fast! I'll take care of the gang." Melissa says before running out. Not noticing that a captive was trying to warn her about the boss.

The girls make their way through about a dozen more goons. Each going down after efficient blows from the weapon. "Couldn't do this without you. Or really any other meister for that matter. Star might be able to output enough pure strength, but the others couldn't hit as accurately as you are to get the kills." El complimented Melissa.

This was done after they rescued a group of girls who had begun to be subjected to drugging before being shipped off. "Hold on," she said before grabbing one girl's arm. She feels out her wavelength before using her own to try and help fight off the effects.

"What? Who are you?" the girl asked as the muddying effects on her mind were fading. Melissa said it wasn't important and broke the cuffs holding her. She helped two others before telling them to get outside with the others. "I've got more to protect and save," she said before making her way to a different group.

This being some men who were being held and broken for similar uses or for pure physical labor. "Thanks missy. They didn't count on my quirk being a quick recovery and healing type," one said as Melissa frees him. He stands and makes his way over to Melissa.

Only to be met by the golden dragon etched upon El's surface with his face. "You really think I'm dumb enough to fall for that?" Melissa said with a raised eyebrow. The man snarled before trying to punch her and impacting the shield.

He breaks a few bones in his hand, but his quirk quickly repairs the damage. The two trade blows a few times, Melissa trying to finish the fight quickly with a set of blows to his head. But the villain quickly recovered from each of those while trying to trip her up.

Eventually getting it, literally, by pushing Melissa over some of the restraints that held the others. He went in and started choking Melissa. But the girl had one last destructive trick up her and El's sleeve. That being focusing her wavelength on El and causing fire to burst from the shield.

The man started screaming as his body was burning. Leaping off of Melissa and rolling to put out the flames. And not noticing the girl coming up behind him with the edge of the shield burning. "Even your quirk can't recover from this!" Melissa says while the light from the flames, that shifted to blue for a moment as she raised her weapon high, reflected off her glasses. And then cuts him apart with a few quick movements of El.

"That wasn't too bad. The rest of you good to move?" Melissa asked while some of the others were shaking out of their pains and mess in their system. A few recovered quickly and Melissa could tell they weren't villains and told them to get clear. "One soul left," she quietly said to herself.

In the top room of the manor, Melissa found a disturbing sight. A macabre forest seemed to be growing within. With skeletons hanging from the thorny trees all around. And the villain likely responsible for it sitting in the middle. With two more close to dead souls next to them, while making some branches that were holding the two away.

The villain in this case being an androgynous person with green and brown hair who seemed to constantly have a look of contempt directed at Melissa. As well as the two souls next to them. "So then…. Why don't you look like you're ready for me?" the villain asked while narrowing their eyes. Melissa's arms tremble with rage before asking why they would do all of this.

"Making some money is part of it. I make a decent amount with those idiots. As for this lot. I just want to remove more of the extremes when it comes to appearance. I was often teased and later mocked for looking like both a man and a woman. Let alone identifying as both. So if I remove the more obvious gendered people….. well I seem less unusual."

The villain's growing cruel smirk sent Melissa over the edge and she rushed forward with a thrust of Eldora. Only to be somewhat surprised when the branches of the trees around her quickly moved to intercept her attack. And then being surprised by sharp branches and thorns jutting out to stab at her.

But El was able to block and protect her meister with a flare of her wavelength. The villain stood before waving their hand to the side and making the trees around them move and protect them. "Okay. That's just great. But at least we've got something of an edge!" Melissa says before El lit her edge ablaze. And they were able to cut and bash their way through the overgrown trees.

But the villain wasn't worried and brings in more branches to attack the girls from behind. "That shield works great, but only in one direction. You seem to have a habit of focusing on what is right in front of you," the tree manipulator analyzes.

Melissa takes a stab from the branches to her back and side before rolling out of the way of the follow up attacks. At least until she's knocked to the ground by the trunk of another tree. They use the trees to burst out of the top of the building and look down on Melissa and the city in the distance.

