Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was a beautiful day in Death City. The sun was laughing from the sky, there was a slight breeze keeping the desert heat at bay, and the students of the DWMA were trapped inside listening to a madman gleefully eviscerate animals. Every E.A.T. student was either close to vomiting with disgust, dropping off from the repetitive boredom of another dissection, or utterly horrified due to morality. Luckily today Dr. Stein had started with an already deceased animal, but there was still a whole sheep in pieces on a table, which was a tad bit disconcerting.

“Now class, let’s examine the eyes next!” Stein said with glee, holding up an eye and squishing it slightly like a bouncy ball.

“I’m going to be sick,” Tsubaki whispered. Liz nodded looking green.

Stein sliced into the eyeball with a scalpel, and held up the inner side, revealing a shiny, iridescent layer. “This backing behind the retina is called the tapetum lucidum. It is common in many animal species. It reflects light, which improves night vision. This layer is the reason why animal eyes seem to shine at night. Humans lack this layer, which is why our eyes don’t reflect light and why our night vision is sub par. Now, this tissue I’ve pulled to the side is…”

Stein’s insane rantings screeched to a halt as he noticed that a hand had raised, specifically Patty’s. The rest of the class perked up immediately. Rarely did anyone ask Stein questions during a dissection, and certainly not Patty, the girl who turned a test into a giraffe. She seemed genuinely confused and curious too, not like she was trying to distract Stein and postpone more autopsy discussion. 

“Wait, Dr. Stein,” she called out, “So, you’re saying that people don’t have those shiny things so their eyes don’t glow at night right?”

“Yes. And…?” Stein waited, intrigued, to see what she was getting at.

“But,” Patty turned around, “Kid how come your eyes do the weird shine thing?”

Kid looked up from his task of trying to wear down an eraser to be perfectly symmetrical. “Huh?”

“Your eyes,” Patty pushed. “When I get up in the middle of the night your eyes glow, it scares the sh- crap out of me.”

“Humans don’t have a tapetum lucidum,” Kid pointed out. “I’m not human.”

“Gross so you’ve got eyes like a sheep?” Black Star interjected, which snapped the class out of silence and into a variety of comments.

“Damn man, just when I thought you couldn’t get any weirder.”

“Oh yeah, I always forget that he’s not human.”

“God that’s so creepy.”

Kid sighed looking mildly annoyed at all the attention. He typically tried not to mention the fact that he wasn’t human, but every now and then it just had to come up. Kid didn’t mind being treated like a freak when it came to his love of symmetry. Obviously everyone else was foolish to not see its true beauty. However, the reminder that he wasn’t human, that he was different on a fundamental level from his classmates and friends, that he had innate responsibilities as part of his birthright, and that he would most likely outlive everyone he knew, wasn’t pleasant.

“Okay, okay settle down class,” Stein interjected. It seemed for a moment that Stein was living up to his ‘Professor’ title, but he was a scientist first and foremost. “So, reapers have a tapetum lucidum? That suggests that reapers have evolved to function in the dark. That and your enhanced strength, the raw power of your soul… Reapers… the true apex predator? Oh, what I could learn from dissecting-”

“Um, Professor you can’t dissect a student,” Maka sweat dropped while slightly raising her hand.

“Yes, yes, of course,” Stein replied, but there was still a manic glint in his eyes.

Kid shrugged. “As I’ve said before, if you could make it symmetrical, I wouldn’t be fully opposed to dissection, but my father has vehemently vetoed that.”

Liz spun around to face him. “... RIGHTFULLY SO!!!!”

“If it was symmetrical-”

“KID NO!!!”

“Fine, fine.” Kid sat back and started fixing his eraser again as the class started to calm down and Stein resumed his dissection. Black Star however, was silently fuming.

So Stein thinks Kid is some big shot huh? That he’s worth dissecting when the mighty Black Star is in the room? Apex predator? Him? He may be a god, but I eat gods for breakfast. He stared down at Kid, who obviously continued to not pay attention to class. Just you wait Kid. I’m gonna find your weakness, and I’m gonna take you down.

Liz meanwhile was having an entirely different crisis. Oh god, Kid isn’t human. Oh god, he’s a god, shit. I- I have a crush on a god of death. Well that’s fine, it’s just a crush right? It’s not like anything is gonna come of it right? I would never act on it. Besides, he doesn’t… It doesn’t matter. Focus Liz focus. You did awful on the last test do you really want that to happen again?

Patty, no longer intrigued, was doodling a giraffe with laser eyes.

Chapter Text

The few minutes before class started were usually fairly calm. Maka was always reading. Soul was always grumbling about how Maka made him come early and then would read which she could do at home. Maka would always respond with a swift chop to his head. Nothing unusual for the E.A.T. classroom and relatively quiet since the loudest (and as most agreed, most obnoxious) student Black Star was hardly ever early, even by a few minutes. Today, however, unfortunately for Maka (who was reaching a good place in her book), was different.

“YAHOO!!! I THE GREAT BLACK STAR HAVE ARRIVED!!! LISTEN UP YOU BORING PEOPLE TODAY IS THE DAY THAT I MAKE HISTORY- GAH!”

Black Star fell off Maka’s desk, which he had been using as a stage, with a giant dent in his skull. Two Maka chops and it wasn’t even 7 o’clock yet.

“Sorry,” Tsubaki added meekly as her mister shook himself out of a daze. Maka rolled her eyes in response, closing her book.

“Ahem, as I was saying, I, the great Black Star, have found a reaper’s ultimate weakness!” This caught the attention of the class, many of whom had arrived just now. Black Star climbed up on a desk again, not Maka’s this time, and continued. “I have done it! After days of painstaking research I will prove that Death the Kid is defeatable! I will destroy him without laying a single hand on him! I have discovered his one weakness, his kryptonite, his-”

Soul groaned. “Black Star, seriously, get on with it.”

“Right, can’t leave my audience waiting!” He dug through his bag for a moment before crying out, “BEHOLD!” and presenting a red apple.

His amazing reveal was met with confused glances and an awkward silence as the room stood frozen.

“Um… How is that going to defeat Kid?” Soul questioned.

Black Star looked at him like he was an idiot. “Apples are like drugs or alcohol to shinigamis,” he said with confidence. “After a few of these bad boys,” Black Star showed off the rest of his bag, filled with more of the fruit, “he won’t even be able to focus on symmetry much less any attacks coming his way!” Black Star beamed with pride at his amazing plan and amazing deduction while everyone else looked on, amazed at his stupidity.

“Black Star watched Death Note this weekend,” Tsubaki explained, “and in the show, Ryuk really likes apples so he thought that Kid might like them too-”

“No no no Tsubaki!” Black Star interjected. “This is not about me giving Kid something I think he’ll like, this is about me defeating him.

“I think it’s nice that he was thinking of Kid while we watched it.”

“To defeat him.”

“He really is trying to be a good friend.”

“A good arch-enemy.”

Tsubaki sighed, but before she could continue, the Thompson sisters and Death the Kid entered the room. While no one expected Black Star’s crazy scheme to work, everyone was attentive and eager to see just how bad it would fail.

“Hey Kid!” the assassin grinned wickedly. “Do you want an apple?”

Kid turned towards the blue-haired boy, who continued to grin like a maniac and was clearly up to something. “Um… Sure?”

Black Star triumphantly handed Kid an apple, who took it reluctantly, confusion written across his face. Once the reaper had taken a bite, Black Star’s eyes glinted evilly. “Do you want any more?” he asked before pulling out a whole bag of apples and thrusting them into Kid’s face. Soul sighed and Maka facepalmed.

“Sure, thanks,” Kid said, his eyes lighting up. “You sure you don’t want any?” he asked as he somehow managed to finish the first apple, core and all, in a single bite.

That action sent shockwaves through the class room, leading to a sea of dropped jaws, including Black Star’s.

“Uh- uh- no you can have them,” Black Star handed Kid the bag. The whole class watched as the reaper walked to his seat and continued eating apples like popcorn, never taking more than two bites for one. Only Liz and Patty seemed unsurprised, likely because in living with him, they had seen this behavior before. 

Black Star shook off the shock and went back into game mode. “You feeling drunk Kid?”

Kid looked up, seemingly unaware of the larger audience. “No. Why?”

“Aren’t apples like drugs for you or something?”

Kid’s eyebrow raised. “No, why would I-”

“Death Note,” Soul said, still a bit distracted by Kid’s inhuman way of eating apples. “He thought you’d be like Ryuk.”

Kid smirked. “Yeah because an anime’s depiction of a reaper is definitely accurate and not fictional at all.”

“But- but- you’ve eaten like ten already! So there’s gotta be some truth to it!” Black Star cried, grasping at proof that he wasn’t a complete buffoon.

“Okay I will give the show a little credit,” Kid responded. “My dad and I do both love apples, but I’m pretty sure Ryuk only eats apples in Death Note for ‘Garden of Eden’ symbolism.” He finished off another apple.

“You’re uh… you’re not supposed to eat the seeds Kid,” Maka added, looking concerned. “Especially not that many because-”

“Apple seeds have naturally occurring cyanide. Yeah, I know. That’s why reapers like them so much. We’re immune to poisons, but we can still feel their connection to death. For me, getting cyanide poisoning is kind of like pop rocks, so the small amount in apple seeds is just sort of tingly.”

Black Star groaned. His efforts had been for nothing! Kid was still an “apex predator” like Stein said with no weaknesses except his stupid symmetry thing.

“Thanks again Black Star,” the reaper said, shaking the assassin out of his thoughts. 

“No! This was not me being nice!”

“Seriously,” Liz added. “Kid rarely eats breakfast so thanks.”

“NO! I was trying to- this wasn’t-”

Patty chimed in, purposefully teasingly, with, “Wow, what a great friend.”

“STOP! I will defeat you Kid! I will find your weakness and prove to you and everyone here that I did not bring you apples because I watched Death Note and thought Ryuk was cool and made a connection between you two and- I- I am your arch-enemy!!”

Kid smirked again, patting Black Star on the shoulder. “Yep. You’re totally my arch enemy and definitely not one of my best friends.”

“Glad we got that straight,” Black Star mumbled before sinking into his chair. Tsubaki stifled a laugh at the sight of her sulking meister.

Chapter Text

“Kid!” Liz cried out as the kishin egg, Dexter Meyers, slammed the boy against the wall again. The brick behind him cracked and caved. The monster threw Kid across the darkened street and he tumbled on the asphalt. The reaper groaned, struggling to get up, and barely managing to prop himself onto his elbow.

“Gah!” Kid cried out in pain as Meyers pierced his back with a scythe-like talon, the blade cutting straight through, as the kishin tossed him aside again. This time however, his grip on the twin pistols loosened and Liz and Patty were sent flying without their mister. 

As the two clattered to the ground, Liz transformed back into human-form and scooped up her sister. By the time she stood up, her whole body trembling, the kishin was slowly approaching a motionless Kid. The creature laughed as he raised his talons again, ready to slice the already injured boy. Liz raised Patty, shaking, and fired at the monster. The kishin egg grunted and flinched slightly, but barely more than if he had been slapped. He growled as he turned, licking his lips as he eyed Liz. The girl gulped, talking a step back, but leaving the gun raised. They had already been fighting Meyers for awhile, but only direct hits of Kid’s soul wavelength had actually caused damage. The Thompson sisters may be able to fend for themselves for awhile, but Liz knew they wouldn’t be able to last forever.

“Hit ‘em again sis!” Patty called. Liz wasn’t sure if Patty was in denial about their odds or if she genuinely believed her own confident demeanor. The eldest sister fired again and again, but Meyers continued his approach, albeit slowly, grinning, his teeth dripping with saliva.

“Your souls will be scrumptious!” he cackled, red eyes gleaming as he shuffled forwards, each shot seeming to do less than the previous. Liz continued to shoot, backing up until she felt a wall. Fear crippled her and her knees would have given out if not for the brick behind her, that ironically was also her doom.

“With your souls, I will be one step closer to becoming a kishin!” Meyers rasped. “I will be unstoppable. I will-”

He was interrupted by Kid’s arms around his neck. The reaper was attempting to cut off the monster’s airflow. Meyers gasped and flailed, obviously not expecting the sudden lack of oxygen, stumbling before slamming his back, and Kid, into the wall of the alleyway. As Kid’s grip slacked with the impact, Meyers spun around and gripped Kid by the neck, holding him against the brick. With his free hand, the kishin clawed across the reaper’s stomach. Kid screamed as blood gushed from the wounds.

Liz fired at the monster’s head, and Meyers grunted before turning to face her, his arm holding Kid slacking slightly. Kid’s eyes filled with panic as he saw the creature’s head turn towards his partners. With a quick flash of claws Liz cried out, falling back with an injured arm, blood oozing from the lacerations. Anger flashed through her meister’s face and in a desperate attempt to shift attention back to him, Kid swung his leg out and kicked Meyers in the side. With a grunt, the kishin turned towards the boy again, scowling with annoyance. He had been injured and was slowing down, just not fast enough.

 Meyers tightened his grip on Kid’s neck, not only cutting off air flow, but also cutting deep into flesh. With his free hand, the kishin egg stabbed into Kid’s abdomen again, slowly raking upward towards the center of his chest, savoring the kill as he prepared to take his soul. Liz watched on in horror, her voice hoarse as she screamed. 

Kid met Liz’s eyes for a second, his face a mask of pain, before being overcome with focus as he struggled to raise his hand, grimacing as a bolt of energy shot forth and a skateboard suddenly appeared. Meyers laughed at the sight of it, continuing to slowly shred Kid.

“Hahaha really?” he chortled. “You’re about to die and you use the last of your energy to summon a skateboard?” He applied more pressure, both to the boy’s neck and chest.

“Beelzebub…” Kid choked out. “De- Defend,” and then he went limp.

Liz and Patty had known for a while that Kid referred to his skateboard as “Beelzebub” and even that he occasionally called it his “familiar”, but they never questioned it. Living with Kid had much weirder moments so they never bothered to ask. Now however, the girls realized why Kid’s skateboard had a name. It wasn’t a skateboard.

Beelzebub had shifted, transforming into a four legged creature that was very clearly not of this world. It was pitch black, so dark that the texture of its body was impossible to distinguish. Each foot of the moose-sized beast ended with three claw-like toes. The head and tail blended seamlessly into the body, which slowly narrowed down to the tip, almost resembling a leech. The head itself was eyeless and only contained a gaping maw with rows of conical sharp teeth, which were visible as it snarled. The ground around its feet crackled with black energy, like the kind that came from Kid when he summoned it. Beelzebub stood between Meyers, who was still holding Kid, and Liz, who was still holding her arm and her sister. The “skateboard” (or more accurately, the demon) howled and rushed Meyers.

With a yelp of surprise, and possible panic, Meyers dropped Kid and staggered back as the demon lunged at his arm, sinking its teeth into the gray flesh. The kishin hollered, staggering as he attempted to shake the abomination off his arm. Liz shook herself and rushed towards her fallen meister.

“Kid? Please, Kid,” she begged as she kneeled next to him. His eyes were open, but they seemed glazed and distracted. Blood soaked him and as Liz looked down at his wounds she saw what looked suspiciously like intestines through the cavernous gashes. 

Another yelp sounded from Meyers, this time clearly of pain, as Beelzebub sunk its teeth into his shoulder. Liz turned at the sound and watched as the demon ripped a chunk of flesh off the kishin, spitting it out before hissing.

Kid feebly tapped Liz’s shoulder, holding his palm out to her as she turned to him again. Understanding, Liz handed him Patty before propping him up on her shoulder, wrapping her good arm around him as he aimed her sister at the distracted monster in front of them.

The stream of wavelength bullets hit perfectly on Meyers’s wound. The kishin lurched backwards as the hits continued and Beelzebub went for his leg. By the time he fell he was dead, his rotten red soul left behind floating in the air. The second he dropped, Kid’s arm did too. Patty switched to human form as her meister’s eyes rolled back and his body went fully limp.

“Kid!” Liz cried, ignoring the pain in her own arm as she supported Kid’s back. Both sisters looked on with worry, unsure of what to do, horrified by the reaper’s injuries and filled with the knowledge that they had no idea how bad it really was. After all, if he were human, he would probably already be dead. A whimper from behind them startled the girls, who turned to stare into the eyeless face of the demon Beelzebub.

The weather wasn’t too hot for once, so the DWMA students who didn’t currently have assignments were hanging outside. Despite the constant chattering and Black Star’s usual antics, there was a relative sense of calm, which was shattered with the arrival of the big black demon.

Beelzebub bounded up the stairs and skidded to a halt in front of the academy, its gray tongue flopping out as it panted. In a scramble, weapons transformed and meisters prepared for battle with what any sane person would perceive as a threat. The sight of Liz and Patty riding on top of the creature weakened the chaos to confusion. The sight of the injured Kid they supported between them changed confusion to concern.

“Get help!” Liz cried out as the beast lowered its belly to the ground and the girls slid off its back. Kid was completely limp, his eyes closed and his chest and neck completely coated with blood. 

The sight of him unfroze Maka, who took off towards the Death room. She tossed Soul aside. “You get Nygus, I’ll get Lord Death!” The scythe transformed and was running as soon as his feet hit the ground.

Black Star and Tsubaki ran to the Thompson sisters. The assassin took Kid’s weight, allowing Liz to cradle her wounded arm close to her chest. Beelzebub nudged the unconscious reaper, whimpering slightly as the boy’s head lolled back. The creature perked up and turned as Lord Death approached, followed closely by Nygus, and Spirit. Soul stood next to Maka, who seemed shaken, having just told a god of death that his son was injured.

Lord Death scooped up his boy, gazing down at him for a moment before stating, “He’ll be fine.” His voice was steady, but the lack of his usual chipperness was worrying.

“These wounds look pretty deep sir,” Nygus skeptically.

“He’s had worse,” the reaper said solemnly, swarmed with the memories of Kid’s past incidents. “He just needs bandaging and some rest. Nygus, take care of the girls please.”

The nurse turned her attention to Liz’s arm, while the pistol’s attention stayed with Kid. Lord Death started to make his way to the dispensary but stopped for a moment to turn back towards Beelzebub, who was still whimpering slightly.

“Good demon,” he said. His tone conveyed genuine gratitude. Beelzebub raised its head proudly, its tail wagging slightly, before following the elder reaper inside.

Kid groaned, his chest sore as he slowly opened his eyes.

Liz! Patty! Kid sat bolt upright, suddenly completely awake, panic filling him. He quickly surveyed the dispensary and immediately relaxed upon seeing his weapons. The girls were sitting near his bed, asleep, propped up against each other. Kid winced as he saw Liz’s bandaged arm, but was thankful that there didn’t seem to be any other injuries between the two of them.

Now that he was relaxed, he noticed that his skateboard was in his lap. Beelzebub’s true demonic form wasn’t meant for this realm and he must have had to revert back while Kid was out. It would probably be months before it would have the energy to turn again. Thankfully, the form Kid had chosen for his companion would be unaffected. Kid thought about the day when his dad had given him the familiar, instructing him to give it a name and a shape. Kid had been four, and had chosen a flying skateboard ‘ because it’s cool ’ and the name Beelzebub ‘ because it’s the lord of flies, get it Spirit? It’s a flying skateboard…

Kid smiled at the memory, patting the board in his lap before retracting it into his hand with a burst of death energy. Staring at his weapons, seeing them sleeping peacefully and safe, he vowed that as soon as he was fully healed, his first stop would be the skate park. Beelzebub certainly deserved a treat.

Chapter Text

“I’M A WORTHLESS PIECE OF GARBAGE!! I DON’T DESERVE TO EXIST I SHOULD DIE!!”

In any other school, such comments shouted out in the hallway before class would be concerning, or at least startling. They would cause jolts of surprise and worried glances. At the D.W.M.A. such comments were met with eyerolls if any reaction at all. There wasn’t a single student left at the academy who didn’t know the sounds of Kid comparing himself to trash. They also knew that Kid was currently having a meltdown about something being asymmetrical, and that no one was better equipped to deal with it than Liz and Patty so why should they even bother.

By the time Kid and his weapons entered the classroom, he had calmed down.

“What was it this time?” Maka asked.

“Hair again,” Liz responded, sounding annoyed.

Soul shook his head in confusion. “Okay wait a minute,” he said. “You’re constantly freaking out about your hair Kid, but can’t you change it?” Several classmates, including Liz, shot him dirty looks as they predicted another possible meltdown, but Kid just sighed with defeat.

“Reaper bodies expel all toxins, which unfortunately includes hair dye,” he said sullenly.

“Well why don’t you just shave it off?” Soul considered it a fair question, but it immediately caused an uproar.

“Why would you tell him that!” Maka scolded, giving her weapon a swift Maka chop.

“Kid, don’t you dare shave your head!” Liz cried.

“Please don’t Kid, you would look so weird,” Kim added.

“He- hey! What’s wrong with a shaved head!” Ox stammered.

“Heh heh heh, bald Kid would be so funny!” Patty chimed in.

Kid held up his hands defensively in response. “Relax, I’m not going to. I’ve tried it before, it doesn’t work either.”

Maka looked confused. “What do you mean it doesn’t work?”

“The lines are part of my soul. When I shaved my head, they just appeared on the skin there, like tattoos.”

“Wait, when your bangs got cut, they didn’t grow back, like super-reaper fast, they took forever,” Patty pointed out. “So you would have had a shaved head for awhile, but we’ve never seen you with one.”

“Because I was twelve. And for the record, it was a mohawk, I didn’t completely shave my head.”

Black Star raised an eyebrow. “You? Mister wears-a-suit everyday? Had a mohawk? At age twelve?”

“Oh please tell me there’s pictures of that back home,” Liz teased, much more relaxed now that her meister’s current style wasn’t in jeopardy. Kid’s face started to turn red.

“I wanna see pictures of a tween Kid!” Patty giggled.

“Screw that, do you guys have any pictures of baby Kid?” Maka asked, already picturing how hilariously cute a pouty baby stacking blocks perfectly would be. 

