The Soul of a Hero

Chapter 13

Finally can do this. I wish I had been able to write this sooner, but I've had a consistent block on how to go about how Johari and Muwali. And I finally have more of an idea on how to do it within the myths of Australia, the world of My Hero, and the job of a meister weapon pair from Soul Eater. So on with the show.

(No POV)

Star hummed while Izuku was describing what he had experienced when resonating with Mary. He and Ming shared a look before the latter said, "it could have something to do with how long the witches had you. And all of the experiments they were trying to replicate."

"We know they idolized Medusa and the rest of the Gorgon sisters. Chrona may not have been taken by them, but I guess with enough perseverance anything's possible." Jon said while having mild flashbacks to his own time as a captive. One Ming helped pull him out of.

Izuku cleared his throat before asking, "what are you getting at? Is Mary okay or not?" The Death Scythe and her partner shared another look before shrugging. "I mean, she has the anti-magic wavelength so she negates some of the possible effects. I guess you two, three really, need to be careful when resonating." Star said before suggesting that the trio relax a little before classes.

"Classes?" Jane asked with some incredulity. "Yeah, Nezu has agreed to let you kids attend and stay here at UA. I'm not betting on us finding too many more Meisters and Weapons, but….." the elder Meister said before waving them off to get some rest.

The younger Meister though was wide eyed and a little happy at the prospect. 'It's not how I'd hoped, but I guess I am attending UA.' Izuku thought before excusing himself to check out more of the school. With his weapons running after him.

The elder pair though were taking some time to check in with Tensei and his training. "Seems like you're used to the being undead thing at least." Jon commented while the zombified hero was practicing on the UA Phys Ed grounds. Mostly by diving underground and coming back up a few times. Though it wasn't perfect as Tensei seemed to have minor panic attacks each time he tried.

After the fifth dive and jump, Tensei took a moment to gather himself. "Yeah I…. It's just a little terrifying to do. I'm getting better but I'd prefer it if I could be above ground," he said while drinking some lemonade his brother had brought him. "Sir Star? Is there no way my brother could be a hero like he used to?" Tenya asked with a downcast look.

"Sorry kid. Two things are in the way with that hope. First: those aren't his usual arms that had those jet things on them. Meaning, he no longer has that defining trait of your clan. Second: take a REALLY good look at him."

Tenya gripped his fists and looked over his brother once more. He had slightly more light in his eyes than when Jon had operated on him. But that light was mostly translated in body language. Tensei's eyes were blanked out and his skin was still a sickly purple color, with his lips stretched to consistently show some of his teeth.

The younger Ida sighed before saying, "I suppose you are right. But…. I just…. I wish.." The young man's thoughts were interrupted by his brother. "Tenya. It's okay. I can….. well live with not being Ingenium anymore. I just have to kind of get used to being Tensei this way now. For all that means." Tensei said with a melancholic pat on Tenya's shoulder.

He then leaps into the ground and tries to dig for a while and not have a panic attack. Tenya looks downtrodden and leaves the grounds despondently. "You know you could have been a bit less blunt about it." Ming said with a glint on her glasses as she adjusted them.

Star shrugged and said, "it doesn't change the fact or what has happened. All they both can do is move forward. With Tensei needing to figure out what the fully means for him." While observing, Ming's thoughts drifted towards Johari and Muwali. And what they could be up against in Australia.

"SERIOUSLY!?" Johari shouted after dodging a fifth monster that came out of a billabong. That being something that most of the locals couldn't understand and only related to as an old legend. It was reptilian like but also had fur like that of a platypus or other mammal. And had not only caused damage to the local wildlife but had killed a number of people in the Queensland and South Australia states too.

"They called these things Bunyips right?" Muwali asked before being thrown into the mouth of the monster. Chopping it to pieces from the inside out with his winds. After that was done, Johari collected the mutated soul left behind. "I think so yeah. I initially chocked it up to a villain or a group of villains. But this is different. And the appearance of this soul is the key."

Johari looked over the mutated and warped soul in her hand before passing it to Muwali. Once they were back at a ranger station to rest, she could let him in on some of her suspicions. "We're dealing with a witch again. Another one who likes to make monsters," she explained while rehydrating at a local town ranger station.

Muwali gulped before asking if she knew who they were up against. "I think we're dealing with Madea. And sadly, I'm not 100% sure that these Bunyips we've been killing are all just animals." Johari explained before pulling out a small mirror to call Lord Death.

A few of the locals were in the station and heard what Johari had said. While she was talking with the God of Death, they were interrogating Muwali about what would happen to all of them. And how the pair intended to stop the terror.

The boy was overwhelmed though and couldn't come up with the best responses to their questions. "The answer is simple." Johari said with a sharp look in her grey eyes. "We find her, we stop her monsters, and we take her out or make it to where she can't operate here anymore."