"They looked down on or mocked me before. But I'm the one looking down on others now," they said before launching attack after attack at Melissa and El. The girl anticipates and evades as best she can. Blocking at times while also using her gadgets to try and get her moment.

Her thoughts are broken up though by a grunt from the area where the bodies had been laying. The larger man who had been laying next to the woman let out a small gasp before reaching for his fellow captive.

He set his hand upon her back and some light seemed to flow from him. El and Melissa saw this and could tell that the man's quirk was helping to heal the injuries inflicted by the villain. Who sneered before making the branches move to attack the pair.

Melissa's body started moving before she thought, and quickly put up a strong burning shield barrier around the two. "El! Increase the resonance! WE HAVE TO SAVE THEM!" Melissa said before shouting as more of the attacks kept falling.

Her weapon was more than happy to oblige and their souls flare. As did the flames that were covering the two victims. Shifting in color as Melissa's dedication increased and her focus sharpened. Starting as a normal yellow, gold, orange fire. Then shifting to blue silver like flames as her focus increased.

The man stays focused on his task and pulls the woman back from death. Before succumbing himself. But not before uttering a subtle "thank you" to Melissa as he closes his eyes. Above though, the villain was less impressed. "So it wasn't quite enough punishment to finish him before you arrived. I should have been more aggressive."

Melissa's eyes burn with rage as her soul swells and syncs with El's. The fires around her shield shift, glow, grow, and cause a white fire explosion that pushes back the trees and branches the villain was using to attack. And when the smoke clears, they were stunned by what they saw below.

From Melissa's back were wings. Burning wings that seemed to be a mix of dragon and angel. Matched only by the burning fire that seemed to be radiating from the meister's eyes. The villain snarls before trying to attack her and the victim again.

But just as they struck, Melissa moved herself and the woman out of the way. Namely by flying above them while holding their victim in a bridal carry. They weren't the only one to see this though. The others who were running or arriving to the scene saw what they could only describe as a burning angel, lit up by the moonlight behind her.

"No one looks down on me!" the villain screamed before launching attacks from the trees around them. Melissa flew down rapidly and left the survivor with the police before flying back up to take out her target.

Since she was outside now, while burning and cutting through the various attacks sent her way, Melissa noticed something important. 'Those trees aren't native. So that's it. They can only manipulate one specific type of tree and it wasn't even one that was local. So they couldn't be a hero!'

She laughed at what she figured out and that only infuriated the villain more. "You're dead!" they shouted while commanding the branches to grow and sharpen. But Melissa increases and refines the heat along the edge of the shield. While also evading with her wings.

"Take this! Blazing Retribution!" Melissa called out as she flew in at the highest speed she could manage. Coming at her foe like a white hot comet and cutting through all the branches they tried to defend with. Cutting the villain in half before setting the body ablaze while turning into a soul.

Unfortunately, Melissa couldn't keep up her resonance anymore and her wings extinguished as she started to pass out. Eldora transformed and tried to get Melissa to wake up. But they were saved by those who they had saved before. And each thanking the pair of girls rapidly in various languages.

While El smiled and felt pride in it, it didn't compare to the pride she felt in her adopted sister. Not just for taking more of a stand and winning against a dangerous foe. But unlocking something she suspected while looking with her Soul Perception.

Nodding before biting her finger and mixing their blood. 'I don't know for sure if this will work. But maybe the blood of this little dragon can help her get even stronger.' El thinks while getting under her meister's arm and walking back to the authorities. And the cheers of the people they protected.

Yes, the villain bit was out of left field and probably pretty lame. But I wanted to give Melissa some greater rage to want to take down a villain with everything she had. As well as showing off the piece de resistance of her soul. I'll get more into her Grigori soul in a later chapter. Because next it's time for Johari and Muwali to fight some monsters. Please review!