Kid was now completely crimson. “No. There’s no pictures of me. As a kid, er, younger. None, we have none. Don’t go looking.”

A week passed before Patty invited Maka, Soul, Tsubaki, and Black Star over to Gallows Mansion. The group was surprised when Kid wasn’t home, but Patty merely grinned wickedly.

“He had to meet up with his dad. So we’ve got a couple hours to look through these,” she said holding up a box filled with tapes and scrapbooks. “Ready to see what Kid with a mohawk looks like?”

Liz gasped. “Patty! Where did you get that?”

“From the office,” she said, nonchalantly, plopping down in the living room.

“But- we shouldn’t look through- we’re not supposed to-”

Black Star pushed past her. “Heck yeah, where are those embarrassing baby photos?” The others rushed forward, curiosity pushing past any sense of respecting privacy.

Well… thought Liz. We don’t really know that much about Kid’s life before us… It couldn’t hurt too much… She sat down with the others as Patty opened a scrapbook.

“Oh my Death that’s adorable!” Maka cried while Soul and Black Star laughed. The first picture was of a tiny baby Kid in a dark gray onesie, gazing up at the camera with huge gold eyes. The subsequent pictures were also adorable, Kid crawling towards the camera, Kid cuddling a plush skeleton, Kid napping with a pacifier. There was also the occasional picture with Lord Death, who in one was holding a sleeping Kid in one massive gloved hand.

As they continued through the book Kid got older. A four year old Kid was showing off a picture of Lord Death that he drew. A five year old Kid was hanging upside down on monkey bars, grinning from ear to ear. A six year old Kid was holding a tarantula and laughing (Liz got a little squeamish at that one). A seven year old Kid was standing next to a perfectly constructed sand castle proudly. An eight year old Kid looked like he was having the time of his life in front of a birthday cake with a candle stating his symmetrical age.

“Hey, is it just me, or is Kid… happier in these than he is now?” Soul questioned.

“Yeah I noticed that too,” Tsubaki said, troubled.

“Well lots of people are more carefree and happy when they’re kids,” Maka pointed out, but she seemed perturbed too.

Liz looked down at a picture of Kid standing next to a skate ramp. “I’ve never seen him smile like that, except for symmetry.”

Wanting to get past the sudden mood shift, Patty flipped ahead faster, skipping several pages. “Aha! There’s the mohawk!” she said.

The picture she stopped on was indeed of a twelve year old Kid with a mohawk. The sides of his head were completely shaved while the hair in the center was styled up, but more fluffy than spiky. Sure enough, on the side of his head were three gray lines that did resemble faded tattoos. Kid was wearing a black jacket and a gray shirt, the metallic skull he now wore at his collar was hanging loosely as a necklace. Unlike many of the previous pictures, Kid was not grinning, but instead looked annoyed, glaring at the camera with his hands in his pockets.

As the book continued, Kid’s hair eventually grew back out to normal, but there was a new pattern in the pictures. Kid would either be annoyed, giving a slight smirk, or beaming with symmetry-induced happiness. There were no more happy-go-lucky playful shots.

“Huh,” Maka said, not wanting to fully voice the thought out loud, but they all knew what she meant. This was the Kid they were used to, ecstatic for symmetry, occasionally flashing a small smile for something else. 

After a while of continued flipping, they came across a blank page. There were no pictures on it, just a date scrawled at the top. The friends looked at each other, perplexed. It was a strange gaping hole before the next picture in the book, which was of Kid with Liz and Patty, a few days after they moved in.

“Wait, if this picture is right after we got here…” Patty started.

“Then a whole year is missing,” Liz finished. “I wonder why…”

Patty, not wanting to think about any possible sad reasons for a missing year in an otherwise full book, reached into the box and grabbed a tape. “Hmm… ‘Big trick age six’,” she read off the side, sliding it into the VHS. She didn’t have to say what they were thinking, that age six would still be “happy Kid”.

“Well hello beautiful,” a familiar voice chimed in as the video started and Maka groaned. The camera was pointing at a young woman and there was no doubt that Death Scythe himself was filming.

“You’re not even looking, Uncle Spirit! ” An annoyed voice called out.

“Oh right, sorry, sorry. ” The camera spun to reveal a young Kid. He was dressed in jeans, sneakers, and a skull tee. Under his arm was Beelzebub, the trusty skateboard looking the same as it did now. “Okay Kid,” Maka’s father continued. “Go ahead.”

Young Kid cleared his throat, standing up a little straighter. “Today I will perform a trick of my own design,” he proclaimed. “A trick that has never been seen before. A trick with a two-thousand-eight-hundred-and-eighty degree spin. A trick with an upside down kick flip. A trick with something even harder than a handstand. A trick-”

“That uh, really sounds like it requires a helmet,” Spirit nervously interjected.

“Relax Uncle Spirit,” Kid huffed. “Reaper skull, remember?” He knocked on his head as if to demonstrate.

“O-okay, but still… be careful please.”

Young Kid rolled his eyes. “Fine, fine. Anyway, as I was saying, this trick is gonna be awesome! Here it goes!”

The trick was awesome. After gaining momentum on a ramp, young Kid soared into the air, spinning around eight times before landing on the edge of the ramp on his hands, bending his legs and kicking his skateboard above him into the air. He then transitioned to holding himself up only by the tips of his pointer fingers, caught the skateboard with his feet as it fell back down, flipped forward, and skated down the ramp, skidding to a halt in front of the camera.

“Woohoo! Bravo! Well done!” Spirit called as Kid beamed with pride. “Your dad is gonna be so impressed when he sees this! ” The tape ended.

“Aww, little Kid was so cute!” Tsubaki cooed.

“Shit, that trick was awesome,” Soul added.

“I can’t believe my dad was ‘Uncle Spirit’,” Maka cringed.

“Kid can do a finger-stand? He’s been holding out on me!” Black Star griped.

“If you think that’s cool, you should see his tricks now,” Patty added.

“Do you think Lord Death ever saw this?” Liz asked.

“He did,” Kid answered.

“GAHHHH!!!!!” The group jumped, scrambling to turn around, their faces blue with mortification as they made eye contact with Death the Kid.

“H- How- How long have you been back?” Liz stammered.

“... A while.”

“...”

“...”

“...”

“Sorry Kid,” Patty squeaked.

Kid continued to stare, his face blank other than contemplation. Finally he walked forward and picked up the scrapbook. “You didn’t even get to the good ones,” he said calmly, flipping past the empty pages. He sat down with the others, positioning himself so they could see the pictures too. Realizing that they were not in danger of being torn into eight pieces, the others cautiously slid closer.

The newer pages were full of the trio of meister and weapons. One showed Patty messing with Kid. Another from Halloween captured Liz getting scared and Kid snickering in the background. Another commemorated their return from their first successful mission. As time passed in the photos, the rest of the group appeared. There were group shots from D.W.M.A. events and even a few of them all playing basketball. The last one was a picture of the seven, disheveled and exhausted, but relieved and triumphant, leaning on each other. They all recognized it as the aftermath of defeating the kishin Asura.

“You really think these are the best part?” Liz asked tentatively.

“You guys were the first friends I had,” Kid admitted. “And I’m really glad to have all of you.”

“Ugh, don’t get all mushy Kid,” Black Star said, pretending he hadn’t sniffled. “Don’t forget how lame you looked in a diaper.”

Liz found Kid in the kitchen, cleaning up a mess no one else could see. After the others had left and Patty had gone to bed, she had gone looking for her meister. “Hey Kid.” She knew better than to ask why he was still up. He would just claim that symmetry was in jeopardy, but she’d known him long enough to see through that. Kid was pretty uptight with his emotions when symmetry wasn't involved and tonight had involved a lot of exposure. He couldn’t sleep after that.

“Hey.” Kid turned towards her, still holding the rag he had been using to wipe away the invisible asymmetrical garbage. Liz clearly wanted to say something to him, so he waited for her to continue.

The pistol was unsure how she should proceed. Should she ask him about when he went from happy ball of sunshine to dark and brooding? Should she bring up the missing time in the scrapbook? Should she thank him for caring about her and her sister? None of the options seemed right. 

In a moment of impulsiveness, Liz pulled out her phone and swung her arm around Kid. “For the book,” she said. “Smile.” Before he could react, Liz pulled Kid closer and kissed his cheek as she snapped the photo.

Kid froze, going completely rigid with shock. Liz ignored the butterflies in her stomach and feigned confidence. “Yep, that’s a keeper.” She didn’t know how she was able to keep the shake out of her voice but she was grateful.

“Oh, almost forgot,” she added, grabbing her meister’s face again and kissing the other side. “Has to be symmetrical right?” With that, she turned away, trying not to sprint as her face burned, hoping he couldn’t see the red in her ears.

Kid felt like his feet had sprouted roots and latched him in place as he watched Liz walk away. She kissed him? She kissed him? She kissed him . Why? It was just on the cheek but, why? Did it mean anything? What would she have done if he had kissed her cheek? His thoughts were swimming in his head.

“Has to be symmetrical…” he muttered to himself. She had kissed both cheeks so he wouldn’t have a freak out, but, if he was honest with himself…

He hadn’t even noticed until she said it.

Chapter Text

“Come on Maka,” Patty chided. “We all know you’ve got a crush on Soul.”

“WH-WHAT?!?! OF COURSE NOT!!!” Maka shrieked. Luckily, there was no risk of Soul hearing her or the inciting statement. It was girls’ night at Gallows mansion. Soul and Black Star were hanging out, probably doing something stupid, and Kid was meeting with his dad and the Death Scythes so they had the whole place to themselves.

“Maka, seriously, we’re not gonna tell him or anything,” Liz added, trying not to laugh.

“I DON’T have a crush on Soul okay? He’s an annoying dumb idiot and he’s my weapon partner and we’re just friends and-” Maka’s face was beet red. She looked around, realized that none of her friends seemed to believe her, and resorted to throwing Tsubaki under the bus. “Well what about you?” she accused, pointing at the chain scythe, “You’ve totally got a thing for Black Star.”

Rather than defending herself, Tsubaki just hung her head. “Yeah,” she sighed. “I do.”

“Whoa what?” Liz cried, taken aback by the honesty.

“Hell yeah Tsubaki! Kick denial’s ass,” Patty cheered. 

Tsubaki was blushing, but Patty had a point. Why deny it? She was pretty sure everyone but Black Star knew anyway.

Maka grabbed some more popcorn from the coffee table. “Well… are you gonna do anything about it?”

“Yeah,” Liz goaded. “When are you gonna ask him out?”

Now Tsubaki looked mortified. “Are you guys crazy? I can’t ask out Black Star, he’s my meister, it would make things so weird between us! And he definitely doesn’t like me like that!”

Liz chuckled at her friend’s clear discomfort. “Oh come on Tsubaki, do you really think anything could make Black Star awkward? With all his self confidence?”

Maka gave Tsubaki a reassuring smile. “Look, worst case scenario, if you told him you liked him, and he didn’t like you back, he’d just see it as a boost to his ego.”

“Yeah, he’d be all like,” Patty climbed on top of the coffee table. “IT ONLY MAKES SENSE THAT YOU’D FALL FOR I, THE GREAT BLACK STAR!!!” she said in her best Black Star impression. The others burst out laughing, even Tsubaki relaxing a little.

Suddenly, the sound of a door slamming jolted all of them into a state of alertness. Soon a furious looking Kid was walking past the living room where the girls looked on concerned.

“Kid? You okay?” Liz asked.

“No!” The reaper was pacing back and forth now. “He had me leave the meeting! Sensitive information? What can he tell the Death Scythes that he can’t tell me? Why even call me to the meeting in the first place then?” Kid was pacing faster and faster as he talked, his voice raising, clearly not registering who, if anyone, was listening, but just ranting. “He makes me come to this meeting, and then he just kicks me out! You’d think, you’d think that after I didn’t tell anyone about Asura before the anniversary, after I retrieved the magic tools for him, both the eternal spring and the key, after I fought the fucking kishin, he would trust me!” Kid was practically shaking. “But no! He just ‘Kiddo, why don’t you go home now?’ the second Asuza asks about his plans for securing the magic tools! The ones that I HELPED GET!” Kid’s impression of his dad was incredibly spot on, uncanny even.

As Kid paced and ranted, the girls looked on, their eyes following him back and forth like they were watching a tennis match. It was hard enough to comfort a friend having family drama, but when that family was literally Death himself, there was a whole new layer to it. “Um, I’m sure it’s not that he doesn’t trust you Kid,” Liz timidly interjected.

“Then what?” Kid demanded, frustrated. “He’s always kept things from me, that bastard!” At this point Kid’s pacing resulted in him walking up to the wall, and then walking up the wall.

“I mean, he’s always doing things like this!” Kid huffed, completely oblivious to the dropped jaws of his onlookers, or even the fact that he was currently pacing onto the ceiling. “He acts like he’s finally going to include me in ‘adult matters’ and then he treats me like a fucking little kid again!” 

“Uh… Kid?” Maka sputtered. “You’re, uh…”

Kid broke out of his rant. “What?” In turning to look towards her voice, he realized that she was upside down, and that the others were too, which meant that he was upside down. Looking down (up) at his feet, he registered that he was standing on the ceiling, held in place by inky black shadows. “Oh.” He casually walked back down the wall, the shadows dispelling as his feet hit the floor. Only then did he take in the shocked looks from the girls, and fully grasp the fact that he had had an audience.

“What the- How did you- You can just DO that?” Patty managed to force out.

“Y-Yeah,” Kid tried to shake off some of his anger. “Reaper thing, I guess.”

“Have you done that before?” Liz questioned.

“Not in awhile honestly. But yeah, I used to walk up the walls all the time when I was little. Spirit said he hated babysitting me because I’d crawl up the wall and he’d think he’d lost me.” He said, still riding the waves of rage. “Reaper abilities tend to come out more when I’m… emotional.” Kid’s face went a little red, embarrassed now by his earlier outburst.

Liz gave Kid a sympathetic smile. “I know your dad frustrates you a lot, but I’m sure he doesn't mean to. Why don’t you talk to him tomorrow? He told you about the kishin when you confronted him about it, maybe he’ll at least explain why he doesn't want you to know.”

“I- I doubt that he’ll…” Kid looked at Liz and sighed. “Yeah, okay, I’ll try that.” He didn’t believe it would work, but Liz was trying to help, and he wanted her to know he appreciated it. “Sorry I interrupted girls’ night. I’ll be in my room if you need anything, but please, carry on.” He straightened his jacket and started to leave the room.

“Wait Kid, real quick,” Patty called out.

“What?”

“Tsubaki likes Black Star. Thoughts?”

“P- Patty!” Tsubaki quavered.

Kid froze for a moment, thinking deeply before answering. “Yeah, obviously. The only reason Black Star doesn’t know that is he’s completely oblivious. Tsubaki, you should tell him. He’d immediately want to go out with you.”

“You, you really think so?” Tsubaki asked nervously.

Kid nodded. “No doubt, you are literally the only girl who can put up with him. If he says no, then I’ve been giving his intelligence too much credit.

As Kid left, and Patty and Maka started giving Tsubaki possible ways to get her clueless meister to realize she liked him, Liz watched her own meister leave. 

Black Star’s not the only one who’s oblivious Kid, she thought.

Chapter Text

“Look out!” Maka called, just in time for Black Star to duck out of the way of the blast.

“Hold still you brats!” the kishin egg Rosemarie Black cackled, waving the scepter again, sending a blast towards the trio of meisters, who managed to avoid it once again, but barely. One kishin would have been manageable for a single student, but one who had a powerful witch weapon like her would take all of them.

“A direct blast from that thing..” Kid mused. “Would probably not be good.”

“Don’t get hit, got it,” Maka gasped, tired from the constant swerving.

Black Star huffed. “Well we can’t just keep dodging! I’m gonna take this bitch out!”

“Black Star wait!” Maka cried, but the assassin had already taken off running. 

“Dammit!” Rosemarie screamed, narrowly missing an attack from Black Star, and narrowly missing an attack on him. The assassin flipped forward, taking a swing at the kishin. “Gah!” she cried, leaping aside. “Why you little- oof!” A blast to the face from Kid knocked her back. She reared up in rage, aiming the scepter directly at Kid, the bolt of energy heading straight for him.

Time seemed to slow down for Kid as he calculated the impending doom. He might have time to jump out of the way, but he and his weapons might still be caught in the edge of the blast. He would have time to throw Liz and Patty far enough away that they would be safe, but then he wouldn’t be. The second the two options had crossed his mind, he’d made it up. Kid chucked the twin pistols as far as he could, just in time for the energy to send him flying backwards in a flash of brilliant, blinding light.

“Kid!” Maka screamed!

Earlier that morning…

“Okie dokie everyone, I have a special assignment for your team,” Lord Death announced in his cheery voice to the seven students gathered in the Death Room. “Recently, a powerful ancient artifact has resurfaced. You see, back when Eibon was creating magic tools, the witch Pandora attempted to create magic tools of her own, and while not as powerful as Eibon’s, they are still very dangerous. When Pandora died, she sealed her creations in a secret tomb, but reports have come in that her scepter has been spotted in the city of Vanmire. The kishin egg, Rosemarie Black, seems to have acquired it. Your mission is to defeat the kishin egg and recover the scepter.

“Hell yeah, we got this!” Black Star declared.

“We won’t let you down sir,” Maka piped.

“Now be careful,” Lord Death warned. “We don’t know what the scepter can do.”

“We will Dad.”

“Kid!” Liz screamed, running towards the debris, seeing no sign of her meister. “Kid are you okay!” she called frantically.

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” Kid responded. He stood up from the rubble, covered in dust.

“I’m not!” Kid huffed, pulling himself out of the chunks of building around him. “There’s more dust on this sleeve than the right one!”

“Relax, it could have been worse,” Kid added, brushing himself off.

“Yeah, we could’ve died,” Kid chimed in.

Liz stumbled back in shock. “Uh- uh- uh- what? Kid?”

“Yes?” a chorus of Kids responded, turning towards her.

“What the-?” Black Star yelped. “Who are all of you and what have you done with Kid?” he demanded.

“Wait!” Maka activated her soul perception. “That- That is Kid!”

“Which one?”

“All of them,” Maka gazed in disbelief at the multiple Kids. “Each of them has a piece of Kid’s soul. All seven of them are Kid.”

“Eight, actually,” one Kid commented, scratching his chin in thought. “Okay. It seems that the scepter of Pandora has separated ‘Death the Kid’ into fragments. Hmm… This will get confusing, unless… Aha! Got it!” He snapped his fingers and suddenly was wearing the outfit Kid wore for parties sometimes: a dark shirt, a necktie, and suspenders. He had also added a pair of thick framed black glasses. “There, that should make things easier. You’ll need to be able to tell us apart.”

“Um,” Soul interjected, having transformed back into human form. “Wait, what is going on, exactly?” 

“Well,” glasses Kid responded, “It seems to me that the scepter has divided Kid’s soul into the main aspects of his personality. I am Kid’s logical side, his intelligence. I guess you could say I’m Kid’s voice of reason. Hey! Reason! You can call me Reason.” Reason turned on his heels towards the others. “Okay everyone, introduce yourselves.”

“Yes, yes of course,” another Kid stepped up, now wearing Kid’s white formal wear from the night of the D.W.M.A. anniversary. “I am Order. I’m in charge of keeping everything neat and tidy and symmetrical and-”

“And you need to lighten up,” a third fragment interrupted. He was wearing the black jacket, jeans, and red shirt that Kid always wore to play basketball. 

Order glared. “I see you’ve chosen to wear that asymmetrical shirt again D.K.! How many times have I told you not to pick that shirt!”

D.K. shrugged. “I’m the cool, impulsive side. I do what I want.” Order practically growled.

“If I may,” the next fragment cut in, facing Maka and the others. He had donned a black vest, a gray bandanna around his neck, and had rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt past the elbows. “I am Valor, Kid’s bravery and heroism. I’m also the gunslinger of this here group.” He tipped his black cowboy hat towards Liz and Patty, who were still standing frozen with their jaws on the ground.

The next Kid looked at his friends sympathetically. “Sorry guys, I know this is really confusing.” The Thompson sisters recognized his outfit as the one Kid usually wore around the house, white dress shirt untucked and hands in his pockets. “I’m Kindred by the way.” He looked almost embarrassed, avoiding eye contact with Liz.

Reason took over. “He’s in charge of all of you, well, of keeping our friends and family safe and happy. He deals with all of those uh… Emotions.”

“And he sucks at it.” This Kid looked terrible. He had the usual outfit, but it was in complete disarray. The jacket was torn up and open. The buttons of the shirt were undone at the top and were off by one at the bottom. His hair was a rat’s nest. 

D.K. rolled his eyes. “That’s Enmity. He’s the self deprecating side, the one who calls us all garbage.”

“You are all garbage.”

“ Asymmetrical garbage,” Order chimed in.

Maka hesitated. “Uh, what about that one?” She pointed at the last Kid, who wore a black cloak and a mask like Lord Death’s, and was staring at the students silently.

“That’d be Reaper,” Valor answered. “He doesn’t really talk. He’s not human, you see. Well, technically none of us are, but he’s the most not human.

“Wait wait wait,” Black Star shook his head. “You said there were eight of you? But there’s only seven.”

“No no no!” Order cried. “It can’t be seven! It has to be eight instead!”

“Calm down,” Enmity huffed. “I’ve got the last one.” He raised his hand, holding a chain which dragged across the ground. “I’m keeping him on a leash for this.”

“What?” Patty scratched her head at the seemingly empty chain.

“Oh, that’s our dark side,” Valor said, gesturing to the unoccupied shackle.

“But- there’s no one there,” Tsubaki said, confused.

Kindred smiled sadly. “That’s nice of you to say.”

“No really-”

“Anyway,” Reason interrupted. “Where’s the kishin?”

“She got away,” Maka said.