Her words do put the locals at some ease, but the few heroes and rangers suggest that they enact a curfew until the matter is dealt with. Johari agrees before asking for a map and gesturing for Muwali to come with her.

He cleared his throat before following his partner to a side room with some of their gear. "You're really comfortable with all of this," he said while shutting the door to the room. Johari looks back and notes, "it was standard training for those of us in the Intelligence section. And these skills are needed for a tracker like me."

After laying out the map, she circles the billabongs that the pair had been attacked and tries to match a connection to each of the various towns and ranches in the area. And Muwali suggested that they could use any missing person reports to discern who might have been taken. "Good idea. If we can get an idea of time and place someone was reported missing, then we could see a pattern."

But there weren't any real connections they could see. Even after three days of mapping and digging. "No missing persons; minor reports of missing animals, some wildlife being displaced; and the timings don't match up either. We're missing something. I just know it." Johari thinks aloud while looking over the map.

Muwali hums while looking at the data as well. Pondering the thought that maybe it wasn't a witch they were looking for. "It could be that we're dealing with a person with a quirk that lets them…. I don't know, smush together a few animals to make new ones? Or even just a crazy scientist."

"That thought isn't bad or wrong, especially considering what we fought at that USJ place. The problem is, I'm sensing magic. So it has to be influencing these things somehow." Johari says while getting up to get a drink.

While she is, Muwali caught something on the winds. The sounds of singing and the scent of a cooking fire outside of the station. "Waltzing Matilda~. Waltzing Matilda! You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me. And he sang…"

"Wait a minute. Maybe we've been looking at the wrong ones for who's been grabbed!" Muwali says as his eyes widen. Johari choked a little on her water and asked what her partner meant. "It's the same everywhere: no one looks at those who are homeless or similar. What if, they've been taking the, what are they called? Swagmen? And turning them into those monsters!"

Johari facepalms and admits she had forgotten about that. "It should have been obvious but I was too focused on the witch alone. Okay, so where do we go with this? It's not like they'll just give us a blinking light showing who the next victim will be."

The young weapon looked out the window and towards where he heard the swagmen singing. Smirking slightly and asking how comfortable she'd be among the drifting workers. Her flat face said she wasn't entirely up for this possible assignment. "But I gotta do it anyway," she said with resigned sigh.

After a quick disguise, and a transformation to hide in the canvas roll later, and Johari was among the swagmen a few miles from the town. "Really glad I put this fake beard on." Johari muttered to herself while snacking on some bread she had in her bag.

All the while, she was marking and remembering the soul signatures of each of the drifters at the little camp. Humming and watching as a few moved around the area near a billabong. And trying to ignore a few of the more disturbing sounds that some made when they went to the bushes.

"Oy! You the new one here?" one fellow said while bringing some coffee over to Johari. He had a dog or dingo like head that was kind of scruffy looking but seemed friendly enough. Johari coughed a little and pitched her voice down. Saying, "yeah. Just moved down this way from Yuendumu. Bit of a walk."

The dingo man hummed before asking what caused her to run towards there area. "Just…. Needed to get away from people around home," she lied before asking the man the same question. The heteromorph looked down and said it was similar for him.

"Not a lot of folks liked me being around. Thought I was calling dingos and whatnot because of my quirk," he said with a sigh. Then noting that a few ranchers didn't mind him given his nose and ears let him find lost livestock. But they wouldn't hire him long term for much the same reasons as those who ran him out of his home.

Johari looked down and wasn't sure on what to say in response. Sharing the coffee before asking if he'd heard of some other swagmen disappearing. "Been some rumors about that yeah. That and spotting several Bunyips all around."

"Several? How many are we talking?" Johari asked in worry. The man shrugged and said it varied from person to person. "Some blokes were saying they saw ten in Queensland, another down in Southern Aus said it was more like four. Not sure what it's all about though."

The Meister hummed before offering the canine man a bit of bread and cheese she had to keep up her cover. Who took it happily and let out a happy yip while eating. "Have you heard anything else?" she asked while trying to get comfortable.

The dingo man hummed with his mouth full before quickly swallowing to answer. "Not sure mate. And this part might just be me, but something's been smelling funny out here. And there's been a weird whistle on the winds at times. Though that could be that odd Shiela who's been cuttin' up them Bunyips."

Johari choked a little on her own food at hearing that but slid past and asked what he meant. But the man had little more to say than something smelled funny. He let out a yawn before giving the disguised girl "good luck" before calling it a night. "That is unsettling to say the least." Muwali said within his soul space. And Johari agreed with him.

But it wasn't the time to act. Johari tried to relax and rest her eyes in preparation for the fight that was likely to come. 'We just need to… wait and, why does my head feel fuzzy?' Johari thought as she heard a noise floating through the camp. She wasn't the only one who heard it, as the rest of the people in the camp suddenly had glazed over looks in their eyes.