D.K. scoffed. “What? You guys didn’t defeat her?”

“Hey, she only escaped because we were worried about you man!” Soul barked.

Kindred smacked D.K. on the back of the head. “Be nice to them!”

“Okay okay,” Reason declared. “We need to find that kishin. She still has the scepter, which I hypothesize could be used to reverse this fissure and return us to our normal state as one entity.”

“Well, she couldn’t have gotten far,” Tsubaki said hopefully.

Valor perked up. “Then what are we waiting for? Let's go get that sidewinder!”

“Maybe you guys should, uh, stay here,” Maka suggested.

“What? And miss all the action?” Valor whined.

“She’s right,” Reason affirmed. “We’re not exactly at full strength, split into pieces like this. The good news is, a kishin was never meant to wield one of Pandora’s creations. She should be weakened now, and the scepter itself likely needs to recharge. You four should be fine without us.”

“Yeah, don’t worry Kids!” Black Star proclaimed confidently. “We’ll get you put back together.”

“I have complete faith in you guys,” Kindred beamed. “Please be careful though. I don’t want any of you getting hurt because of us.”

“Yeah, you just hang in there man, uh, men,” Soul said. “Liz and Patty, you two should stay here with him, er them, er whatever. We’ll track down the kishin and bring the scepter back to you.”

“We don’t deserve your help, you should leave us to die,” Enmity mumbled.

“Hey, don’t say that,” Liz responded with worry.

Kindred turned to Enmity. “How many times do I have to say it? Keep the self deprecating comments between us! It makes our friends sad!”

“No! Don’t say them at all!” Liz protested.

Reason blinked at her. “But they’re accurate.” Liz looked distraught, and Kindred smacked him on the arm. “Ow! Um… Anyway, you all need to hurry. I fear that our soul can’t handle being spread so thin for long.”

Maka nodded seriously, grabbing Soul as he transformed. “Alright, Liz, Patty, you two keep an eye on them. Black Star, we’d better get going.” The scythe meister and the assassin took off, leaving the twin pistols with their meisters.

“Ugh! This is so boring,” D.K. groaned. “We’ve been sitting here for forever!” He’d be practicing skateboarding the whole time Maka and Black Star had been gone.

“Technically, we’ve been sitting here for 36 minutes,” Reason interjected, adjusting his glasses.

“It sure feels like forever,” Enmity scowled.

“I’m with Cool Kid,” Patty declared. “How long are they gonna be gone?”

“I’m sure they’ve almost caught her,” Liz reassured, but she wasn’t confident. “Just be patient.” 

Patty and D.K. groaned in sync before resorting to passing a rock back and forth. Valor was practicing fighting moves with Reaper, who still hadn’t spoken a word. Order was crying on the ground over having to stare at so many copies of the infamous asymmetrical hair while Reason alternated between calmly listing symmetrical things and angrily listing reasons that asymmetrical things shouldn't bother them. Enmity was sitting off by himself, occasionally calling out criticisms to the others and always keeping a firm hold on the seemingly empty chain, scowling at the end of it. 

“How are you feeling? That’s your department right?” Liz asked Kindred, who’d been fairly quiet since the others had left.

“Huh? O-oh, yeah, um, I’m good, well, not ‘good’ per se but you know, not bad or anything…” He avoided eye contact with her, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

Liz frowned a little. What’s up with this one? “So, I guess I should thank you.”

“What?” He finally turned to her, confused.

“For choosing to partner with me and Patty. You’re the side in charge of Kid making friends and stuff right? So… thanks.” Now she felt awkward. They’d fought mummies, werewolves, witches, and the kishin himself and she chose now as the time to finally thank him.

“Oh, well actually I can't take full credit for that,” Kindred blushed. “That was a decision every part of Kid agreed on.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Reason pointed out the advantages to creating our own death scythes, Order loved that you two were symmetrical, Valor was happy to be a true gunslinger, D.K. thought you guys ‘seemed cool’, Reaper thought interacting closely with humans would be interesting, and Enmity wanted someone to call us out on our shit.”

“What about you?”

Kindred turned beet red. “I, uh, I… well actually… when we first met you guys… well you… I, um, uh-”

“NO!” Reason tackled Kindred to the ground, covering his mouth. “We’ve been over this!” Kindred responded angrily, but it was too muffled to make out.

“Guys, guys!” Patty interrupted. “I think we have a big problem.” She pointed at D.K., whose form was flickering slightly and whose face conveyed exhaustion.

“Oh no, it’s started,” Reason said solemnly, standing up and gazing down at his own hand, which was also fading in and out of visibility.

Liz’s eyes widened in concern. “What’s starting?”

“Like I said earlier, our soul is being strained right now. We’re metaphysical beings of consciousness given physical form. I doubt that a human soul could even withstand that kind of stress for a second. The scepter was probably intended to shatter souls, but being wielded by a kishin and not a witch and being used on a reaper and not a human, the result was weakened. That being said, even we can’t take this forever. We need to rejoin now, or Kid could cease to exist.”

D.K. went more solid again for the time being, standing up straighter. “Guys, don’t you think Maka and Black Star are perfectly capable of taking down a kishin egg quicker than this?”

Kindred’s face went pale. “Something must have happened.”

“Well now we need to go rescue them,” Enmity stated firmly, tightening his grip on his chain. “Nobody should die for our sake.”

Suddenly, Reaper perked up and pointed past the group. “ I  S E N S E  D E A T H  A P P R O A C H I N G .” The voice was bone chilling, even without the meaning behind it.

“They’re in trouble,” Kindred quavered.

Valor straightened his hat. “Well then, let’s wind up this business once and for all. Patricia, Elizabeth, if you’d kindly oblige.” He held out his hands, trigger-pinkies at the ready. “Death the Kid can’t go into a scrap without the Devils of Brooklyn.”

Maka groaned in pain, struggling to look up. She managed just in time to see Black Star being blasted back, smacking against a wall with enough force to form a crater in the brick. Rosemarie Black lay dead nearby, having been quickly defeated by the group of kishins who had ambushed them. There were at least twenty soldiers, each wearing black tactical gear, their faces covered. A witch stood silently overlooking the scene. Maka couldn’t make out many features. She was wearing a long black cloak, her long black hair slinking out from under a sandogasa. Her face was obscured completely with a white mask with compass star eyes and a tall red smile.

“Should we finish off the students, mistress?” one of the kishin soldiers snickered. The masked witch nodded, turning away and disappearing with a flourish of her cloak. The kishins cackled as they approached the meisters. Black Star was barely conscious and Maka wasn’t much better off. She clutched the scepter she’d managed to take closer. If they lost this, they’d lose Kid. Tsubaki and Soul quickly transformed, standing over their partners, blades at the ready.

BANG BANG! The shots fired at the kishins’ feet. They hopped back, confused, and turned towards the source.

“Looks like we’ve got some bastards to knock galley west boys,” Valor grinned, Liz and Patty still smoking in his hands.

D.K. smirked, cracking his knuckles. “Yeah, you fuckers are going down.” The crowd of Kids stood side by side, which was certainly bewildering to the kishin mob. 

“What the-” The kishin never finished his sentence because the Kids jumped into action. Valor continued firing. D.K. summoned Beelzebub, kick-flipping directly into one of the kishin’s faces. Reason was able to calculate the moves of his opponents, dodging in such a way that they fell over themselves. Reaper used shadows to toss goons past him, his hands staying at his sides, his mask still void of expression. Order, upon realizing that every kishin had a badge on their left shoulder and not on their right, was going berserk and screaming about symmetry.

“Are you guys okay?” Kindred worried, kneeling down next to his friends.

“Y- yeah, I’ll be okay,” Maka managed, Soul helping her sit up.

Tsubaki had her meister’s head cradled in her lap. “Black Star’s unconscious, but he’ll be alright.”

“We’re not strong enough!” Reason called out, weaving under a kishin’s arm. “We’re not at full strength if every side isn’t fight-” he was cut off by a blow to the chest. His form, like the others, was beginning to flicker again. It wasn’t long before each Kid had been tossed aside. Valor had suffered a serious blow and Liz was now wielding Patty.

“Enmity! Get in there!” Soul shouted. The disheveled Kid had been standing off to the side, away from the fight, instead grumbling criticisms at the others.

“Can’t, I have to keep an eye on him,” he held up the empty chain.

“Kid, listen to me,” Liz pleaded. All around her, versions of her meister were going down. “Your ‘dark side’ isn’t real. There’s nothing there. You think you’re a monster, but you’re not! You’ve convinced yourself you have an evil part of you, but you don’t! You- ah!” Liz barely dodged a swift blade from a kishin.

Every Kid was down, except for Enmity and Kindred, and now the thugs were turning on the others. The emotional Kid looked torn, his eyes darting to each of his friends. Black Star was waking up, but he was in no condition to fight, Maka looked like a strong breeze could out her down and out for the count, and Tsubaki and Soul couldn’t fight this many solo. “We- we don’t have a choice,” Kindred quavered.

“What?” Enmity turned towards his counterpart.

“We don’t have a choice,” he repeated, this time with more conviction.

“Kindred-”

“They’re in danger!”

“Kindred don’t!”

“I have to!” Kindred rushed forward, ripping the chain from Enmity’s hand and tossing it to the ground. For a split second, nothing happened, but then the chain shot forward and a kishin was slammed into a wall by his neck.

At first, they could only make out a faint outline, but as the kishin gasped for breath, the figure’s form became more clear. It was another Kid, there was no doubt about that, but he was so unlike the Kid they knew. He looked like some sort of shadow, skin tinted gray and dressed in black. His eyes were a glowing blood red and gleaming with malice. He grinned with manic glee, teeth like razors visible. He chuckled to himself, blood running down his hand as the kishin’s windpipe was crushed. With the last once of life leaving his prey, the dark Kid let him fall into a heap. He bent down, removed the shackle on his ankle with ease, and slowly turned towards the rest.

It was a massacre. Kishins were ripped apart to the soundtrack of hyena-like laughter. Dark Kid moved fast. He jumped on the shoulders of a kishin, grabbing his head and jerking it to the side with a sickening crack. Another terrified kishin had his spine ripped out through his back. Soon every kishin had either fled or was a corpse. Dark Kid stood in the carnage he had created, chest heaving with exhilaration. With a growl, he slowly turned towards Kid’s friends, grin widening as he started to move towards the frozen, horrified students.

“NO!” Kindred cried, wrapping his arms around the dark Kid’s neck and dragging him back. “Don’t you dare touch them!” The other sides rushed to help, each of them holding back the evil Kid, who was growling and thrashing against them. Enmity scrambled to retrieve the discarded chain, latching it once more to the monster’s ankle. Dark Kid stopped struggling, as if subdued, but he continued to growl. The other sides of Kid released him slowly, looking wary. They resembled ghosts now, slightly transparent and becoming more so by the second.

“Kid, quick.” Maka tossed Reason the scepter. He quickly examined it before firmly placing his hand on top. A brilliant light shone from the crystal and Reason himself began to glow.

“Well, time to rejoin everyone.” He said calmly.

“Eight pieces becoming whole again…” Order mused. “I can get behind that.” He too placed his hand on the scepter. Valor joined next, tipping his hat to the team. Soon D.K. and Reaper had added their hands as well.

“I’m sorry,” Kindred admitted, looking ashamed. “I put you all in danger, I hope you can forgive me.”

“Of course Kid,” Patty reassured sweetly. “You just get put back together and we’ll call it good.” He nodded a thanks to her and joined the others, leaving only Enmity and the dark Kid.

“Alright you bastard, let’s get you locked up tight again,” Enmity scowled, dragging the chained side behind him.

“Wait, Enmity,” Liz said cautiously. He turned to her. “You don’t need to be so hard on yourself, when you’re Kid again.”

Enmity gave Liz a dark laugh. “Really?” He nudged the monstrous side forward. “Tell her your name,” he ordered.

As they joined the rest, the dark Kid turned back, giving Liz an evil grin as he introduced himself. In a flash of blinding white light, Reason, Reaper, Valor, Order, D.K., Kindred, Enmity, and Kishin disappeared and Death the Kid returned.

“So, you don’t remember any of it?” Lord Death asked his son.

“Not really,” Kid answered. The Death room had an uncomfortable air to it, as it often did when the pair talked nowadays.

“Well, I’m ah- I’m very glad you’re doing okay.” Lord Death fiddled with his enormous hands while Kid awkwardly looked away.

“So, uh, Dad, any leads on the masked witch Maka saw?”

“Unfortunately no.” It sounded sincere, but part of Kid always questioned if he was getting the whole story. “I’ve never heard of a witch in a smiling mask before, but we’ll be keeping an eye out for her. The scepter you returned with is an interesting matter. It seems to be no longer functional.”

“What?”

“Our best theory is that the scepter was a test run, a first attempt by Pandora at making a magic tool. It seems to have been only a one-off.”

“But if that was her first attempt then what else did she create?”

“Exactly. The good news is that the tomb is likely still sealed, but the bad news is this masked witch seems to be interested in Pandora’s weapons.”

Well, Kid thought to himself, Asura, Arachne, and Medusa have all been defeated. It was only a matter of time before another threat showed itself. But if we’re going to fight her, I need to be kept in the loop. “Dad?”

“Hmm?”

“Where are you keeping the magic tools?”

Chapter Text

The E.A.T. class rushed out of the D.W.M.A with relieved joy. While they wouldn’t know for sure how they had performed until Monday, at least the test was over. The sun was grinning down on them as they finally relaxed.

“Holy Death those long tests suck,” Soul griped.

“Yeah, two hours of sitting at a desk always makes me super stiff,” Maka replied, joining her partner and many other students in stretching.

“Agreed,” Kid groaned. He extended his arms above his head before bending back to pop his spine, and then continued bending back until his hands touched the ground.

Soul raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Jesus dude.”

“What?” Kid grabbed his own ankles, sighing in relief as his back let out a symphony of snaps.

“Ah! No no no,” Tsubaki shook her head in disgust.

“What?” Kid straightened up, confused by the reactions which ranged from impressed to nauseous.

“You’re, uh, really flexible Kid,” Maka explained.

“Oh, yeah, Reaper thing.”

“Yeah Kid bends in half all the time during fights,” Patty confirmed.

“I bet he could use that flexibility for other things ,” Kim whispered to Liz. She’d seen Liz staring at Kid in class way too much lately to not tease her a bit. 

Liz’s face turned completely crimson. “W- Wha- K- Kim!” She frantically looked around to make sure no one else had heard the comment. Luckily for her, everyone was preoccupied watching or trying not to watch Kid repeatedly dislocating and relocating various joints at Patty’s request.

“Oh come on Liz, it’s obvious,” Kim giggled. “You totally have the hots for your meister.”

“You’re- You’re crazy!” Liz hissed, trying to stay inconspicuous.

Kim put up her hands in defeat. “Fine, fine, stay in denial.”

“Whoa Kid that was pretty cool,” Soul commented as Tsubaki buried her face in her hands and Maka tried not to gag.

“Heh, yeah, thanks man,” Kid forced his face not to turn red, but he couldn’t stop his eyebrow from twitching. Don’t let Liz know you heard them don’t let Liz know you heard them don’t let Liz know you heard them don't let Liz know you heard them don’t let Liz know you heard them . Kim and Liz didn’t need to know that Reaper hearing was a thing.

Chapter Text

Kid raised his weapons, firing off as many shots as he could, his face dripping with sweat. He was tired, bruised, and bleeding. 

The kishin wasn’t affected at all by the blasts. He continued approaching, getting closer and closer.

Kid couldn’t back away, without falling off the cliff behind him. His arms trembled with exhaustion.

A gasp escaped Kid as Asura stabbed him through the chest. He sank to his knees, the light leaving his eyes…

“Kid!” Liz woke up in a cold sweat, bolting upright in bed. A shudder of horror passed through her as she remembered Kid falling limp to the ground. She shook her head fiercely, trying to remind herself it was just a dream. Her attempt at calming down was dashed by a loud clap of thunder. Living in a desert meant that when it rained, more often than not, it stormed. On the best of nights, Liz’s scaredy cat nature made falling asleep during one difficult. Tonight, with the added anxiety of having just witnessed her meister die, it was much harder.

Another boom made her jolt. There was no way she could fall back asleep now. Liz got out of bed and left her room, not really with any plan. She just needed to do something other than let her mind wander back to her nightmare. After a while of shuffling through the dark hallways of Gallows Mansion and jumping at every thunder burst, she found herself standing in front of Kid’s door. Part of her really wanted to knock, to see that he was okay, but she didn’t want to wake him up. What would she even say? Another loud crash of thunder startled her out of thought.

“Eek!” she jumped, spinning around quickly. Realizing it was just the thunder again, she forced herself to try to breathe calmly

“Wh- Liz?” a tired Kid asked confused. She spun back and saw her meister, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

Liz had the sudden realization that she’d never seen Kid in sleepwear. Whenever she went to bed, he was still making sure the house’s symmetry was up to his standards. Her and Patty used to joke that he had a skeleton onesie, but she always assumed he had more of a linen pajama set, something proper and fancy.

The reaper stood in his now open doorway in a white t-shirt and monochrome plaid flannel pants. His hair was in comical disarray, the usually neat white lines looking more like a spray paint accident. “What are you doing?” He still looked half asleep.

“I- uh, sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you up. I just, I had a, um, a nightmare, and I couldn’t get back to sleep. I usually go see Patty but…” She trailed off. Usually she went to see Patty because her nightmares were about Patty getting hurt. Their first few months in Gallows Mansion she shared a room with her sister, unable to separate for too long after their time living on the streets. After finally feeling safe in Death City, she relaxed, but every now and then a nightmare would make her want to at least check on her sister. This time, she had really needed to see Kid, but now that she had she didn’t know how to explain it without completely embarrassing herself.

Kid scratched his head, trying to think despite it being four in the morning and him having just woke up. Liz was clearly still upset, but his tired brain wasn’t fully processing the situation, or figuring out how best to help. He knew that after a bad dream, the best thing to do would be talk about it, but he was way too exhausted to actually listen. She mentioned seeing Patty, but there was something stopping her. “Do you… do you wanna stay with me?”

“Wh-what?” Liz felt her face heating up. Was he seriously offering…? “I um- I mean thanks but I- I wouldn’t want to bother you-”

“I’m already up Liz.”

“Are- are you sure?”

If Kid was more awake, he would have been more embarrassed. “Yeah, if it helps, you can sleep in my room.” Yep. He’d definitely be mortified tomorrow.

“Oh- Okay. Thanks Kid.” It was probably a bad idea, but as flashes of lightning brought on flashes of Kid’s death scene, she couldn’t imagine letting him out of her sight.

Death the Kid’s bedroom was symmetrical, of course, and very tidy, of course. Although the bed was currently unmade. Liz tentatively followed the sluggish Kid towards the bed, which was thankfully (or unfortunately if she was more honest with herself) very big. Kid climbed back into bed without hesitation, having the advantage of being exhausted beyond embarrassment. Liz slowly started to lay down on the other side, freezing for a moment before-

“You can use the blankets Liz,” Kid mumbled, his eyes already closed.

Liz tried to fall asleep. Seeing Kid breathing peacefully next to her was helpful, but the nightmare still persisted. It didn’t help that Kid had actually been stabbed by Asura and nearly died, or that he had numerous other close calls. Since they’d teamed up with Kid, she usually felt that her sister and her were safe, but that was usually because Kid wasn’t. Most of the weapons at the D.W.M.A. were committed to die for their meisters if need be, but having a reaper partner meant different rules. Kid could take more hits, it made sense for him to be the one in danger. That didn’t stop her from feeling guilty.

“In my dream you died,” she blurted out. “We were fighting Asura again and you died.”

Kid’s eyes fluttered open for a few seconds, acknowledging her, and then closed again. He reached out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her hand forward and putting it on his chest. “Heartbeat. ‘M fine,” he muttered.

Liz relaxed, closing her eyes, feeling Kid’s heartbeat, proof that he was okay.

Kid woke up confused at first. He wasn’t alone, why wasn’t he alone again? Oh. Oh . Kid’s face flushed as he slowly turned towards Liz, who was still asleep, laying close to him, very close. He tried to slide out without waking her up, but as soon as he moved her eyes opened. Kid forced himself not to scramble away, instead sitting up against the headboard. “Um… hey, er, good morning.”

“Oh, um, good morning.” She sat up next to him, occasionally making eye contact before looking away awkwardly.

Liz was blushing. What was it that Kim had said? You totally have the hots for your meister . No, no, of course not, right? Right? Liz didn’t like him like that, right?

“Um, thanks for your help last night,” Liz said sheepishly.

“Uh, sure, no problem.”

“No really,” Liz said, more seriously. “Thank you. For so long, I only had Patty, and even then, I was the one protecting her. Our mom left us when we were pretty young so… it’s just nice to have someone who cares enough to look out for me I guess.”

Kid’s lingering embarrassment was replaced with sincerity. “Of course Liz. If you ever need anything, you’re my weapon partner, but you’re also my friend, so just let me know.” They gave each other a few small, awkward smiles as Liz got up to head back to her room.

She suddenly stopped in the doorway, turning back for a moment. “Hey, Kid?”

“Yeah?”

“You know you can come to me for anything too right?” She thought back to seeing the different “sides” of Kid, and how harsh Enmity was.

“I do. Thank you.”

Liz gave him another sweet smile and left. She knew that she should feel even more uncomfortable than she did, but something about being so close with Kid felt natural, almost to the point of overriding the embarrassment of spending the night with her meister.

Kid wished it wasn’t hard to watch her leave.

“Kid! You can fight this, I know you can!”

“Liz get back!”

“No, I know this isn’t you, I know you’d never do something like this.”

“Liz, please!”

“I’m not leaving you! Do you hear me? I’m not going to leave-” she let out a gasp, shock and hurt filling her eyes as Kid’s hands filled with her blood.

“NO!” Kid sat bolt upright in bed, glistening with sweat, a horrified expression fixed firmly on his face. He panted heavily, almost close to hyperventilation, as he scrambled to untangle himself from the blankets. Kid ran a hand through his hair, pushing it off his forehead, his breathing slowly calming down. Instinctively, he reached out with his soul to make sure his weapons’ souls were still in the house. Liz and Patty were safe. He let out a sigh of relief, falling back onto the bed.

Normally, Kid would either try to go back to sleep or get up and randomly clean. However, a week ago Liz had woken him up when she had a nightmare, and it had really helped her... No, no, he shouldn’t bother her with this. What would he say? How would he explain having a dream like that? He decided instead to clean one of the living rooms, getting out of bed and throwing on some clothes.

He straightened pillows that his logical mind was aware were already perfectly straight. He wiped down the perfectly clean coffee table, trying to wipe away the image of Liz’s betrayed face. For a split second, he saw her blood on his hands again and reared back. He squeezed his eyes shut, collapsing onto the couch face in his hands.

“Kid?” Liz’s voice asked from behind him. He jumped up and turned to her quickly. She was wearing her pajamas still and looked concerned. “Is everything okay?”

Kid was shaking, his eyes red, his breathing ragged. “I, uh, I just, um...” He wiped his face and then rubbed his neck, tear tracks still somewhat visible. “I had, uh, I had a bad dream is all.” He forced it out, his voice quavering. “And I- I couldn’t sleep so I figured I’d just… tidy up.” He shifted his feet, avoiding her eyes.

“Kid,” Liz sighed. “You said I could talk to you about stuff like that, you could have come to me.”

“I- I know, but I, I just, well I didn’t want to bother you and-”

Liz put her hand on Kid’s shoulder and he jerked away, scrambling back. “Sorry, I…” Liz pulled her hand back, even more concerned than before. “I didn’t mean to, um…” She still wasn’t sure what just happened.

“No no no it’s not your fault,” Kid reassured. “I just, the dream I had…”

Liz sat down on the couch, patting the spot next to her. “Kid,” she said firmly. “Sit. Talk.”

Kid debated fighting it, but caved, slumping next to her, still shaking.

“I had a really bad nightmare.”

“Okay,” Liz said gently, waiting for him to give her more.

“Everyone… everyone was dead. Maka, Soul, Black Star, Tsubaki, Stein, Marie, Crona, Spirit, Dad, Patty…” His voice quickened with his breathing, ramping up before he trailed off. “Everyone, except you.”

Liz furrowed her brow, bewildered and troubled.

“You, you were still okay at the start, but then, then…” Kid’s voice broke as silent tears crept down his cheeks.

“Kid, it’s okay.” She said it with as much sincerity as she could.

He didn’t want to tell her, but he really needed to. “It was me. I killed them. And then I killed you.”

Liz was taken aback. She instantly felt terrible for her meister. Poor Kid. What he must be feeling right now…

“You- you were trying to stop me,” Kid sniffled. “But I couldn’t- I couldn’t stop myself and I hurt you, I-”

Liz cut him off with a hug, holding him close to her. He melted into her, burying his face in her shoulder, his chest racked with sobs. “Kid, it wasn’t real, you didn’t hurt me, you would never hurt me.”

“But what if I did? What if-”

Liz grabbed him by the shoulders and looked into his eyes. “Kid. If just dreaming about it has left you this upset, you are not going to actually hurt me.”

The thought was helpful, and Kid started calming down, nodding to her and then wiping his eyes again. “Yeah… I guess you have a point, huh.” He gave a quick humorless chuckle.

“I know you’re scared about the bad parts of you, your darker side.” She thought back to seeing Kishin and Enmity when Kid split into different versions of himself. “I know you are worried about it taking control.”

“...”

“But it’ll be okay. You’ve proven time and time again that you’re a good person, Kid. Like when you took in me and Patty. You could’ve partnered with anyone, you’re the son of the grim reaper for crying out loud, but you choose us. And don’t say it was because we were symmetrical, I know you could have found another weapon that was. You stuck by us even though we were, okay I was, pretty terrible to you at the beginning.”

“Liz…”

“Hey, if anyone understands what you’re going through it’s me. When I was living on the streets, I would have done anything to survive and keep my sister safe. I wonder all the time what would have happened if you hadn’t shown up when you did, how long it would have taken before I decided being a kishin would give me the power to keep Patty and me safe. I get it Kid, I do, but that monster? That thing you’re scared of? That’s not you. This-” She poked his chest playfully. “-is you Kid.”

Kid smiled at her. “... Thanks Liz. I… I needed this. I’ve had pretty bad nightmares since I was little, reaper thing, being surrounded by death constantly and all. I guess I just got used to dealing with them on my own, but this has been really nice.”

“Are you going to get some sleep now?”

“No, reapers don’t need much sleep anyway and it’s almost morning. I’ll just finish up here.” He gestured to the still already clean room.

“Well then,” Liz said, grabbing the dust rag off the table. “Mind if I join you?”

Kid gave her another soft smile, the kind that gushed vulnerability, the kind that made his eyes light up with fondness, the kind he only ever gave her.

Chapter Text

“Sorry I’m late Nora, wasn’t expecting to get called in this late.”

“No worries.”

“So, what do we have here- Jesus!”

“Yeah, this one is rough.”

“Glad I didn’t eat recently, my God. What happened?”

“They found him in a crater outside of town. The working theory is that he fell out of a plane or something like that.”

“Fell out of a plane?”

“I know Vic, I know. Needless to say, the mayor wants answers as quickly as possible. We’re supposed to do an autopsy on this guy and report immediately.”

“Well then, let’s get started. You start the notes, I’ll get the tools out.”

“Okay, our John Doe appears to be around 15 years old-”

“Oh God…”

“Approximately 158 cm, male, black hair with… huh, white accents, but they appear to be only on one side.”

“What?”

“See?”

“Huh.”

“Eye color… what the hell?”

“That’s… odd.”

“No rigor mortis present and no evidence of blood pooling, so dead less than 12 hours.”

Where… where am I?

“Several of the injuries present aren’t consistent with fall damage. It’s possible he was dead before he hit the ground.”

Dead?

“Agreed.”

No, not dead. I’m not dead.

“Huh, wait, Nora, take a look at the exposed bone. Is it just me, or is the color just… bizarre.”

“What the- This just keeps getting weirder and weirder doesn’t it?”

I’m not dead.

“Alright, well if we’re going to find answers, we’re going to need to remove the chest plate and look for internal damage.”

No. Don’t.

“Oh!”

“What is it?”

“I just, wow, heh, it’s- it’s nothing.”

“What?”

“I actually thought the hand moved for a minute there.”

Yes.

“Wow, you must be running on empty, Nora.”

“I guess so...”

“Relax, have you seen the state of this kid? He’s not gonna be moving anytime soon.”

He’s really trying.

“You’re right, I’m probably just tired.”

“Okay, let’s get set up here, why don’t you grab some coffee real quick or something?”

I need to get out of here. Where is here? Where am I? What happened? I need to think. No, first I need to leave. I need to get up. Come on Kid, get up, get up, GET UP!

“What the fuck!”

“Nora what is it this time?”

“Vic… turn around…”

“How… how is it gone…”

“There! Look through the doorway!”

“What in God’s name is that thing!”

“Nothing that God made…”

Jamie Briar couldn’t sleep, or more accurately wouldn’t sleep. He was under the blankets with a flashlight reading, despite it being two hours past his bedtime. Jamie pushed his glasses up on his nose, flipping to the next page excitedly. He’d borrowed the book from his older sister Tess, who’d made him promise not to tell mom and dad. It was a horror and she didn’t want to get in trouble for him having nightmares. He’d reassured her he was brave enough.

A slam from outside jolted him out of his reading. Despite his best efforts, the tense nature of the monster novel had put him on edge and the loud noise left him instantly shaken. Crawling out from the blanket and off the bed, flashlight still in hand, he made his way to the window of his room. Peeking out, he could see the barn door swinging wildly in the wind. Maybe it was his overactive imagination, but he was sure that door had been locked before. He could barely make out a shadowy figure moving into the barn, sending him ducking down below the window. His body trembling, he snuck another peak, but the creature was gone.

Jamie wasn’t scared, he wasn’t scared at all. Something was in the barn, but he wasn’t worried or anything. In fact, he was going to put on some sneakers and head outside to investigate.

After twenty minutes of psyching himself up he did just that, creeping down the stairs so as to not wake up mom and dad. The wind whipped around him and his fleece pajamas did little to shut out the chill. He approached the barn slowly, hearing strange rustling and grunting from inside.

Kid stumbled, shaking off the pain as best as he could. His muscles were on fire, despite not having traveled far. He couldn’t think straight. His mind felt fuzzy, probably due to the massive head trauma of hitting the ground at almost 100 miles per hour. There was a light approaching. Kid was in no condition to fight so he did his best to shuffle out of sight.

“H- hello?” Jamie called, shining his light into the barn. “Is someone there?” He stepped further into the barn. “I’m- I’m not scared!” Then he saw it. There was a zombie in the barn behind the hay. It looked kind of like a person, but the flesh was ripped apart. Muscle was visible in several spots and silvery-gray bone in others. The hair was matted with blood on one side and splotched with white on the others. The jaw was dislocated, and with the cheek torn off the bone was striking. The throat had been slashed and blood from the wound had congealed on the chest. The zombie wore torn black pants and a blood stained white shirt. The eyes shined gold in the dim barn. Jamie yelped, dropping the flashlight and scampering behind a crate.

Kid squinted in confusion. Okay, he knew he wasn’t thinking quite right yet but… was that a child? The boy had looked about eight (Death he hoped actually eight…) with thick glasses, short brown hair, and… robot pajamas?

Jamie panted. There was a zombie, a real actual zombie only a few feet away. “I’m not scared…” he whispered to himself, terrified. Slowly he reached out from behind his cover to snatch the flashlight, pulling it into his chest quickly once he had a hold of it. Getting on his hands and knees, he cautiously crawled out, pointing the flashlight towards the monster again.

Kid grimaced as the light shined in his eyes, turning away. The boy was clearly afraid so Kid retreated a little, not wanting to alarm him any more. Kid didn’t like being the monster, and he could only imagine how disturbing he looked right now. He hoped this poor child wasn’t scarred for life already.

Jamie watched as the zombie backed away from him. Was it… scared? Of him? He supposed it was possible. Just because it was a zombie didn’t necessarily mean that he was bad, did it? Well maybe it did in books, but this was real life. Maybe he was nice. Jamie didn’t have many, any, friends. Maybe the zombie was lonely, just like him. After all, it wasn’t trying to eat his brains. “Hey,” he called. “It’s- it’s okay.” He stopped crawling and sat back on his knees. “My name’s Jamie. What’s yours?”

Kid turned back towards the boy, who was keeping the light low enough the Kid wasn’t being blinded anymore. He tried to talk and immediately regretted it as the scraps of muscle around his dislocated jaw screamed in pain and his torn throat could barely produce a guttural gurgle. Kid collapsed to the ground leaning on his hands, trying not to breathe too heavily and hurt his neck more.

Jamie scooted back at first, but after peering closer realized the zombie seemed to be in pain. The strange bubbling sound the creature had made sounded like it was trying to talk. He looked again at the neck and jaw and it made sense the zombie couldn’t speak. Although, did the zombie have enough consciousness to process human speech? “Can you understand me?”

Kid nodded, still surprised by the quick turnaround Jamie had made from scampering away to friendly interaction.

“Are you, are you gonna eat my brains?” He might as well double check.

Kid shook his head vehemently.

“Okay so you can’t talk right?”

A firm nod.

“You look like you’re hurt.”

A more expressive nod.

“What do you need?”

Kid mimed wrapping bandages around his wound and writing in the air.

“Okay, I’ve got it, I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere okay?” He scrambled off out of the barn and back towards the house.

Kid couldn’t believe his luck. Not only was this boy not afraid of him, but he wanted to help. If only Kid’s mind was more clear. His memory on how he had ended up in this situation was fuzzy at best and he felt like he was missing huge pieces of information. He knew that he wasn’t strong enough to contact the academy his usual way, but most students couldn’t do that and they managed to call Lord Death somehow… Was it a number? What was the number…?

Jamie ran back inside, only just remembering to be quiet. He crept around the house, grabbing a first aid kit and a notebook with a pen before heading to the kitchen to make the zombie a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He didn’t know what non-brain-eating zombies ate, but this was his favorite sandwich so why not?

“What are you doing?” Tess hissed.

Jamie jumped a mile at the sound of his twelve-year-old sister’s voice. She was glaring at him so he’d probably woken her up. Her hair was still a rat’s nest and she had on pajama pants, but she had thrown on a sweatshirt. “There’s a zombie in the barn.”

“What?” Tess raised an eyebrow, clearly thinking he was either joking or mistaken.

“There’s a zombie in the barn. A like, actual zombie. In the barn. Don’t worry, he’s friendly, I think. He seems smart at least. I don’t think he’ll hurt us. I’m bringing him some stuff.” Jamie held up the now finished sandwich, writing pad, and medical supplies.

Tess sighed, rubbing her forehead. “I knew I shouldn’t have let you read that book. Jamie, if you want to play pretend, do it in the morning. You really shouldn’t be leaving the house at night. If you wait till tomorrow, I’ll play with you I promise, but right now you should really go to bed-”

“No no no!” Jamie insisted. “He’s real I swear! Just, come with me, I’ll show you.”

“Jamie-”

“Please please please!”

“I- ugh okay fine. But if there’s no one there we both go to bed, agreed?”

“Yeah sure, come on!” Jamie’s hands were full so he gestured with his head for her to follow and walked back towards the barn again.

Kid heard voices approaching, not a voice, but voices . They were hushed, but with his enhanced reaper hearing, he could tell one was the boy Jamie, but the other sounded like a girl. He tucked himself back behind the hay again, hoping this newcomer didn’t faint at the sight of him.

“Okay, I’m back!” Jamie called out into the barn. “It’s okay, you can come out now. I brought you some stuff.”

Tess gazed in horror as a zombie crawled out from behind the hay, shuffling across the floor like a demon. Her mouth dropped open and she almost screamed but Jamie quickly jumped up and covered her mouth.

“No don’t! He’s friendly, see?” Jamie gestured to Kid giving him a clear do something look. “This is my sister, Tess.”

Kid waved, trying to be as non-threatening as possible.

“Wh- What the hell? You- you actually found a zombie. In our barn.” Tess stood frozen in shock. The zombie did seem friendly.

“Hey I brought you some stuff.” Jamie approached Kid, ignoring his sister’s hand on his shoulder, trying to hold him back. “I’ve got a first aid kit, a notebook so you can write stuff and we can talk, and some food. Do you like pb and j?” He tossed all the items to Kid, still a little cautious about getting too close.

Kid scooped up the sandwich and immediately devoured it, shoving chunks past his dangling jaw and down his throat. He hadn’t realized how hungry he was until he smelled the peanut butter. Something about this particular sandwich was very… nostalgic? No, familiar. Someone he knew ate these all the time, but the details were escaping him. Reaper bones were incredibly durable, so his skull didn’t cave in upon his impact with the ground, but that didn’t stop his brain from being jarred and hitting the bone. He would heal eventually, as he did from most things, but for a while he would be disoriented and personal details would be fuzzy. Of course, he could remember all of that but not why pb and j was special. This, to put it mildly, sucked.

“What’s your name?” Jamie asked again, this time pointing to the pen and notebook he had brought.

Kid picked it up, grimacing in pain at the movement, and started to try to write. His hand was shaky and the “k”… he couldn’t… he couldn’t get the damn “k” right! Kid tossed the pad across the room and tried to express his frustration via vocals which was, again, a mistake.

Tess jerked back as the zombie threw the pad and growled before clutching its throat in pain. Rushing forward, she grabbed her brother and pulled him towards her.

Kid froze when he saw the fear in the girl’s eyes. Jamie seemed a little startled but not afraid, while she was downright terrified. He shrunk back, keeping his eyes downcast, trying to remember all the tactics he learned as a child to not be scary.

Jamie, unfazed, simply responded, “It’s alright. Why don’t I just call you Daniel? It’s from a video game. He’s a good guy zombie, like you.”

Kid shrugged. “Daniel” was better than “zombie”, “monster”, or “corpse” and until his throat healed it would have to do. He reached up and grabbed his jaw, clenching his other hand into a fist as he relocated it, wincing while his eyes watered.

Tess narrowed her eyes cautiously. This creature was clearly of human intelligence and even seemed to experience pain. “What are you?”

Kid reached down to his collar to gesture to his skull but his hand was met with blood soaked cloth instead of the anticipated metal. Panicking, he started clutching at his neck and spinning around frantically.

“What is it?” Jamie asked. “Did you lose something?”

Kid nodded quickly, still looking around. Again, he knew the skull was important to him, but the “why” was still fuzzy. The spinning around and quick movements were not helping his addled brain and he clutched his head and sat down again.

This monster didn’t seem that scary, he seemed like he needed help. “Hey, don’t worry,” Tess said. “You’ll find it, but don’t over work yourself.” The desire to have medical supplies and relocating the jaw suggested he could heal.

“Yeah you can stay here until you get better.”

“Jamie-”

“It’ll be fine Tess. Mom and Dad never come in here. Come on! Can’t we keep him?”

“It’s not a dog!”

“Please!” Jamie gave his best puppy dog eyes and Tess sighed.

“Okay okay, but we have to keep this secret. Nothing ever happens in this town and if anyone knew about this, they’d freak. So you stay quiet, and you,” she pointed at Kid. “Don’t go anywhere okay?”

Kid, currently wrapping his arm up in the bandages, nodded while Jamie fist pumped the air.

For five days, Jamie and Tess snuck off to visit the barn, bringing bandages, rubbing alcohol, and food. ‘Daniel’ was always incredibly hungry so pb and j wasn’t cutting it anymore. They’d started sneaking leftovers from the fridge, having to collaborate together to ensure their mother that she’d only cooked four cornish hens and was just misremembering. Every day Tess got out of school first, and could beat their parents home if she biked fast enough, giving her time to throw some care packages together. Then when Jamie got home, she could distract the adults long enough for him to give their new zombie friend some company.

Kid was healing up fairly well, all things considered. He was so wrapped in bandages that he resembled a mummy more than a zombie. The details of how he had ended up here were still unclear, but he did remember falling very far, waking up on a table, and making it to the Briar family’s home. He knew sitting still would help him recover faster, but he was incredibly bored. He’d been spending his days cleaning the barn, which was difficult when basic movements caused pain, but when it was too much he could read some of the books Jamie had brought. Everything seemed to be going okay for the trio, and no adult was the wiser.

That changed when Tess was biking home on the sixth day. A crowd of people had surrounded city hall, some shouting angrily and some murmuring among themselves. Tess spotted her friend Kylie in the ground and left her bike by a tree, rushing over.

“What’s going on? Why’s everyone freaking out?”

“There’s some sort of monster on the loose apparently,” Kylie responded.

Tess gulped, trying not to look too suspicious. “A- a monster?”

“Yeah, like an undead creature. A corpse fell from the sky a few days back and then it just got up and walked out of the coroner’s office. The mayor’s been trying to keep the search for it under wraps but did you hear about the people that have been going missing lately? Apparently they found their bodies. I don’t know, sounds like a cover up for a serial killer if you ask me, but the mayor is pretty insistent that this thing is real.”

“O-oh, thanks for telling me, I uh- I gotta go,” Tess sprinted back to her bike, pedaling as fast as she could. She really didn’t believe that Jamie’s new friend would ever kill someone. After all, he’d had plenty of opportunities to kill them, but if the town was looking for a monster they wouldn’t question if they had the right one. Tess dropped her bike on the driveway and sprinted towards the barn.

“You’ve gotta go!”

Kid looked up from his cleaning, confused. Tess looked worried and out of breath. He cocked his head to convey, “ Why?”

“People have been going missing in town and now they’re turning up murdered and- you didn’t, you wouldn’t do that, right?”

Kid shook his head hard, his eyes serious and sincere.

“Okay cool, I didn’t think so. But they’re not gonna care! The whole town is about to join the search for an undead monster, a lot of people here are hunters, they’re not gonna ask for your side, and even if they did it’s not like you could give it! You need to run!”

“Tess? Tess where are you?” her father called frantically. He must have seen the abandoned bike and been concerned with the recent disappearances. Suddenly Henry Briar had burst into the barn and was gazing in horror at the creature in front of him.

“Dad-”

“Tess get back!”

“Dad no wait-!” She was yanked out of the barn.

“Allison get the gun!” Henry called to his wife, who rushed into the house to do just that.

“No!” Jamie was home now running towards the commotion, trying to get past his father to the barn. “No dad it wasn’t him, Daniel wouldn’t do that!”

“Where is it Henry?” Allison was back with the gun.

“The barn!”

“No wait!”

“Just listen to us-”

Kid desperately tried to shake himself out of the last of his confusion. He needed to think clearly right now. Think you idiot think! You worthless piece of asymmetrical garbage think! You- He suddenly thought about Patty, laughing at him as he called himself garbage, and Liz rolling her eyes. Patty, that’s who likes pb and j, but that’s not useful right now! They would be useful, but they’re not here… why aren’t they here? What happened? WHAT HAPPENED? THINK THINK THINK! Kid smacked his head, forcing himself to recover faster by sheer will. At this point, he could hear more voices outside. The parents had probably called the rest of the town. He didn’t have much time, he needed to remember, he needed to-

The wind was strong on top of the airship. The chimera was growling, it’s lion-like jaws opening wider as it shot forward to attack Maka. She avoided the head, but had a much closer call with the serpent tail. The creature lunged again, this time towards Kid, and this time with a much greater velocity. The reaper was hit in the chest, the wind knocked out of him and Liz and Patty knocked out of his hands.

“Kid!”