Before it took over though, she reached for Muwali and tried to resonate with him. "Crap. Something's off with her. But I think I can sync up well enough to…." Muwali said within his soul space while trying to resonate as well.

She had started walking with the rest before Muwali's resonance manages to shake the control loose. 'Great, now I can't make a scene. Although, this could work to my advantage. Just need to play this right,' the Meister thinks while narrowing her grey eyes toward the front of the procession.

While she was walking though, she and Muwali noticed something important. "There's no magic drawing these guys. Whatever is pulling them, and was pulling you, is likely of a quirk nature. But that doesn't entirely explain the mixing and mashing we saw in the other souls."

"No it doesn't. But we might find out soon." Johari whispers. And find out they did. Near a billabong and under a few trees was a group of people. The leader of whom was a man whistling the tune that seemed to be controlling the various swagmen. While the others in the group had headphones or other equipment to cover their ears. Some looked like bruisers or other muscle enhancers, and one heteromorph brute with a crocodile appearance.

One of the victims seemed to shake out of the fog and tried to break away. Only to be broken by a blow from one of the villains. "Okay, let's avoid that. And take this fight onto our terms." Johari said before subtly slipping behind one man. Like a ninja she ditched her disguise and hid within the shadows of the trees and area.

Once there, she could see the trucks that the people were being loaded into and marked who were the first ones to target. "Ready?" she whispered to Muwali. He gave a thumbs up in his soul space before the pair moved in. The first was killed by the mambele knife to the head. Striking him in the side from his position driving the truck. The thug next to him noticed but was quickly silenced by Johari sneaking up behind and snapping his neck.

"It's kind of odd how comfortable you are doing that." Muwali notes before absorbing the two souls. Johari rolls her eyes before using him again to take out the other drivers. "Hey what's going on?!" the whistling man asked after the people he hypnotized had been loaded up and restrained.

Johari disappears into the shadows again and focuses her soul perception deeper. Spying how this "Pied Piper" apparently enjoyed controlling people in this way with his quirk. "What happened to the drivers? We need to get these mongrels out of here for the last delivery to that nutty Shiela."

"Ah c'mon boss. No worries about this. Maybe they just needed to use the dunny," the crocodile said before snapping at one of the swagmen who was trying to sneak out. "Well they better not take too much longer. That bitch is just as likely to use us for them experiments if we don' hurry up."

Johari narrowed her eyes at that and hoped they'd talk more about the matter. But that was doused by a call the boss got. "G'day. I said hello. Bloody Hell. Look we'll be right soon. We're just waiting on the drivers. Think they went to take a piss. Wha? Fair dinkum? Wait, what you mean? You're leaving us out in the woop woop?! Hey!"

The boss looked down at his phone before one of his goons asked what was wrong. "Bitch just cut us out and off! She ain't willing to send us the location to dump these bogans and get our pay! Something about, "being compromised". The Hell's that about?"

"Well it might have to do with me." Johari says over echoing winds. Before the razor edge and blades of wind fly all around the group cutting down a pair of thugs right away. When Muwali is embedded in a truck, he yanks on the soul thread connecting him and his Meister.

As Johari is pulled in, she builds up strength and kicks with all her might at the face of the whistling villain. But not enough to kill him, just enough to knock him out. She then pulls Muwali out and uses his winds to free the captives. "Run as fast as you can! Hurry!" she says as the ropes and chains fall off the swagmen.

The dingo man from earlier was surprised because he recognized her scent. But didn't say anything as he took her advice and ran for it. "C'mon mates! Let 'em have it you little ripper!" he says with a smile towards Johari.

The Meister slightly returns it before focusing on the souls before her. Each one had their own reasons for going along with this scheme, but none of them were that good. "Look out!" Muwali warned as the crocodile man was about to bite down on his Meister.

Johari jumped to the side and threw Muwali at the man. But the villain put his arms up and resisted the edge of the weapon. Knocking the mambele to the side and shouting to the others to grab it. Before charging at Johari with one of the bruisers.

She grit her teeth and evaded attacks left and right. Getting right under their haymakers to try and use some body and low blows to buy time. 'Especially since I can't use my soul to attack directly.' Johari thought after her kidney punch did nothing to the crocodile man.

For Muwali though, the grunts tried to pick him up and found it was harder than it should be. "The Hell? Ah rack off you bloody blade! How did that nipper lift this…. Thing?" The last one who asked suddenly found himself cut and bleeding from Muwali outputting a large amount of razor winds from his handle.

"I still can't do much as I am though. C'mon Johari! Get to me!" he said within his soul space. That was somewhat easier said than done. Her other attacks still weren't doing much damage or slowing her foes down. And she wasn't getting close enough to her weapon to really fight back.