He wasn’t entirely sure who screamed. He was preoccupied with the fact that he was falling towards the ground from very, very high up and was entangled with a bloodthirsty beast. The chimera roared as they fell, clawing and snapping at Kid with both mouths. The constant pain and distraction meant he couldn’t summon Beelzebub. 

The monster’s maw latched onto Kid’s neck while the tail went for his face. Reaper flesh was probably a new flavor for it. Kid gasped in pain. The ground was fast approaching. For a split second, Kid wondered if this would be enough to kill him, if this was the end…

“No.”

Kid didn’t recognize the voice that had spoken but as he closed his eyes and braced for impact, he believed it…

The mission. The chimera that had snuck aboard the airship and killed the crew. It all came flooding back, and with it, the answer to who was responsible for the disappearances in town. Chimeras weren’t human either. It had survived the fall too.

The crowd outside got louder and Kid realized he had to act fast. He still couldn’t talk and he still looked like a walking nightmare, so he had to get out of here, but he couldn’t leave the town, not with a real monster on the loose. He needed back up. He needed his weapons. He needed…

A mirror. He needed a mirror.

Scrambling out the window of the barn, Kid made a run for it. If the crowd hadn’t been so focussed on the doors before then, he wouldn’t have stood a chance. He darted towards the house. A shot rang out behind him, but it missed as Jamie pulled the gun off target. Kid launched himself through a window, the glass shattering and slicing up his bandages, most of them falling to the ground. The voices outside grew louder as they approached the house.

Mirror, mirror, come on where’s the bathroom, don’t panic, find the bathroom . Kid finally found the bathroom, the voices inside now, and he frantically fogged up the glass. 42-42-56-

  “Get it!” Arms wrapped around Kid dragging him back. No! Just- let- me- he reached out desperately fighting against the several people who were attempting to restrain him, his weakened state not doing him any favors. He couldn’t reach the mirror. They dragged him back. He felt handcuffs clasp around his wrists. No! No! I’m trying to save you idiots! 

“Stop it! You’re hurting him!” Jamie screamed.

Jamie? Jamie! Kid turned towards the boy’s voice as he was dragged from the house. He found eye contact. Four, it’s four. Write four! “F- F- FOUR!!!!!” Kid’s voice was broken, and the yell nearly caused him to pass out from the pain, but it would have to do. He was dragged away towards town square to be… dealt with.

Jamie wasn’t sure what “four” meant, but he did know that ‘Daniel’ could have chosen to run into the woods, but instead went to the house. With the adults focused on their catch, he was able to easily sneak back into the house and into the bathroom. There were numbers on the mirror. “42, 42, 56-” he read. There was the start of another number too, but it was unfinished. “Four,” Jamie said as he finished it.

The mirror glowed, and Death gazed back at him.

Chapter Text

The mission had been simple in the beginning. An airship had sent out an S.O.S. before complete radio silence. It was supposed to be an investigation into what happened and if it was too dangerous, they were supposed to retreat and report back. Maka and Kid were supposed to be enough and nothing was supposed to go terribly wrong. When they first landed, that seemed to be the case.

“So far no crew,” Kid said, dematerializing Beelzebub.

“Well someone has to be here right? Or the ship wouldn’t still be flying?”

“Maybe, but it’s possible the ship has some sort of autopilot. If that was the case, it would keep flying until it ran out of fuel-”

A sudden roar interrupted them.

“Uh, guys?” Soul spoke from scythe form. “I have a feeling that’s what happened to the crew.”

Maka turned towards Kid. “It sounded like it came from inside the ship.”

“So we’re gonna go in there aren’t we?” If Liz could tremble in weapon form, she would be.

The door to the ship’s interior abruptly flew past the students as a gigantic beast burst from the underbelly and onto the deck, roaring loudly again.

“What the hell is that?” Maka cried, leaping back and brandishing Soul as the creature approached. The creature resembled a lion with a choppy, hacked up mane caked with blood. The tail was a giant snake, it’s eyeless maw snapping at the air as the creature stalked them. “Is that… a chimera?”

Kid opened fire as the chimera lunged for Maka. The beast dug its huge claws into the metal of the hull as it roared in pain. As it turned to growl at Kid, Maka was able to slash its back. The chimera yowled before taking a swipe at her which she narrowly avoided. Kid fired again, but the creature managed to slash him across the chest. Gasping, Kid staggered back, his vision white with pain.

The wind was strong on top of the airship. The chimera was growling, it’s lion-like jaws opening wider as it shot forward to attack Maka. She avoided the head, but had a much closer call with the serpent tail. The creature lunged again, this time towards Kid, and this time with a much greater velocity. The reaper was hit in the chest, the wind knocked out of him and Liz and Patty knocked out of his hands.

“Kid!” Maka screamed as she watched her friend tumble over the edge, falling towards the ground with the chimera. She ran to the edge and looked down, but the clouds had swallowed the two of them.

Soul only barely managed to turn to human form in time to stop Patty from jumping after them. “Kid!” She screamed, struggling against the scythe.

“Patty think!” he barked. It wasn’t the most sensitive thing to say, but he was still in shock.

Liz stood frozen. She felt numb. “He- he’s fine. He’ll be fine. He’ll fly up any minute now.” She meant the words for her sister, but they were all that was keeping her heart from stopping.

The four of them stood in silence, waiting for Kid to rise up, to pull some crazy reaper miracle and return without a scratch on him. Not one of them could have said how long they waited there. Maybe twenty minutes had passed when Liz’s legs buckled, maybe it had been an hour, but it had been long enough for all hope to drain out of her and send her plummeting into the cold metal hull on her hands and knees, sobbing.

Maka had thought the immediate aftermath of watching Kid fall would be the worst. She thought holding her distraught friends as Soul cursed, his grief manifesting as anger, would be the most devastating part. Then she thought that having to step away from the shattered sisters in order to formulate a plan, that having to put aside the feelings of loss to focus on getting them all home was the worst. Then the call to Sid, forcing her voice to stay level enough to relay information, was the hardest thing she’d ever done, but even that didn’t compare to having to hep drag Patty off the ship, who was convinced that Kid was still on his way back, and onto the D.W.M.A. helicopter. She thought that hearing Soul explain what happened to Stein and Marie was almost too much to handle.

Nothing compared to standing in front of Lord Death.

“It- it just happened so fast I- we- we didn’t have time to stop it or- I- I-” She wanted to say she was sorry but staring at the god’s unmoving mask, the silence that enveloped him, she found her words drying up.

“He’s not dead,” Lord Death said. At his words, Liz and Patty, who were still crying but silently now, perked up.

Spirit, looking heartbroken, turned to his boss. “Sir…”

“No, Spirit, I’m not- I know he’s not dead. I’m Death, I’d feel it if my son died.” His voice was steady and serious, and Kid’s friends clung to the confidence of his statement like a drowning man to a life preserver.

Soul wanted it to be true, but it seemed too good to be. “But we saw him fall, and the chimera had him, and-”

“Kid’s tough. He’s alive, but definitely injured. We need to find him immediately.”

It was five days before they found anything. D.W.M.A. students and staff were combing the land around the airship’s flight path, but there was still no sign of Kid. There was so much ground to cover, and a great deal of it was forest. The knowledge that Kid was at best roughed up and at worst was gravely injured hung in the air. Black Star was especially angry. He hadn’t been on the mission and no one could convince him that he wouldn’t have been able to stop it if he had. Liz and Patty were determined not to let their meister down. Lord Death was stoic, only speaking when asking for updates or giving orders to the team on the ground. Everyone was holding their breath, waiting for some sign Kid was okay and would be coming home soon.

They certainly weren’t expecting the sign they got.

When the mirror activated in the Death Room, Lord Death, Sid, and Spirit were expecting to see the search party, not an eight-year-old boy who also appeared to be stunned to see them. “Ah!” he exclaimed at the sight of a terrifying cloaked skull-man.

“Uh… Why hello there!” Lord Death said, his normal, cheery voice returning upon dealing with such a small child. “What’s your name?”

“J- Jamie…”

“Jamie huh? Nice to meet ya Jamie. How did ya call me?”

“I uh… the mirror, 42-42-564 and all… M- my friend was trying to call you…” Jamie stood up a bit straighter. The skull guy seemed nice and if ‘Daniel’ had been trying to call him they probably knew each other.

“Your friend? And who might that be?”

“He’s a zombie.”

“A zombie?” Sid asked. “Like me?”

“No, he’s like, a real zombie, with blood and guts and stuff.” Sid’s face was immediately shaded in depression.

Lord Death tilted his head. “A zombie huh? And why was he calling me?”

“He’s in trouble,” Jamie said, sounding worried. “People have been going missing in town and they think he did it, but he’s really nice and he didn’t hurt me or my sister or anything, but the town wouldn’t listen and they took him away and-”

“Does this zombie of yours have a name?” Lord Death was fairly confident if there was a zombie besides Sid, he’d know.

“Well I call him Daniel, but I don’t know his name. He can’t talk and the one time he tried to write something he freaked out.”

If it was possible, Lord Death’s blood would have run cold. “Jamie, does he have gold eyes and white stripes in his hair?”

“Yeah that’s him! So you do know him then!”

“I’m his father.”

“Wow cool!” Jamie suddenly got serious. “He was trying to call you before they took him.”

“Took him where?”

“Town square. I think… I think they’re gonna kill him.”

Kid groaned as he came to. He heard jeering around him, his head throbbing a bit as his eyes adjusted to the scene. Townspeople surrounded him, angrily screaming. Some of them were accusing him of being a monster, others more specifically said murderer. Kid stood up, but he was pulled down by chains attached to his arms, each being held by ten villagers. He struggled, but heard a gun cock behind him and stopped. 

I’m not the enemy! He wanted to scream, to shout, to explain, but his vocal chords were still healing from being completely severed, and yelling “four” to Jamie had set it back. If only he could tell them there was a chimera on the loose and that they needed to get inside and stay there immediately.

“Wait stop don’t!” Tess was screaming, but the only person who could hear her over the ruckus was Kid. He gave her a look that he hoped conveyed thank you, this isn’t your fault .

Jamie came running down the street, but he wasn’t running towards the commotion necessarily, he was running away from the creature behind him. The townspeople gasped in horror seeing the chimera bounding towards them.

“Jamie!” Tess scooped up her brother as the creature approached, going in for the kill on the children. Jamie screamed as his sister shielded him, closing her eyes.

The chimera tried to roar, but its jaws were currently being held open by a reaper. Kid dug his heels into the cobblestone which crumbled and cracked under the pressure. He grimaced with effort holding the chimera’s nose and chin to keep the teeth from gnashing. Luckily, the sight of a clearly more terrifying monster had been enough to make everyone drop the chains that had been restraining Kid. Tess and Jamie were able to run off and join their parents, who immediately held them close as the rest of the town watched Kid tensely.

The serpent tail hit Kid’s arm and he felt the teeth sink it, his knees almost giving out as he silently screamed. A flash of light caught his eye, coming from inside the chimera’s mouth. His vision darted to it, and he was surprised to realize that it was a metallic reflection. His skull. It sat between two of the monster’s fangs. The sight of something so important to him, something he was convinced was lost, something that could have fallen anywhere but instead was right in front of him, gave him hope and strength surged through his veins.

“Kid!”

Kid’s head spun in surprise. Liz was wielding Patty, shooting at the chimera’s back. Maka leaped through the air and slashed at the neck, cutting a river of blood through its mane. Black Star slid across the ground, slicing the serpent tail clean off, and it fell to the ground twitching. Stein slammed Marie into the side of its face, sending the creature soaring back and ripping the head and responsibility from Kid’s hands.

“You’re okay!” Liz hugged Kid and he returned it, but they both released quickly. There’d be time for more reuniting later. Right now, they had a monster to stop.

“Sorry we’re late dude, took awhile to find you,” Black Star huffed. They had been the closest search party when Lord Death had sent out the call.

The chimera shrieked louder than anything any of them had heard before, the sound made their bones feel like jelly and their hearts skip a beat. Every weapon found themselves changing to human form against their will. It was a completely involuntary jolt of terror for the D.W.M.A. crew and the townsfolk, but not Kid.

How does a spider know how to weave a web? Instinct. How does bat know to use sonar to track down its prey? Instinct. How did Kid know in that exact moment that not only had his vocal chords healed but that there was something different about them that would be useful in this situation? Instinct.

The reaper walked towards the screaming beast, his eyes hard as he stood strong, fists clenched. Like a lion defending his pride, Kid stood between the chimera and his friends, no, his family. He puffed up his chest, taking in a deep breath. The chimera screamed at him, and Kid opened his mouth, and screamed right back.

Kid’s voice was otherworldly and distinctly not human. It made the chimera roar sound like a dog bark. The windows around them shattered. The sound was not a source of instant fear like the monster’s, but instead dread. Everyone present became distinctly aware that they would die someday, and that they would be powerless to stop it, that the reaper would claim their souls, no matter how fast or how far they ran. The chimera however, became aware that today was that day. Despite being a powerful magical beast, it was no match for what stood before it, a god.

Stein, the only one with enough insanity to act during the noise, dealt a single soul wavelength blow to the chimera. The creature, having given up all survival instincts, died instantly, crumbling to dust.

Kid stopped screaming, wobbling slightly where he stood, feeling lightheaded.

“What the hell?” Black Star gasped, still feeling a bit shaken.

Kid slowed his breathing. “Reapers can manipulate our voices," he said hoarsely. "I didn’t used to be able to, but I guess when my vocal chords healed, I got an upgrade.”

The D.W.M.A. team stood flabbergasted, again, other than Stein, who pulled something from the ashes of the creature. “I believe this is yours,” he said tossing the skull to Kid.

The reaper smirked down at the object, remembering how happy he was when his father first gave it to him, a symbol of their heritage, the heritage that had just saved his friends and a whole town of people. He put it on again.

“That’s- That’s the symbol of Lord Death!” someone in the crowd gasped. 

“Well duh!” Patty barked. “That’s his dad!”

Regret and horror passed across the faces of the villagers. Allison Briar gaped. “We- we didn’t- if we’d have known- I-”

“It’s fine,” Kid responded. He could tell that his friends would have happily ripped the whole town a new one, but they didn’t deserve that. “You did what you thought you had to to protect the people you care about. I understand.”

Jamie shuffled forward, his sister Tess close behind. “You’re gonna leave now aren’t you.”

Kid looked into his eyes and startled himself by seeing someone else, a different little boy who felt alone, who had no friends, who felt different. Kid tried not to think about his childhood much, but seeing this little boy, tears running down his face, the reaper felt vulnerable. Despite having just unleashed a godly screech, he felt… human.

Kid kneeled down in front of Jamie. “Yes, I have to go now. But I want to thank you. You looked at what you thought might be a monster and dared to ask if it was truly evil. Staring Death in the eye and asking if he’s okay? That might be the bravest thing I’ve ever seen.”

Black Star almost made a comment that he’d done way braver things that Kid had definitely seen but Tsubaki gave him a swift ninja star to the forehead the second he opened his mouth.

“I’m gonna miss you,” Jamie sniffed. “I wish we could fight monsters like that.” 

“Yeah the way you all fought that thing? That was awesome,” Tess was trying not to cry, but she was clearly upset as well.

“Maybe when you’re older,” Kid chuckled. “I’m sure you’d do well at the academy.” Jamie rushed forward and hugged Kid, Tess joining him. Kid’s eyes widened for a moment, but he slowly put his arms around the two, burying his head between the tops of theirs and closing his eyes tightly. “I’m going to miss you both too.”

Liz smiled. He would make such a good dad, wouldn’t he? The image that came next of Kid and her holding a baby made her blush.

As they left the town, Jamie and Tess waved goodbye to their friend, and Kid waved goodbye to his.

“...”

“...”

“...”

“...”

“Um…”

“Good to have you back Kiddo,” Lord Death blurted out. The silence had hung between them for almost ten minutes, sadly not even near a record for them.

“Yeah, uh, good to be back.” Kid shifted his feet awkwardly. There was a time when he would have run into his father’s arms, but that was before… well, it had been awhile. “Did you, uh, did you figure out why a chimera was on that airship?” The sooner their relationship was not under a microscope, the better it would fare.

“Ah, yes, I believe so,” Lord Death answered. “I’m afraid it means our worst fears have been realized. You see, the chimera is one of Pandora’s creations. Which means-”

“Someone opened the tomb.”

“Yes, but the tomb isn’t like a typical treasure hoard. Upon opening, the contents are scattered across the world, to locations only Pandora would know.”

“So what you’re saying is, powerful witch weapons and monsters could now be anywhere, and anyone could claim them?”

“Unfortunately yes.”

“So what do we do?”

“Start looking.”

Nine years later…

Lord Death the Kid stood in the Death Room as Lady Death entered. “Kid, there’s some people here who wants to see you,” she grinned.

“Hi Daniel,” Jamie grinned.

Kid pushed the mask up on top of his head and returned the smile. “Jamie? Tess? Wow, you two have grown so much!”

“That’s not all,” Tess smirked, nudging her brother who promptly transformed his arm into the blade of a longsword. “We’ve been thinking, we’d be honored if you’d accept us as a meister-weapon duo at your academy here.

Kid beamed at them. “We’d be happy to have you,” he said.

“Woohoo!” Patty cheered before excitedly leading them off to give a tour.

“It’s nice to see them again,” Kid commented.

“Remember how Jamie was a little kid when he found you, looking hellish,” Lady Death said.

“Yes…?” Kid wasn’t sure where she was going yet, but it felt like a trap.

“So you know that not all children are afraid of you.”

“Okay okay, point taken,” he sighed. She was right though, maybe today was just the reassurance he had needed after their discussion last night. “I guess that means we should go the hospital then?” He said sheepishly.

“Definitely,” Liz said firmly. “I think little Ethan Evans would like to meet his uncle Kid.”

Chapter Text

Being students at Death Weapon Meister Academy meant constant stress and life or death stakes. The students needed a chance to relax, especially those who had gone up against foes like the kishin Asura, Medusa, and Arachne. Thus, the team enjoyed meeting up for the occasional game night at Gallows Mansion. It was a chance to unwind, hang out, and to just be kids.

“We should totally play truth or dare!” Patty said.

While the others seemed to agree, Kid shook his head vehemently. “Absolutely not.”

“What? Why?”

“You’re just going to make me do asymmetrical things.”

“Well don’t pick ‘dare’ then.”

“But-”

“Come on Kid, don’t be a party pooper!” Patty jabbed his side with her elbow.

“Ugh, fine.” Soon the group was sitting on the floor in a circle, Kid still looking worried.

“Okay Black Star, truth or-”

“DARE! I, THE GREAT BLACK STAR, CHOOSE DARE!” And thus the game began with Black Star punching himself in the face as hard as possible (per Maka’s input) and they took turns answering the dreaded question.

“Well Liz, what about you?” Patty grinned.

Liz’s eyes widened. She had been so busy thinking about what to ask the others that she didn’t realize her turn was coming up. “Uh… truth?”

“Do you have a crush on anyone?”

“WHAT!?!? PATTY!!!”

“Hey, rules are rules!” her sister cackled.

“Yeah Liz, you have to answer,” Maka said smugly.

“I- uh…” Liz felt herself panicking. “Well… maybe…”

“OOOHHH WHO?!?!”

“Hey no I answered the question! I do have a crush on someone yes, but you didn’t say I had to say who!”

“Well you might want to,” Kid commented to himself, but it didn’t go unnoticed.

“What? Why?” Liz felt her heart skip a beat. Was he saying he liked her too? Wait, was she finally admitting to herself that she had a crush on Kid?

“Well, okay, you all didn’t hear it from me, but the D.W.M.A. will be holding a dance soon.”

Tsubaki quirked an eyebrow. “A dance? Like the anniversary celebration?”

“Yes, Father thought that it would, how’d he put it, ‘Be real fun for everybody,’” Kid had a perfect impression of Lord Death’s overly cheery voice. “But if you like someone, maybe you could go to the dance with them.”

Liz tried not to show her excitement too much.

“Wow a dance, that sounds like fun,” Tsubaki said.

Patty waved her hand dismissively. “Yeah yeah okay, whatever, Kid, it’s your turn.”

Kid gulped. “Well, truth, obviously…” Unlike the others who could back out of a question by switching to dare, Kid knew he’d be forced to answer in order to preserve symmetry.

Soul rubbed his hands together, smirking. “Oh boy, this is gonna be good, Kid- uh…” He trailed off in thought. The group sat silently contemplating what they could possibly ask Kid. There seemed to be too many, and also too few, possibilities.

“...Who do you have a crush on?” Maka finally asked. There were no rules against using the same questions after all.

“Wh- huh?” Kid’s face went red.

“OOHHH YEAH BUT YOU CAN’T JUST SAY YES OR NO BECAUSE SHE WAS SPECIFIC!” Black Star jeered.

Liz perked up.

“I don’t.”

“Don’t what?”

“I don’t have a crush on anyone.”

Liz deflated. 

“What? Seriously?” Patty gave him a skeptical look.

“I’m not human, I’m a different species from everyone at the academy, who would I have a crush on?”

“You’re sure you’re not lying?” Patty pressed, getting in her meister’s face.

“Promise.”

“Swear on something important.”

“I swear, on symmetry itself, I don’t have a crush on anyone.”

Liz groaned inwardly. Well it’s not like I didn’t know that deep down. Of course I end up with a crush on a freaking grim reaper, geez Liz you need to get your life together.

“Well I guess it’s my turn…” Tsubaki said cautiously. “I choose dare.” She didn’t like the repeating question and she certainly wasn’t going to answer it with a certain assassin sitting right there.

“Okay then,” Maka said, “I dare you-”

“I dare you to ask out Black Star,” Kid said.

Everyone’s jaws dropped. Tsubaki went flaming red. Her ponytail turned into a chain scythe and she smacked Kid in the top of the head with it, causing a geyser of blood not unlike a Maka/reaper chop.

“YOU- YOU- YOU-” Tsubaki was conflicted between anger and embarrassment.

“Come on Tsubaki, you have to do the dare,” Black Star interjected. The already dropped jaws were now on the floor. “What?”

“You… want me to… ask you out? Like… on a date?”

“I can’t be partnered with someone who chickens out of stuff, what kinda star would I be then?”

“Then… um… Black Star… will you… will you… go out on a date with me?”

Black Star stood up and struck a pose. “Of course! I, the great Black Star, can’t deny you the honor of going on a date with someone so awesome!” Soul nudged his leg. “Oh, and uh, it’d be great to go on a date with you.”

“Do you, do you really mean it?”

“Sure. No one else has ever been able to handle my star power.”

“She sure knows how to pick ‘em huh,” Maka whispered to Liz. Tsubaki didn’t hear, and was instead beaming at her meister, who was also blushing, but would never admit to it. 

As they were heading home, Tsubaki looked over her shoulder and shot Kid, who was still rubbing his head, a grateful look. He returned the favor with two thumbs up.

“Quite the matchmaker, aren’t you,” Liz teased as the door closed. “Especially for someone who doesn’t have a crush himself.”

“Oh come on, we both know she wasn’t going to do anything without help.”

“But you really don’t think you’ll ever date a human?”

“No offense, but no. Me and a human, me in a relationship in general, let’s be honest, it’s just a recipe for disaster. We’d be way too different.

“Yeah…” Liz said. “I guess you’re right…”

“It’s fine though, I don’t need to be with anyone,” Kid reassured her, misunderstanding why she seemed sad. “I’ve got you and Patty, and my dad, and all the others. That’s all the family I need.”

“Right… Well goodnight Kid.” Liz headed off to her room, trying to figure out the best approach for getting over her feelings for him.

Kid felt a little guilty about how he’d answered the question, but he really hadn’t been lying he supposed, not technically at least. If they had asked him if he’d ever had a crush in the past he would have been screwed, but they asked if he had one now.

His feelings for Liz had certainly grown far beyond a simple crush.

Chapter Text

“Kid’s still gone?” Tsubaki asked as Liz and Patty walked into the classroom. 

Liz sighed. “Yeah…”

“It’s been four days!” Patty groaned. “And he’s still not back yet.”

“Wait, why’s Kid gone?” Maka asked. Her and Soul had been away on a mission until recently.

Liz sighed again. “Secret mission from Lord Death-”

“And we couldn’t go!” Patty interjected. “Apparently it's a ‘reapers only’ assignment! He’s probably off fighting some super big bad-”

Liz gulped.

“-and we don’t get to fight it with him!”

“Whoa, a secret mission from Lord Death? Sounds serious-” 

Soul was cut off by Maka elbowing him. She inclined her head towards Liz, who was looking more and more worried. “But Kid is a reaper and it's a reaper mission so I’m sure he’s fine.” Liz still seemed upset so Maka tried a new tactic. “Anyway, Tsubaki, Black Star, how was your date?”

“wELL OF COURSE IT WAS THE BEST-”

“It was amazing!”

“-DATE EVER I THE GREAT BLACK STAR WOULD NEVER SETTLE-”

“We went to this really nice new restaurant in town-”

“FOR GIVING A GIRL A SUBPAR DATE TSUBAKI IS THE ONLY GIRL WORTHY OF-”

“Black Star was even almost behaved!”

“-A STAR LIKE ME SO SHE HAD TO HAVE-”

“Then we walked through the park-”

“-A DATE WORTHY OF HER-”

“-and the stars were out-”

 I’M THE BEST BOYFRIEND-”

“-it was so beautiful!”

“- IN THE WHOLE WORLD I CAN’T-”

“It was really romantic actually.”

 TAKE HER ON A STUPID DATE-”

“I had to fill Angela in on everything of course-”

“- IT HAS TO BE THE GREATEST ONE IN THE WHOLE WORLD!”

“As soon as she heard we were dating, she demanded that I tell her all about it.”

“Sheesh, these two are something huh?” Maka murmured to her partner.

Stein wheeled his chair to the front of the room. “Alright class, let’s begin our lesson. Now, unfortunately today will not be a dissection-”

Everyone did their best to not show their relief

“But I expect you all to pay attention to this less interesting material.”

As Stein continued, Liz found herself unable to pay attention. It had been four days. Four days since Kid had gone off on his own. Four days since Kid left for a mission that was probably incredibly dangerous. He was all alone, without any backup. Who was keeping him from focusing on symmetry in the middle of the battle? Certainly not him. Four days on a secret mission meant that she hadn’t heard anything from him, she didn’t even know where he was. She had no idea if he was hurt or-

“Hey, you okay?” Maka asked her, keeping her voice low enough to not alert Professor Stein.

“Just… worried about Kid I guess…”

“I understand, but Liz, he’s a reaper, I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

The pistol sighed. “Yeah… I guess you’re right. He’ll be back any minute.” Despite this being an hopeful estimation, she was only off by two hours.

The door of the E.A.T. classroom was abruptly thrust open. The whole class turned to look and gasped in shock.

He staggered, his left leg dragging behind him in a limp. It was twisted at an awkward angle and he seemed to be avoiding putting any weight on it. There was blood dripping from deep puncture wounds along it. His shirt and torso were shredded, stained red, almost black, with long gashes. His left hand clenched his right bicep. The whole right arm was dangling lower than it should be, clearly dislocated. The muscle and skin at the shoulder was torn and silvery bone was visible. Blood ran down from the injury, mixing with more from deep cuts, before dripping off his fingers. Kid’s face was marred with four crimson gashes and a caustic burn on his jaw. He grimaced with extreme pain, his brow furrowed with concentration. It was taking all of his energy to focus on each step, and as he came to a halt, the focus transferred to staying upright.

The whole room was frozen. No one breathed, much less spoke.

Kid raised his head slowly, with difficulty. “Stein… I…” His gold eyes seemed to dim as his body gave out and he collapsed.

Stein snapped into action, rushing forward and catching the reaper boy before he hit the ground. Every student was suddenly on their feet, their faces filled with horror and misery. “Maka! Go get Lord Death! Have him meet me in the dispensary, now!” Stein barked, scooping up the unconscious Kid like a rag doll and rushing out of the room. Liz and Patty ran after him with Maka sprinting towards the Death room.

When Spirit saw his daughter’s face, he knew something was terribly wrong. “Maka, what-”

“It’s Kid.” Tears rolled down her face. “He’s hurt, bad, and-” A gush of air blew past her and she turned quickly to see Lord Death fly out of the room. She swiveled back to face her father, her eyes welling more.

Spirit gathered his daughter into his arms, his heart heavy.

“Kid… I have an assignment for you.”

“What is it father?”

“We’ve found one of Pandora’s weapons. Reports have come in that we believe match the witch tool known as ‘the hound’. We need you to find it and stop it before it causes any more destruction.”

“Destruction?”

“The hound is incredibly dangerous. It has already decimated the town it appeared in. There are legends about the hound, rumors that…”

“That what?”

“That any human who sees it, dies.”

“So that’s why you’re assigning me to this mission. Because I’m not human.”

“That doesn’t mean you’re invincible Kid. This is still a very dangerous mission, even for you. Especially alone.”

“Oh, right. Liz and Patty are human, it’d be too dangerous for them.”

“I don’t like sending you alone.”

“But like you said, no human can face the hound, and you can’t leave Death City and-”

“I KNOW! I- I know.”

Kid’s eyes went wide. It was very rare that his father raised his voice. “Dad… I’ll be okay.”

“I know… I just…” Lord Death trailed off. Despite the mask, Kid knew his father was worried. “Anyway, you will need to travel to the hound’s last known location. But this mission will need to be completely secret. The mysterious masked witch your friends encountered before seems to be hunting for Pandora’s weapons, and is likely the person responsible for the tomb being opened in the first place. Witches are also not human, and she could be after the hound to claim it for herself. We need to take care of this quickly, before it falls into the wrong hands.”

“I understand. I won’t let you down.”

As his son left, Lord Death’s form sagged. “I know you won’t Kid... I know…”

The waiting was unbearable. Stein and Nygus had been in the dispensary with Kid for what felt like hours. Most of the E.A.T. class was waiting outside. An uneasy silence hung in the air. Maka’s face was buried in Soul’s shoulders. Tsubaki and Black Star were holding each other. Patty was constantly shifting and squirming impatiently in her spot. Lord Death was eerily silent, standing next to a solemn Spirit. Liz paced back and forth, unable to keep still, unable to find a way to distract herself from the fact that Kid was hurt, badly.

Lord Death suddenly jolted and gasped. He was completely frozen at attention. Everyone turned to watch him, fear crawling into their throats. 

Liz’s eyes widened. No, it couldn’t be could it? This couldn’t be what she thought it was. Then again, what was it he had said once? I’m Death, I’d feel it if my son died.

“Liz, Patty, I need to talk to you two,.”

“What is it Kid?” Liz asked.

“Father gave me a mission-”

“Alright!” Patty exclaimed. “A new mission! Where are we going? Who are we blasting?”

“Um…”

“Kid?” Liz felt her stomach drop.

“It’s- The mission is… It’s a reaper mission.”

Patty cocked her head, confused. “Oh-kay?”

“As in… reapers only…”

“What!” Liz cried out. “Are you saying we aren’t going with you?”

“Yes but-”

“Absolutely not!”

“No way!”

“Guys, I know you don’t want me to do this, but I have to. This mission is very important, and no one else can do this. I’ll be safe, this is only dangerous for humans.” The last part was a lie, but at least Patty didn’t notice.

“Aw come on Kid! How long are you going to be gone?”

“I don’t know.”

“But you’ll call home right?” Patty pleaded

“...”

Liz made eye contact with her meister. “Right?”

“No. This is a secret mission. Complete radio silence.”

“But-”

“Hey,” he put a hand on each girls’ shoulder. “I’ll be fine.”

Lord Death suddenly slumped against the wall with obvious relief and everyone in the hall breathed again.

Liz couldn’t take it any more. “How could you?” she cried, facing the Grim Reaper with tears in her eyes. “How could you send him into something so dangerous? How could you send him alone? How could you?”

“Liz-” Maka tried, but was ignored.

“How could you!” She punched Lord Death, tears streaming down her face. He didn’t even flinch. “How could you!” Each hit was weaker. “How…” Liz’s will gave out and she found herself clutching the reaper’s cloak, sobbing.

Lord Death wrapped his arms around her. “Believe me Liz, if I could have sent anyone else… If I could leave Death City… I would have.”

Kid stood in the center of the empty street. The town used to have a population of 200, now it was zero. The hound was here somewhere and he needed to find it fast.

“Ope!”

Kid spun around, surprised to see a woman waving at him. “Hey!” he called. “You shouldn’t be here. It’s dangerous!”

“Hmm, I don’t think so!” She replied in a singsong voice as she lowered her hood. Her face was narrow. Her eyes were dark and glinting with mischief. A reddish brown fur boa draped her shoulders and trailed down to her feet. Even before her soul protect dropped, he was pretty sure she was a witch.

She gave him a huge grin. “I hope you weren’t looking for this!” She held up a whistle that looked like it had been carved from bone. “Do you know what it does, reaper boy?” Her grin darkened. “It summons the hound.” The whistle itself was barely audible, even to him, but the barking afterward could wake the dead.

“Kid! Kid! Can you hear me?” Stein called. The boy was thrashing wildly as Nygus and the doctor tried to hold him down. “Kid! You’re safe now, we’re trying to help you.”

Kid didn’t seem to be aware of them, his eyes still closed. His mind was only perceiving pain.

“Try to keep him still, I’m going to relocate his arm.”

The chimera had seemed like such a big threat at the time. The hound made it look like a kitten. This monster was the size of a truck, covered with patchy black fur, its eyes glowing bright red and its fangs dripping with green saliva. The creature’s bark rattled the windows and its footsteps shook the cobblestones.

Kid gulped, jumping out of the way of the charging hound. It was a hellhound, it had to be. His father hadn’t been sure, but had warned him that it might be. He’d heard stories. He had heard that eye contact with a human resulted in instant death. He had also heard that they specifically targeted reapers.

The hound rushed at him again clawing at the ground and propelling itself forward. Kid managed to dodge the main brunt of the attack, but the creature got a good swipe in, its claws raking against his back.

“Gah!” He cried out but forced himself to move through the pain, lest the hound get another hit in. The witch appeared to be gone, which was a problem. 

The hound jumped forward, landing on his chest and knocking him to the ground. It’s spit dripped onto his face and he jerked his head in pain as the substance burned and melted his skin. The hound slashed again, cutting deep into his chest, before it bit down hard on his arm. 

The beast lifted the reaper into the air, shaking its head violently like a puppy with a chew toy. If he was human, the jaw strength would have turned Kid’s humerus to powder. Reaper bones are nearly indestructible, but their ligaments are not. His arm dislocated and he gasped, the pain drowning out a full blown scream. The hound continued shaking, Kid’s deltoid tearing and blood gushing out. Forcing himself to stay conscious, the reaper managed to swing his legs and wrap them around the hound’s neck, pulling himself closer to the beast's face. The red eye was the size of Kid’s fist, which became evident when he punched it.

The hound howled in agony, its jaws opening and dropping Kid to the ground. The reaper scrambled away, forcing himself to ignore throbbing of his shoulder and arm as blood oozed from his wounds. He should run. He should run as fast and as far as possible. He doubted he could defeat this thing even with Liz and Patty.

Liz and Patty…

The witch from before was gone. She probably still had the whistle. She probably took it with her. She would probably use it to summon the hound again. If he ran, the witch would be able to call this creature anytime, anywhere. She could march into Death City and summon a creature that could kill his friends with a single stare. Liz, and Patty, and all of his friends, everyone he cared about, all the innocent people of the world, would be in danger.

He had to kill it, here and now.

When Stein finally left the dispensary, everyone jumped to attention. Liz spun towards him, her eyes big and desperate.

“Is he okay? Is he-”

“He’s alright,” Stein interjected. A chorus of “thank Death”s, sounded out, with several students noticing the irony.

Lord Death approached Stein. “How bad was it?”

“He had several dislocated bones, nothing broken, many deep bite marks and scratches, and chemical burns. He’s resting now, but he should make a full recovery.”

Liz and Patty hugged each other, tears of relief wetting their cheeks.

“We thought we were about to lose him for a minute there,” Stein commented quietly to Lord Death.

“We almost did.”

Kid turned towards the hound again. He was afraid, he was downright terrified right now, but he had a job to do. For humanity, for his friends, for his family, for Liz. The hound roared again in rage, it’s ruined eye leaking fluid. Maybe he could at least blind it, but what if it healed? No, he had to kill it, no matter what.

He ran towards the hound. The monster bellowed, anticipating him attacking, but instead Kid leaned back, sliding across the ground under the creature’s belly. The beast seemed to focus on forward attacks. By getting behind it, he had bought himself some time. Kid looked around frantically and his eyes zeroed in on a long thick chain barricade between the street and the sidewalk. Perfect.

The hound turned around and charged again. Kid waited in front of the barricade, only jumping at the last possible second, leading to the beast ripping the chain out from the ground. Kid landed on the creature’s back, quickly grabbing the ends of the uprooted chain and pulling hard. The hound gurgled as its neck was constricted and it bent backward, snapping at the air.

The random chomping managed to catch Kid’s leg and he groaned. The jaws bit down hard and the hound tried to pull Kid off, but he was able to use the chain to pull himself closer. They were locked in a battle of wills. The hound was ripping at Kid’s leg and Kid was yanking on the chain around its neck. The reaper dangled from its side, using his non-chewed-on leg to push off the beast’s shoulder. This would have been a lot easier if he could use both arms. His right was hanging uselessly, still dripping blood. He gripped the two ends of the chain, pulling and twisting, making the loop smaller and smaller around the hound’s neck.

The creature bit down harder and thrashed more. Kid’s leg had now dislocated at his ankle, knee, and hip and he could barely stay awake. “GAH!!!!” He screamed with determination pulling harder and harder, the metal starting to bend…

There was a loud snap.

The hound fell to the ground, its neck broken.

Kid, fighting the black spots that danced in his vision, summoned his skateboard and collapsed onto it, staring up at the sky as Beelzebub flew towards home…

“I killed it.”

“What?” Lord Death looked up in surprise at his son, who was sitting up in the dispensary bed. Liz and Patty were sitting next to him, laying across the bed asleep, so both reapers kept their voices fairly low. Kid had been asleep for hours, but Lord Death was still surprised he was up so soon.

“I killed it. There was a witch there, I don’t think it was the masked witch, but she had already found the real witch tool, a whistle that summoned the hound. She got away with the whistle and she would have been able to summon it again, but I killed it so she wouldn’t be able to. I couldn’t let her have that kind of weapon. Maybe she works with the masked witch. We kept the mission a complete secret and they were still one step ahead of-”

“Kid, Kid, slow down,” his father held up his hands. “You need to rest. We’ll figure this out later.”

“But-”

“Kid,” Lord Death said firmly. “You are more important. Rest. We’ll figure it out.”

Kid sighed. He’d always hated being out of commission. He looked down at his sleeping weapons. He felt guilty. “They must have been so worried…”

“We all were.”

Kid gave his dad a small smile. “I’m sorry, dad.”

“I know Kid. Me too.”

Kid wasn’t sure if it was just wishful thinking, but it felt like they were both apologizing for more.

“I’m sorry mistress, but the hound has been slain,” the narrow faced, fur clad witch informed regretfully.

“Fret not Tiachi,” the mistress replied. Her back was turned away from the kneeling witch girl. She was focusing on the massive aquarium that took up the whole back wall of the room. She put her hand on the glass. Piranhas flocked to it, their teeth scraping uselessly against the glass. “You retrieved the whistle did you not?”

“Yes but, mistress, isn’t it useless now?”

The masked witch traced a fingernail across the tank. “Oh dear child, the expert craftsmanship of Pandora is never useless.” A huge shark shot out of the darkness of the tank and swallowed up the piranhas with one huge gulp.

“But I failed you…” Tiachi slumped guiltily.

The mistress turned, stepping over her cushion seat on the black marble floor, her robe gliding across the small steps that elevated her platform. She came to a halt gently in front of the younger witch. “My child,” she traced a cold, gray finger along the girl’s jaw, tilting Tiachi’s head upward. “You could never fail me, not as long as you are giving me your all.”

Tiachi nodded gratefully before standing.

“Mistress!” A kishin soldier led his comrades into the gloomy room, the only light a wavy blue from the tank along the back wall. “We have retrieved what you asked for!” He shoved Eruka Frog, bound, in front of him. She trembled.

“Marvelous!” the masked witch exclaimed, dismissing Tiachi with a wave of her hand. The mistress removed her hat and cloak and servants rushed forward and retrieved them. “You must be Eruka then,” she said, her voice smooth and calm. “I’ve heard about you.”

“L-listen I- I don’t want any trouble-”

“You used to work for Medusa.”

“N- Not by choice! She made me! She had these snakes and-”

The older woman held up her hand, as if to silence the frog witch, but Eruka was surprised to realize she truly couldn’t talk. Then a familiar slithering feeling squirmed through her body.

“These snakes you mean?” the mistress asked as Eruka’s eyes bulged. “While their master is dead, they are still very much inside you, and I’m sure you’ve realized they are more than willing to listen to me.” She lowered her hand and the movements stopped.

Eruka gasped and gagged. “Wh- What do you want with me?”

“You proved yourself quite useful to the late Medusa. You even helped resurrect the kishin Asura. You were there for almost every step of her plots. I could use someone like you around here, someone with your… information.”

The frog gulped back a rib-bit. “I- I-”

The mistress laughed. “Oh please, we both know you don’t have a choice. Although, I hope you will come to like it here, that you might find a family here.” She walked gracefully across the floor, her feet bare, her form wrapped in a tight black dress that flared out at the bottom like a tail. “I need you to help me find your old friends, Free, Mizune, Crona and Ragnarok too if we can. I’ll need everyone I can get if I’m going to take on Lord Death.”

The witch removed her mask, dropping it to the ground and watching it shatter. She had no need for masks now, no need for hiding. Pandora’s tomb was open and the D.W.M.A. knew someone was after the witch tools, why bother using animosity as a shield?

Eruka gazed up at the witch before her. Her skin was gray and dotted with dark freckles. Her hair was long and black with tinges of green and purple, like spilled oil. Her face was marred with scars but otherwise beautiful. Her eyes gleamed a brilliant blue, the pupils matching that of the shark in her tank. She smiled and revealed razor teeth to match.

“L-Lord Death? You’re going to kill Lord Death?” Eruka gasped in disbelief.

The sea witch laughed again. “Oh no no no, silly child. I’m not going to kill him.” She grinned, her eyes cold and cruel. 

“I’m going to destroy him.”

Chapter Text

“Dude no way,” Black Star said skeptically.

“I’m telling you,” Ox insisted. “As soon as you look at it, boom,” he slapped his hands together, “instant death.”

“What are you guys talking about?” Maka asked as her and Soul took their seats. There was still a good amount of time before class started so the E.A.T. class seemed to have decided to engage in a debate.

“We’re trying to figure out what Lord Death looks like under his mask,” Ox clarified. “I think that as soon as anyone sees his real face, they die.”

“I don’t think he even has a face,” Black Star added. “The mask is his real face.”

“What? That’s dumb.”

“Why? It makes as much sense as ‘insta-death-face.”

Soul scowled in thought. “Hmm, he doesn’t remove his ‘mask’ to drink coffee…”

“Well that doesn’t mean it’s his face,” Maka said. “I think his real face is just really scary, and he uses the mask to not freak anyone out.”

“But didn’t he already change the mask to be less scary?” Tsubaki scratched her head. “If the mask is to make him less scary, why did he have a scary mask originally?”

“You know what?” Black Star planted a foot on his desk, a common thing for him. “I’m gonna figure this out! I’m going to uncover the secret of Lord Death’s real face!”