Luckily, she had inspired a few of those she had saved. "Alright mates! Let 'em have it!" the dingo man shouted before a few of the returned swagmen came in and disoriented the villains with either quirks or just things thrown with quirks.

Johari's eyes were wide as a few of them ran in to help out. "I thought I said to run," she said as the big man and crocodile were pushed back slightly. "Deadset. But we weren't about to let some Shiela do all the fighting alone. And you look like you needed a hand."

The Meister smirked before thanking the dingo and running to her weapon. "You all need to get clear! This could get messy!" Johari shouted before resonating as much as she could with Muwali. Winds roiling and swirling around her as her soul started to grow. Muwali shivered within his soul space. Saying, "this is one of the highest resonances we've ever had!"

"Then let's make the most of it!" Johari says while holding up his mambele form. Running a hand along the blade while her eyes flashed. She brought her arm back and spun it around and around with her weapon in hand. Winds whipping and spiraling all around.

From those winds, she could sense the souls she needed to take out and which ones to spare. "Got them marked? Good. Eat this!" she said before getting a confirmation from Muwali. Throwing him and causing the windstorm to rush outward. One would think the attack would strike everything around, given the nature of wind. But thanks to Johari's peerless sight and control, Muwali was able to control the destructive winds he created to cut apart only those who deserved it. Leaving only the souls behind.

"The Hell was that?!" the crocodile man said while nursing a severed arm and leg. Johari whistles and says, "gotta admit. I'm impressed. Not that it'll save you though. Just so you know, I never was a hero. I had a mission. And you're linked to it. Goodnight." And with another strong swing, she ends the villain's life and collects his soul.

The swagmen were stunned, and the dingo man asked who she was. "I'm a Death Weapon Meister. You can relax for a bit Muwali. And explain some of what's going on." Johari says before tossing her partner into the air. The young man turning back to his human form to the shock of the swagmen.

She made her way to the leader she had knocked out and revived him. "Hey! Focus up here. And don't even think of trying that trick of yours." Johari said while pulling the villain's head up. And away from looking at her chest. Questioning him about who he was working for.

"Another crazy Shiela. Ya think ya could let me at least see something," the man said with a slight sneer. Johari punched him in the eye and reiterated her question. "Who was the witch that you were working for? And that's not a joke, what was her name?" Johari asked with a severe look in her eyes.

The man tried to say he didn't actually know his employer's name, but Johari called him out. "I can see your soul; I know you're lying. You know who she is. And listen, you are going to die one way or another. It can be quick by my weapon, or if you do manage to get away, she will find you and will turn you into a monster. That I'll have to kill later, or you may not survive the process of it's creation. So, it's your call. Give me her name and I make it quick."

She turned back and heard the audible gulp. "Fine. Guess if those are my only options. The bitch, or I guess you called her a witch, is named Mede-gaanckan!" right as he was speaking the witches name, the villain started to feeling searing pain all throughout his body. From the outside, Johari could see what looked like Greek letters and symbol carving into him and destroying his body. "Muwali!" she called out and he ran back to transform quickly. Slicing the villain's head off and ending the pain quickly.

From within his soul space, Muwali could sense his Meister's turmoil. "So, did you get a name from him?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. Johari let out a sigh and said, "unfortunately yeah. Medea. Another one of those witches who held me and your dad. I wonder how deep into this country she's dug herself."

"Damn. Lost out on my next shipment of test subjects. Ah well. I should be able to smooth a few other things over with some payouts and other results." Medea says while stretching her back slightly in the helicopter she was riding in. She had short brown hair and eyes that reminded some of a lizard. Or more accurate, her familiar a Komodo dragon. "We'll be landing in Canberra soon ma'am," the pilot said.

After landing, Medea dealt with the pilot to make sure no one would know about this excursion and made her way inside. Namely her office within the Australian Medical Council. Where she had hidden herself as an exceptional researcher and accomplished doctor. Providing many advances and various types of cures for the country and some of the world. Though all of it thanks to dangerous experimentation.

"Guess I'll have to put a hold on my monster making experiments. Funny to think that there are more some who can wield weapons here." Medea said before letting her long tongue out to sample the air. Subtly dabbing at her face to clean away the blood of the pilot after she had eaten him.

Yes, this is some somewhat esoteric terminology. But with going to Australia I couldn't resist using it. Besides, unless you look into it/watch some videos describing the song, I would bet most reading this don't know about the origin of Waltzing Matilda.

Back on track though, I wanted to introduce another witch as well as show some of Muwali's hesitations. Yes, he is up for doing what…. Is basically natural for him given he's a demon weapon. But he's still very out of his depth when it comes to the work of a Meister Weapon pair. So he's got some growing to do that doesn't have to do with eating souls.