“Yeah man, we got this!” Soul declared. “We figured out who took the Anubis mission. Together, we can reveal the truth!”

“... What are you two doing now?” Kid inquired, having just arrived with Liz and Patty.

“We’ve been debating what Lord Death really looks like,” Kim explained.

“It’s really not that exciting guys.”

The room froze. “W- Wait!” Black Star stammered incredulously. “You know what he looks like?”

“Um, yeah?”

“Have you seen his face?” Ox asked, wide eyed.

“Wh- Yes! Of course I have!” Kid looked around the room at all the shocked faces like they were idiots. “He’s my dad , you think I’ve never seen his face?” Most of the students looked down, embarrassed.

Patty cocked her head. “So... what does he look like then?”

“Ox thought looking at his face would kill you,” Black Star snickered.

Ox huffed. “Well, Black Star thought the mask was his actual face!”

Kid snorted and shook his head. “Well, I can confirm both of those are false.”

“Is it terrifying, that’s what Maka thought- ow!” Soul rubbed his head after a red faced scythe meister chopped him.

“No it's… normal,” Kid admitted. “He just looks like, well, like me actually, just older.”

“Oh.” Patty, unlike the rest of the class, didn’t hide her disappointment. “I’d thought he’d be cooler.”

“Wh- Hey! I just said he looks like me!”

“Sowwie Kid.” She gave him an apologetic look and he rolled his eyes.

“So he really looks like you? With the lines and everything?” Kim asked.

Kid’s shoulders slumped. “No,” he sighed. “He has white lines in his hair but… his are symmetrical. They go all the way around.”

Sensing a typical Kid meltdown incoming, Liz quickly added, “But he’s got gold eyes like you then?”

“... yeah.” Kid clenched his fists for a moment to fight off the symmetry freak out. “Yeah, he does.”

“Has anyone else ever seen Lord Death’s face?” Maka asked. “I know my dad hasn’t, and he’s the Head Death Scythe.”

Kid was quiet for a minute. “No, I, uh, I guess I’m the only one who has.” The thought gave him a weird warm feeling. Growing up with a dad who was always busy saving humanity, it felt nice to have something just between the two of them. “He doesn’t really take his mask off that much though,” Kid added. “I saw his face more when I was little.”

“What, were you scared of his mask when you were a baby?” Patty questioned.

“No, but apparently I loved to chew on it when I was teething.”

Despite knowing that Kid was Lord Death’s son, no one in the class had pictured the Grim Reaper with a baby, and the image immediately sent a chorus of laughter through the room.

As Stein entered and class began, Liz watched Kid’s face. He wasn’t paying attention to the lecture, which was not unlike any other class period. Instead he seemed to be lost in thought as he looked down at an empty notebook. A small smile was on his face, which gave Liz one too. She didn’t know what he was thinking about exactly, but she was always happy to see him happy.

“Oh, Kiddo, it was only a nightmare,” Lord Death reassured. His two-year-old son rubbed his eyes with his fist, tears streaming down his round face.

“It was so scary, father,” he sniffed. “So many voices…”

Lord Death sighed. One of the disadvantages to being a reaper was feeling death constantly. He could handle it fine, but a sleeping child had a much harder time. The poor boy seemed to have bad dreams constantly. “Come here Kiddo.” Lord Death scooped up the small boy and held him close. “It’s okay, it’s okay, I’m here now,” the reaper patted his son on the back as the boy continued to sob. His child was tiny, fully supported by just one of his gloved hands.

Lord Death carried Kid back to his room, laying the boy down in his bed. “Okie dokie, let’s try this again shall we?” he suggested, but Kid seemed worried still.

“I don’t know if I can fall asleep Dad,” Kid admitted. He was scared, terrified even.

Lord Death took off his mask and looked his boy in the eyes, taking joy in the way Kid’s face lit up. “Kid, it’ll be okay, I’d never let anything happen to you.” He poked the child in the chest before tickling under his chin, sending Kid into a fit of giggles. Lord Death ruffled Kid’s hair.

“Can you sing the song dad?” Kid asked.

Lord Death smiled at his son, who had started to snuggle into the covers. “Of course Kiddo."

“Don’t be afraid of the dark

Lay your head don’t you cry

Watch the shadows dance on your walls

And listen to their dark lullaby

Rest your bones

Close your eyes

Sleep as if you’ll never rise

Safe and sound

Your soul I’ll keep

Death is merely an endless sleep”

Kid was upset, but he knew he shouldn’t be. His dad was off doing “Lord Death things” and he was stuck at home. Alone. With nothing to do. He was eleven, which meant he’d already read every book in the mansion, mastered most human topics at a college level, and redecorated every inch of every room. Even if he could find something to do, it wouldn’t distract him from how hurt he was. He missed his dad constantly. When he was younger, he didn’t see him much but now it felt like he only ever saw his father in the mirror for quick check-ins before he tucked himself in.

He felt angry, but he felt guilty for feeling angry. Other kids complained about how their parents didn’t have time for them because they were too busy trying to get promotions (at least he thought, he only saw other kids on T.V.). His dad was literally saving the world. How could he complain about that? How selfish would he have to be to ask the Grim Reaper to step away, even for a moment? 

He growled with frustration and punched the wall. It caved instantly, leaving behind a crater. Kid stormed off to his room.

A few hours later, Lord Death walked in on his son lying face down in the exact center of his bed. “Um… So… Kiddo… did you have an argument with the wall?”

Kid felt guilty again. “Dad, I-”

“Well a wall isn’t a worthy opponent of a young reaper like yourself.”

“I was just bored and I-”

Lord Death refused to let his son apologize, interrupting again. “Come on Kiddo!” He led the confused younger reaper to the gym, which, like every room in the mansion, was huge.

“Dad, what are we doing?” Kid puzzled, then widened his eyes as his father removed his mask, cloak, and gloves.

“You need a more productive outlet for all that death god strength Kid. I’m going to teach you Death God Taijutsu.”

Kid’s eyes widened further and his face lit up. One-on-one combat lessons with his dad? With Lord Death? Anyone would kill for this opportunity… “Do you… do you have time for this?”

The question was a heavy one and they both knew it. Usually they pretended, not to be a normal family per se, but that Lord Death being, well, Lord Death wasn’t as detrimental as it was. There was no changing it anyway.

Lord Death looked his son in the eyes. Without the mask the sincerity was more clear, although Kid was good at reading his father even with it on. The grim reaper knew Kid had been frustrated lately. He knew he hadn’t been around as much as they both wanted. When he’d first created Kid, his plan was to remain distant and neutral towards the boy. The plan was abandoned almost immediately and replaced with loving him more than anything. He knew he was at risk of giving up the whole world for that boy, but as Lord Death he had to make sure his duty came first, no matter how much it hurt. He also tended to overcorrect though, and Kid took the brunt of that.

“I’ll make time.”

It had been one year. One year since Death the Kid ran away from home. One year since he left without a goodbye, just a quick “I wasn’t kidnapped” note. One year since he’d fought with his father and took off across the country.

And now he was standing in front of the Death Room and his heart was pounding.

He hadn’t planned on coming back to Death City. He had assumed it would happen eventually, but certainly not this soon. He’d found himself in New York, getting “mugged” by two weapon girls living on the streets. He had a mansion and unlimited wealth that he’d abandoned and they had nothing. Now those same girls were currently exploring Gallows Mansion, likely trashing the place or stealing everything, but he hoped it was big enough to distract them while he spoke to his father about pardoning them. He’d have to clean up when he got back… they’d probably messed up all the symmetry…

He shook his head. “You’re making excuses, Kid,” he mumbled to himself. When he told the girls he would talk to his father, he tried to make it sound easy to reassure them they would never be back on the streets again. He’d lied, said he’d met them because he was on a mission from his dad, conveniently leaving out that he hadn’t seen the elder reaper in a year. One year. One year… 

His dad would be pissed. He’d demand that Kid explain himself. He’d question how Kid could be so shellfish, as the future Lord Death. Or maybe he’d hardly noticed Kid was gone, which would be so much worse.

Kid took a shuddering breath. Elizabeth and Patricia Thompson, they needed him to do this. They’d survived years on the streets with only each other. He could talk to his dad.

When he walked into the Death Room, Lord Death’s back was to him. He was talking with Spirit, who abruptly stopped when he saw Kid. The scythe’s eyes widened and Lord Death turned to see why and-

“H- hi, Dad.”

A pen drop would have been a nuclear explosion. The air seemed to have stopped moving and Kid felt like he was silently suffocating. 

“I- I’ll leave you two alone,” Spirit said, walking quickly out of the room. The quick shoulder pat he gave Kid on the way clearly said, “good to have you back”.

“Um…” Kid shuffled his feet. “I-”

He was cut off by a hug that knocked the wind out of him, his father somehow covering the distance between them in seconds. His limbs were locked up in shock and by the time the muscles twitched with life again his father was pulling away and looking at him.

“I- I-” There was nothing he could say. All the carefully thought out words from his journey back flew out of his head.

Lord Death removed his mask. His gold eyes were shining. His cheeks were wet. He- he was crying. He was crying . “Good to see you Kiddo.” The words themselves sounded like a typical Lord Death cheery proclamation, but the tone was soft and wavery.

Kid sagged, practically collapsing into his father’s arms, this time returning the hug.

They never talked about it after that moment, but an unspoken promise hung in the air between them after that, one that both of them would have to uphold.

Never again.

The kishin was dead. They’d done it. They’d defeated Asura for good. Everyone should have been happy, ecstatic even, which is why Kid was surprised to see his dad looking downcast.

“Dad?” Kid asked concerned. Lord Death was recovering from his fight with the kishin still, and he wondered if it was guilt that was making his father seem wilted. After all, students had defeated the greatest evil in the world, not him. “Are you okay?”

Lord Death shook himself. Focus. Kid had nearly died to the kishin, twice actually, but he was here now. He was safe. Lord Death sat up with some difficulty, grunting in discomfort. “I’m fine Kid.”

Kid looked at him skeptically.

Lord Death removed his mask, but kept the metaphorical one on. Kid could not know he was grieving. Not now. Not ever.

The older reaper smiled at his son and the two hugged. They’d both almost lost each other today, a fact that hung, like so many things, unspoken between them.

“I’m so proud of you.”

“Hey, Dad?” Kid asked, entering the Death Room. It was the weekend now which meant no students to interrupt them.

“Hmm?”

“Uh, here.” The teen held out a box.

“Oh?” Lord Death took it and opened it carefully, removing the contents. In his gloved hands he held a framed picture of Liz, Patty, Kid, and himself. Their family . “Aww thanks Kiddo!” He gave his son a crushing hug, fighting a potential voice break not fitting for a god of death.

“Dad?”

“Yeah?”

So much was unspoken still...

“... Happy Father’s Day.”

Chapter Text

The Death Prom was only a week and a half away. The whole school was buzzing with excitement and nerves. For most past dances, the norm seemed to be going with your partner, but this one was different. The word “prom” instilled a need to have a “date” and several students were scrambling to find one. Couples had it easy. Black Star asked Tsubaki to the dance the day it was officially announced. Students like Maka and Soul, who everyone knew liked each other besides each other, had it much harder. Students like Liz, at least from Liz’s perspective, had it the hardest.

“Wow, I can’t believe the dance is less than two weeks away,” Liz said, looking over at Kid, who was doing the dishes.

Kid nodded. “Yeah, it’ll be soon.”

Liz shifted a little closer to her meister. “Too soon. I don’t even have a date yet.”

“Well you don’t have to have one.”

“... True, but I would like to have one.”

“Well there’s still time Liz, don’t worry.”

“... Right.” She shifted away, clenching her jaw. Liz sighed. Why did I expect that to go any differently? Oh well, I guess I’ll just try to think of something else...

“Hey guys!” Patty said as she entered the kitchen. “Can you believe the dance is coming up?”

God I can’t catch a break. “Yeah, we, uh, we were just talking about it.”

Patty grinned. “It sounds like it’ll be so much fun! But it’s coming up so soon, we don’t even have dresses yet Liz!”

Kid finished up the last plate. “Well, why don’t we rectify that?”

Death City’s mall was always busy, but the number of students had certainly gone up since the prom announcement. The best dress stores in town were swarmed with D.W.M.A. girls. Liz, Patty, Maka, Tsubaki, Kim, and Jackie were all among them.

“What about this one?”

“Ooh that’s pretty!”

“Yeah, but I thought you looked better in the other one.”

“Hey guys, how about this?”

“Wow that one’s perfect!”

Maka left her dressing room and joined the others, holding the dress the others had insisted she pick. “I don’t know about this.” She looked down at the price tag. “This might be the most expensive dress they have.”

“Hey, don’t worry about it, we’ve got reaper cash!” Kim snickered and Jackie shot her a look.

“Hell yeah Maka, you’re hanging with the Thompson sisters, treat yourself!” Patty whooped.

“How is the reaper anyway?” Liz asked aloud and the girls poked their heads out. None of them were surprised to see Kid organizing racks of clothes by color and style. Whereas most places his obsessiveness was unwelcome, employees looked on gratefully as their after hours work load diminished. 

“Can’t say I’m surprised,” Tsubaki commented.

“See? He’s having a good time, don’t feel guilty about taking his money Maka.” Kim got another look from her weapon partner.

“But-”

“Oh Maka, don’t worry about that,” Patty insisted. “When we first moved in with Kid he told both me and sis we’d never have to worry about money again and that it was ours, not borrowed from him. So if we wanna treat our friends to a mall spree we can treat our friends to a mall spree dammit.”

“Wow,” Jackie said. “That’s really nice of Kid.”

Liz looked back over at her meister, who was now reassuring a worried looking girl that the shoes she had chosen did indeed match her dress. “Yeah… it was.”

“HEY WORLD’S BEST GIRLFRIEND!” Black jumped into a chair next to Tsubaki. The food court was filled with teens, but luckily was large enough to accommodate them comfortably. “I could have come to the shopping part too if you wanted by the way.”

“That’s okay Black Star.” You would have been a real pain once you’d gotten bored waiting. “You’re here now.”

“Yeah, uh, thanks for inviting us to, uh, lunch,” Soul stammered. He shifted in his seat and looked around as if for an excuse to leave.

Kid placed a hand on his shoulder. “Good to have you here.” He kept his hand there and Black Star copied the action on Soul’s other shoulder. They were effectively holding him down and keeping the scythe from bolting. “So, Maka, you found a dress huh?”

“Y- Yeah…” Now Maka looked nervous.

“But no date yet, huh?” Black Star said. The assassin and the reaper applied more pressure to Soul’s shoulders as he started, and subsequently failed, to stand.

“Um… no not yet but-”

“Well I could…” Soul trailed off. “I’m gonna go get food, um, Maka, do you, do you, wanna go with me? T-To get food I mean.” The boys released him as Maka eagerly, and nervously, followed him.

“Looks like those two will both have dates soon,” Patty teased. Black Star and Kid nodded proudly.

“Uh, actually, they’re not the only ones,” Kim said quietly.

“Wait, what?” Tsubaki questioned.

“Ox asked her to the dance,” Jackie answered. “And she said yes.”

“Wh- Really?” Black Star was the only one who was vocal but the others were similarly shocked.

“Sh-Shut up!” Kim’s whole face was red. “I mean, okay, after the whole kishin business he’s really chilled out and, you know, if it goes bad oh well right, it's just a dance.”

Luckily for Kim, Soul and Maka returned before there could be more questioning. The two sat down next to each other.

“So you said yes then?” Liz asked Maka.

“... yeah,” Maka mumbled, smiling shyly. Soul looked pleased with himself, but was also blushing.

As they left the mall, Liz wanted to be in a good mood, but she couldn’t help but be a little down about still not having a date. Her stupid crush on Kid had kept her from looking at anyone else and now the big day was approaching and she’d look like an idiot. Sure, there were people going as friends, but she was convinced if she did the same, everyone would know it wasn’t by choice.

“Hey Liz!” a voice called. It was Leo Cain, one of the most popular, handsome guys in the E.A.T. class. He was still fairly new to the school, but he’d made quick work of climbing to the top.

“Oh, uh, hey.” She could feel her friends’ eyes on them.

“I was just wondering, the Death Prom is coming up, and would you be interested in going with me?”

“W- With you? Really?” Liz couldn’t believe it. “You want to go to the dance with me?”

“Yeah, sure, you’re great Liz. I’d be so lucky to get to go with you, if you want to?”

“Um…” Liz looked at Kid out of the corner of her eye. He said he didn’t even have a crush on anyone… “Sure. Yeah, I’d love to! Sounds like fun.”

“Awesome! Here’s my number.”

As the two talked, Patty watched her meister. His face was relatively neutral, maybe even a little joyful. At first glance he seemed like a friend, glad that his weapon partner had found someone, but Patty knew Kid well.

And the tension in his stance said jealousy.

Chapter Text

The Death Prom was fast approaching and Kid was trying not to think about it and failing miserably. Granted, it would have been a lot easier if everyone else wasn’t so excited for the damn thing. Maka and Soul were obviously eager for their first official date, but nervous too which meant Kid couldn’t be around either one of them without hearing, “it's almost here, oh God what if I mess up?” Despite all this time forced to concentrate on the inevitable dance, he still couldn’t find a good reason to justify his anger. And even worse Patty had picked up on it.

“So why aren’t you excited for the dance Kid?” she asked as if she already knew the answer, despite the fact that he didn’t.

“Well I’m not excited for it, but I’m not dreading it or anything-”

“You’re dreading it.”

“N-No! I’m just not particularly looking forward to it-”

“You’re dreading it.”

Kid sighed. Patty wasn’t exactly known for changing her mind. “Well okay I’m only going because as Lord Death’s son I should be at an event like this so I don’t really think I’ll have fun, I just want to get it over with.”

“Uh huh…” Patty was giving him that look again like he should know what she was getting at. He did not. Until he did.

“Umm so anyway!” Kid coughed out, avoiding eye contact and turning away from her. His sentence implied he had a new topic. He did not. Patty didn’t press any further, but she grinned in triumph anyway.

“ALRIGHT LADIES, specifically Tsubaki, THE GREAT BLACK STAR IS HERE!!” the assassin shouted as he busted into Gallows Mansion. The girls had come over early to get ready for the Death Prom and Soul and Black Star were arriving to meet up with their girlfriends.

“Hey Kid,” Soul said. He tried to sound casual, but his voice was shaking slightly. He had on a pinstripe suit with a red shirt and a black necktie. “Looking good man.”

“Thanks,” Kid responded. He’d gone for a different look than he had at past dances with a three-piece suit. The pants, jacket, and necktie were black, the shirt was white, and the vest was gray. “You too.” He turned to Black Star. Actually “You do too.”

“Why do you sound surprised?” He wore a basic suit with a purple tie, but it wasn’t ruffled and was buttoned properly, an impressive feat for him.

“Oh-kay boys!” Patty rushed towards them. She was wearing a short pink dress that puffed out at the bottom and had a bow around the waist. “You ready to see everybody?”

“Wow, Patty you look great!” Kid smiled.

“Yeah yeah yeah, I’m awesome,” she waved him off. “But wait till you see the other girls! I helped them get ready. My finest work.” She waved her hand dramatically. “Presenting! Tsubaki!”

Tsubaki shyly walked out wearing a long purple dress with a swirl of floral patterns at the hem. Her hair was done with a braid on each side that met in a ponytail down her back.

Black Star’s jaw dropped. “W-Whoa! You’re so hot!” Soul and Kid shook their heads in disappointment.

“Thanks,” Tsubaki smiled, giving her boyfriend a quick peck.

“Next up!” Patty used her best announcer voice. “Maka!”

The scythe meister stepped out next and Soul was surprised to recognize a dress very similar to the one she’d worn when they’d been in the Black Room. Her hair was different from her usual pigtails, instead down and wavy. “What do you think?” she asked.

“You, you’re beautiful.” Maka beamed.

Patty smiled at the sweet reaction before adopting the announcer voice again. “Okay and last, but certainly not least, please welcome, my sister, Elizabeth Thompson!”

Kid’s jaw dropped. Liz looked absolutely stunning. She wore a long black dress with silver designs twinkling on the skirt. Her hair was pulled back into a bun of curls. Her eyes were sparkling.

“Wow Liz, you look amazing!” Maka exclaimed. “Patty you did such a great job with her hair!”

Patty puffed out her chest proudly for a moment before gaining a suspicious grin. “Kid, what do you think?”

“Uh… You look…” Shit shit shit she’s perfection oh shit she’s looking at me oh God I’ve taken too long it sounds like I can’t think of anything shit shit-

Liz gave Kid a confused and slightly concerned look and was not alone in doing so.

“Uh…” SHIT SAY SOMETHING YOU IDIOT SAY SOMETHING SAY ANYTHING LITERALLY ANYTHING ANY POSITIVE ADJECTIVE “... symmetrical.” NO!!!!! THAT’S THE WORST POSSIBLE THING YOU COULD HAVE SAID OH DAD KILL ME NOW

Liz’s smile dropped a fraction, but she forced herself to not completely cave in annoyance. Well, it is technically a complement.

“W-uh I mean it’s just you do look very symmetrical and uh you know how I feel about symmetry haha.” Kid put out his hand to casually lean on a wall that wasn’t there. “Anyway,” he interrupted any concern at him falling. “We need to get going.”

Tsubaki nodded. “Yeah, you still need to meet up with Leo right Liz?” She watched Kid out of the corner of her eye, and her suspicions were confirmed as he clenched his jaw.

As they arrived at the dance, the group separated. Black Star and Tsubaki went off on their own, as did Soul and Maka, taking advantage of the music. Liz waited outside for Leo to show up. Patty and Kid met up with some other single students originally, but the reaper drifted off to the wall fairly early on.

“Hey Kid!” Spirit slapped him on the shoulder. Unfortunately the staff were acting as chaperones. “What are you doing hiding out? There’s a lot of cute girls here for you to flirt with.” He raised his eyebrows. “Huh? Huh?”

Kid shrugged him off. “I’m fine thanks.”

“Oh come on! You haven’t forgotten all the tricks I taught you, have you?”

Kid shuddered at the memory of his godfather explaining to a seven-year-old how to seduce women. “I’m surprised you’re bothering with me right now, with Maka-”

Spirit’s face hardened. “You’re right, I need to get back to work.” ‘Back to work’ seemed to mean standing behind a potted plant and making intense eye contact with Soul over Maka’s shoulder as they danced.

Kid felt a little guilty about siccing Spirit on the two, but he sure as hell didn’t want to deal with him.

Liz felt like everyone else had gone into the school at this point, walking past her standing alone. She felt humiliated. Where is he? Did he walk past me and we just didn’t see each other? Finally, she saw Leo approaching.

With a hot girl on his arm.

Leo made eye contact with Liz and turned to the girl he was with, saying something to her, and then she left him behind heading into the school. “Hey Liz…”

“Hey,” she responded coldly.

“So, I don’t need you to be my date anymore.”

“W-What?”

“Yeah, you see I broke up with my girlfriend Stacey right before the dance, and I didn’t want to be the loser without a date, so I asked you to make her jealous ya know? But she called me the other day and wanted to get back together so I don’t need you anymore.”

“... I-”

“But hey, thanks for saying yes. Take care.” He patted her shoulder and walked past her into the school.

Liz stood rooted to the spot for a moment. She felt her eyes well up. She was frozen for so long that everyone else had moved inside by the time her knees gave out and she sat down on the stairs to the academy. She wasn’t heartbroken she supposed, it’s not like she had been really into the guy or anything but it still hurt. It hurt… and anger replaced the majority of the sadness. That- that- that bastard! You know what? I’m not going to let him ruin this! She wiped her face with fury. I’m going in there and I am going to have a damn good time! Liz stood, wiped her face again, and entered the school, meeting up with her sister.

“Hey sis! Where’s-”

“It didn’t work out.”

Patty started to get enraged. “What?! Why that-”

Liz cut her off. “Patty, I just want to have a good time now okay? We can talk about it later, right now I just want to be distracted.”

Patty deflated and nodded. “Okay, but when you’re ready to punch somebody let me know.”

Liz gave her sister a half-hearted smile.

Kid looked over at Liz, confused. She was sitting by herself and had been for most of the night. Occasionally Patty would convince her to get up and dance to one of the upbeat songs, but she always went back to sitting by herself. She seemed upset, but also like she was trying to power through and he didn’t want to bring anything up. Patty had warned him in passing that Liz didn’t want to talk about it yet, but he had a feeling it would come up later.

The D.J. announced that a romantic song would be up next and all the couples hit the dance floor immediately. Kid pushed off the wall and made his way over. “Hey Liz.”

“Oh, hey.” She was still upset.

Kid debated for a minute before holding out his hand. “May I have this dance?”

“Wh-What?”

If he wasn’t so focused on making her feel better he would have processed the impact of his decision more. “You haven’t had a slow dance yet right? You can’t go to a prom and not slow dance at least once.” He said it with certainty that implied that he hadn’t just decided as such.

“I don’t know… I don’t really know how to slow dance…”

Kid gave her a soft smile, the kind he reserved for her. “Trust me.”

She took his hand.

This is my love song to you

Let every woman know I'm yours

Kid led Liz onto the dance floor and pulled her close to him. His hands resting on her hips. She wrapped her arms around his neck.

Liz met Kid’s eyes, her face red. He gave her a reassuring smile and they started swaying in rhythm.

It wasn’t symmetrical. Kid didn’t really care.

Liz felt like she was floating. Kid had never felt more grounded.

Kid was looking into her eyes, but also somehow past them, deeper, into her soul.

Liz was trembling slightly, gazing at the boy in front of her in wonder.

It was completely involuntary.

Their souls reached out for each other.

They resonated, but not like when they were weapons.

It was soft, gentle, comforting.

They leaned forward slowly.

Their foreheads met and they leaned on each other.

Their breathing was heavy. The two slowly turned their eyes upward towards each other.

I will never stop choosing you babe

I will never get used to you

The song stopped and the commotion of students broke Kid and Liz out of their trace, their resonance ending abruptly. There were some eyes on them, namely their friends. Their faces colored.

“Uh,” Kid cleared his throat and stepped away from her, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “You know… that’s not gonna help your case against Kim”

Liz snapped out of the breathless awe she was in. “What?”

“You know… how she thinks you have a crush on me? Which is totally ridiculous…”

“Hahaha, yeah, right…” They awkwardly shifted out of the main dance area.

“But come on, if you liked me you wouldn’t have come with Leo right?”

Liz huffed a bit. “God, that asshole.”

“What happened anyway?” 

“Oh, it’s just… He was just using me.”

“... what?” Liz was looking down, embarrassed, which meant she missed the way his eyebrow twitched.

“It turns out he only asked me to make his ex jealous and to not have to go alone, but she got back together with him.”

“... uh huh...”

“Yeah, but you know what? I’m actually not that upset by it. It’s not like we’ve been dating or anything. And you know, I actually wanted to go with someone else anyway, but-” Liz stopped, suddenly seeing that the reaper was no longer in front of her. “Kid?”

The small group of students laughed as Leo told another funny story from one of his many successful missions. “Good one!” Stacey giggled, leaning on her boyfriend’s shoulder. Both of their weapon partners were off with their respective dates. Leo was lounging in his chair with an arm around Stacey when Kid approached.

“Leo Cain?”

“Yeah?” Leo turned around casually.

Kid’s face seemed neutral, but he was shaking with wrath. “You asked Elizabeth Thompson to the dance right?”

Leo removed his arm from Stacey and stood up. “One sec babe.” He walked over to Kid, separating the conversation from his previous audience. “Dude, don’t worry about it.”

Kid’s face twitched, but his voice was level. “Don’t worry about it?”

“Look man, it’s not like it’s a big deal. We didn’t date or anything before, we were just going to the dance together. I never said it wasn’t just as friends.”

“You never said it was as friends either.”

“Oh come on, I needed to put pressure on Stacey dude! I wanted her to realize what she was giving up.”

“So when Liz served her purpose you just…”

“What, like that’s so different from what you do?”

Kid froze. “...What?”

“Seriously, everyone knows you only partner with Liz and Patty because you needed symmetrical weapons. But hey! I’m not judging. I’m sure a guy like you would go for weapons a bit more, uh, sophisticated , if you had the option. I’m sure perfect symmetry is hard to come by. Anyway, sorry I offended you by dissing your weapon. I should’a got your permission first. No hard feelings?”

“...”

“Liz! What was that about?” Tsubaki asked.

“What was what?”

“That dance! Are you and Kid-”

“Wh-What? No, well, I don’t know!” she huffed. “He ran off, have you seen him?”

The music came to a screeching halt as Leo Cain landed from his brief flight through the air directly on the D.J. station. Gasps of shock burst forth from the crowd as everyone turned to see a seething Kid glaring daggers at the other boy.

Leo sat up. Like Black Star, he had built a reputation for winning duels and having impressive combat skills. He stood and sneered at Kid. “Oh, you wanna go then? Bring it!” 

Kid removed his jacket, pushed his sleeves up to his elbows, and, with a growl, lunged forward. The two became a ball of dust and limbs, wreaking havoc on the decorations and furniture. Now that the shock was wearing off, the crowd around them was split between cheering and complaining about how the D.W.M.A. couldn’t go one party without something bad happening.

“Whoa whoa whoa!” Spirit cried, ripping the two boys apart and standing between them. “What’s going on here?”

“This dude’s crazy!” Leo barked.

“You bet I am you bastard!” Kid retorted, still practically frothing at the mouth.

“I can’t believe I have to say this, but no fist fights at prom!” Spirit scolded. “Now both of you calm down right-”

“Why are you even fighting for that street whore?”

“... REAAAAAPPPPEEEERRRR CHOP!!!!!!!” 

Leo collapsed to the ground, his head gushing blood as Kid stood over him, his hand still out, steam shooting out of his nostrils. 

“GRRRR!!!!” Kid lunged again but was pulled back and lifted off the ground by his collar, which was currently pinched between Lord Death’s fingers. “HOW FUCKING DARE YOU YOU SHIT BASTARD ASSHOLE-”

“Um, sorry about this everyone,” Lord Death said.

“-FUCKING BITCH ASS PIECE OF SHIT-”
“Spirit? Would you mind taking Mr. Cain to the dispensary?” The elder reaper carried his son to the door.

“I’LL RIP OUT YOUR GODDAMN SPINE AND SHOVE IT UP YOUR ASS YOU FUCKWAD-”

Lord Death slapped a hand over Kid’s mouth as the boy continued making flailing clawing motions at the air. “Carry on!” And with that Lord Death exited.

Liz waited for Kid to get home. Patty had long since gone to bed, along with the rest of Death City, when the eldest Thompson sister finally heard Kid grumbling down the hall. “Hey Kid,” she called out from her spot on the couch.

“Liz?” Kid’s vest and shirt were ruffled, as was his hair. His jacket was draped over his shoulder. His necktie was undone and hanging loosely around his neck. “What are you doing up?”

“I wanted to thank you.”

Kid plopped down on the couch next to her. “You don’t have to-”

“No, I do.”

“Well he shouldn’t have called you-”

“Actually Kid, I wanted to thank you for our dance.”

Kid’s face went red. “Oh- OH, yeah um, well, I just- uh…” 

He was nervous, he was red, he- he likes me. He really likes me.

She grabbed the front of his vest and kissed him.

Chapter Text

Kid didn’t stop flailing and cursing until his father plopped him down on the floor of the Death Room. “Kid!” Lord Death exclaimed, annoyed. “There is no reason for that kind of language young man!” 

“I’ve heard you say worse!” He knew it was the most childish response he could have given but he was still fuming. His dad looked guilty for a moment, which was enough to make Kid feel guilty and release some of his anger.

“Now…” the elder reaper tried to sound patient. “What is this all about? Calmly .”

“Leo Cain called Liz a-”

“Ah. I understand,” his father interrupted. “Liz got hurt and that upset you.”

“Well of course it did-”

“Why?”

Kid looked at his father like he’d just called Spirit a model of celibacy. “Why would it not? She’s my weapon partner, she’s my friend-”

“No, Kid…” Lord Death hesitated, choosing his words carefully. “Why did it upset you that much?”

Kid froze, his face paling as he realized what his father was implying. “We’re… we’re just friends.”

“Are you sure?”

“We’re not dating or anything,” Kid insisted.

“Kid...” His father paused again. “I’m not asking you to be honest with me, although I’d like you to be, I’m asking you to be honest with yourself.”

“I- I- well…” Kid looked down at his feet. “I like her. I really like her.”

Lord Death nodded. “You are your own person Kid, you make your own decisions, but I want to be sure you are thinking things through.”

“No, I know. I’m not going to ask her out or anything, I’m not going to act on it. I made a promise to myself I wouldn’t and I’m going to keep that.”

“What about her? What if she acts on it?”

Kid let out a humorless laugh. “She doesn’t feel that way about me.”

“Kiddo, we may not be human, but I’ve been around them for over 800 year… She likes you too.”

“But-”

“Kid,” Lord Death said sternly. “Think.”

And he did. He thought about how worried Liz got whenever he was hurt, even though she knew he’d recovered from worse. He thought about how she’d kissed his cheeks, making sure to make it symmetrical for him. He thought about Kim’s comment after the test, and Liz’s embarrassed and defensive response. He thought about Liz’s nightmare about losing him, and how she’d comforted him after his dream about her. He thought about how worried she’d been when he’d gone missing. He thought about Liz saying she had a crush on someone, and the disappointment on her face when he said he didn’t. He thought about the looks she gave him when she thought he wasn’t looking, similar to the ones he caught himself giving her…

“Oh… OH!” He staggered back a bit. “No, hell no, no she doesn’t, she can’t like me like that I’m- I’m a reaper and I can’t date a human and- no, no, she doesn’t, she can’t…”

Lord Death reached out to put a hand on his son’s shoulder but Kid yanked away. He tried not to be too hurt, this was about Kid, not him after all. “Kiddo…”

“No. No. Liz can’t like me because then… then… No.” Kid, shaking his head frantically, took off out of the Death Room, his father calling his name.

He arrived home late at night. He’d flown around the city to clear his head and gather his thoughts. Now he had a plan. Liz had specifically said she had a crush on someone, and that was fine. As long as she only had a crush on him, he could ignore it and she would get over it easily. He wouldn’t even have to explain why he couldn’t be with her, or admit how much he wanted to. Everything would stay exactly how it was.

“Hey Kid,” Liz called from the couch as he walked down the hall.

Kid cocked his head in confusion. “Liz? What are you doing up?”

“I wanted to thank you.”

Kid sat down next to her on the couch, dropping his jacket on the arm rest. “You don’t have to-”

“No, I do.”

Kid was nervous about where this conversation was going. “Well he shouldn’t have called you-”

“Actually Kid,” Liz blushed. “I wanted to thank you for our dance.”

“Oh-OH.” Uh oh. He’d been hoping that the dance they shared could stay in the past, a memory he could look back on fondly with no consequences for the present day. “Yeah um, well, I just- uh…” What do I say? How do I get out of this without revealing how I feel about her? I can’t say that I like her like that, things would be so awkward between us if-

She grabbed the front of his vest and kissed him.

Whenever Kid saw something perfectly symmetrical, he described the feeling as ‘perfect’. He felt complete, like all was right with the world, that waves of happiness were wafting through his soul.

Kissing Liz was infinitely better.

At first he was frozen in shock, his eyes having snapped shut as soon as she pressed her lips to his, but then his body relaxed and he let out a sigh. Their lips parted, moving with each other like their dance earlier in the night. Liz’s hands traveled up and she buried her fingers in his hair, tugging at it as though to hold her to Earth. Kid wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. They broke apart for fleeting moments to turn their heads and dive in deeper to the feelings carrying them. Each second they weren’t kissing they were inhaling each other’s breath, but it did nothing to make them less lightheaded. Kid groaned as Liz started tugging him down on top of her and-

Kid pushed himself away, scrambling to stand. “Uh… I… um…” His ragged breathing interrupted him.

“It-It’s okay,” Liz breathed, recovering herself. I need to slow down, this is a big step for us as it is. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-”

“We can’t.”

Liz felt her blood run cold, but she tried to remain optimistic. “Can’t what?”

Kid didn’t know where to put his eyes. “We can’t, be together, not like that.”

She deflated, all the euphoria from a few seconds ago crashing into her shoulders and dragging them into a slump. “...oh…”

“I’m sorry, I- no, sorry…” Kid grabbed his jacket off the couch and started to head down the hall.

“Wait, Kid-” Liz was hurt, but also confused. He likes me, I know it. There are so many signs, and he seemed to enjoy kissing me so where is this coming from?

“Goodnight Liz,” he strained, ignoring her and rushing to his room, slamming the door with his back as he slid to the floor.

While Liz tried to process what had just happened, Kid buried his face in his hands, shaking his head.

“Oh Death what have I done?”

Chapter Text

The day after the dance was the most awkward morning of Liz’s life. Kid sat at the far end of the table at breakfast. Liz tried to make eye contact with him but he kept his head down. Patty picked up on it and her gaze ping-ponged between her sister and her meister as an uncomfortable silence weighed on all three of them.

“...I’m going to practice basketball with… uh… Tsubaki!” Patty interjected suddenly, shoveling the last of her cereal in her mouth. “I’ll see you guys later!” She dashed out the door and Kid similarly stood up to retreat to his room again.

“Kid, wait!” Liz called, catching up with him. “We… we should talk.”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” he said, turning away again.

“Kid!” She grabbed his arm and forced him to turn around and look at her. “You like me! Romantically! I know it, you know it! We should talk about what happened last night Kid. We should talk about… us .”

Kid sighed. “What do you want me to say Liz?”

She gave him an incredulous look. “An explanation! What’s going on with you? You blush and dance with me and get way more mad than I’ve ever seen you when a guy dumps me and you kiss me and then you say no? Did we move too fast for you? Is something about us being together not symmetrical? Did I do something wrong, talk to me!” Liz pleaded.

Kid’s face looked pained. “... We can’t be together. Please, just drop it.”

Liz stood her ground. “Drop it? You want me to, what, just get over my feelings for you? Then you can at least tell me why,” she demanded.

“We’re too different-”

“Oh, I see how it is!” She yelled to keep her voice from quavering. “I’m not good enough for you am I? The prodigal son of Death himself can’t be with street trash like a Thompson sister huh? Not good enough for my mom so I’m not good enough for you?” Her eyes welled up and she hated herself for letting the weakness seap out.

“No! No, of course not!” Kid insisted. He was clearly hurt by the accusation that he could ever be so cruel.

“Then what is it?” She tried to still sound vicious, but the relief at her primary fear being debunked was quelling her anger.

“Liz… I’m not human.”

“I know that-”

“Do you?” He challenged, his voice raising now. “Do you know that? Have you thought about what that means for a relationship?”

“Kid, I don’t care if you’re not human.”

“It’s not about that!” Kid was frustrated, with her, with himself, with whatever higher power had let them get to this point. “Liz, a human in a relationship with a reaper… Do you realize what you’d be giving up to be with me?”

“Kid…”

“I can’t have a normal life Liz, no one who was with me could have a normal life. I’m going to be Lord Death someday, my dad barely had time for me growing up, I’m never going to have the time you deserve! As Lord Death I’m supposed to be impartial and somewhat disconnected. I already have more friendships than are a good idea. And a reaper having kids with a human? Very unlikely, maybe even impossible.”

“Kid we can figure it out! Yes down the road things might get rough but does that mean we shouldn’t try at all? I’m willing to-”

“YOU WILL DIE!” Kid’s outburst made the pistol freeze. His chest was heaving and his eyes had started to water. “You will grow old and you will die, just like everyone else. Everyone except me. In a hundred years, you’ll be dead. In a thousand years, you’ll still be dead and I won’t be! Reapers can’t die of old age, I will still be here hundreds of years from now and everyone else who even remembers you will be long dead. I will feel you die, just like I feel every death at every second, I will feel you die! I will have to reap your soul, and Patty’s, and all our friends, and my own father!” Tears streamed down his face and his voice was splintering with waves of emotion. “If I get even closer to you? Losing you is already going to feel like a knife to the chest, you’re asking me to gut myself with it!”

Liz was sobbing now, shaking silently. Kid ran his hands over his face and looked away from her.

I’m hurting her, this is exactly what I didn’t want, this is exactly why I didn’t tell her how I felt and I’m hurting her anyway. Softly, he continued, “I can’t- It’s going to be hard enough as it is. I can’t get closer to you, to anyone. If I did… I couldn’t give them up. I couldn’t do it.” Tears hit the floor like rain on a tombstone. “I’m not strong enough.”

Liz swallowed to calm her trembling vocal chords enough to speak. “So… it’s not about me then. You can’t be with anyone.”

Kid nodded, letting out a shredded breath. “Yes.”

“Okay then.” Liz wiped her face and applied a mask of calm neutrality, one she’d hoped to leave behind on the streets of New York. “So this was a mistake. I should have picked up on the signs.”

“Liz-”

“No, that’s on me. You said you weren’t interested in dating a human when we played truth or dare. You had every opportunity to ask me to the dance and didn’t. When the emotional side of you tried to talk to me the logical side of you knew it was a bad idea and stopped him. Hell, you heard Kim say I had a crush on you and you did nothing. I should have taken a hint and realized you were trying to let me down easy. And I kissed you, it’s my fault.”

“Liz-”

“We’ll just pretend like this never happened. We’ll both move on with our lives as weapon partners… and friends.”

The hesitation before including ‘friends’ felt like she’d shot him point blank. “I’m sorry.” 

“It’s fine.” She wiped her eyes again, clearing her throat of the pain that had lodged itself there. “It’s fine. Let’s just… move on. And don’t tell Patty okay? I don’t want to hurt her.” Like this hurt me. She turned, determined to walk away without looking back.

“Liz,” he caught her with the emotion in her name and she turned. He stared into her eyes with pure aching. “I’m sorry.” I’m sorry I hurt you. I’m sorry I wasn’t honest with you sooner. I’m sorry things worked out like this. I’m sorry I can’t be the man you deserve. I’m so sorry.

Liz felt tears surfacing again. “I know,” she forced out and left.

Kid closed the door to his room. Tear tracks burned his face. The image of Liz crying burned him and he squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to erase it. Memories of his childhood flooded into its place.

“I hate being a reaper!” Kid cried as he fell onto his bed. “If I was normal I’d have friends! If I was normal they’d play with me!” he sobbed, to no one, as his father wasn’t home.

With a growl Kid swiped his hand across his dresser, knocking everything on it to the floor. Another sweep of the hand sent the painting on the wall crashing to the ground. His fists hit the dresser and the wood snapped and splintered. He tossed the broken cabinet across the room and it fully shattered as it hit the wall, sending clothes and shards of wood across the room. He picked some of the candles that had fallen (unlit) and chucked them at the wall as well.

Shadows lept out from Kid, every light in his room shattering as darkness squeezed them. The bed was overturned and puffs of feathers danced through the room as daggers of dark stabbed through the material. Kid might have been screaming, most likely crying, but he couldn’t tell. He could only hear the ringing in his ears. The bedside table was thrown, the other joining it soon after. Every picture on the walls was yanked down and ripped to shreds.

Kid sobbed for what felt like hours before he finally stopped. He went to the mirror to call his father, to beg him to come home sooner. When he saw his own reflection, the gold eyes, the hair, the… inhumanness of it, he felt sick. He shattered the mirror.

A wave of shadows rippled out from Kid and pushed all the mess away from him and rocketing into the wall. He cried, his knees buckled, and he hit the floor as his hearing returned to the sound of his own pitiful sobs. He shook with grief. When the emotions finally dimmed, Kid did what he always did.

He cleaned and tidied until everything was perfect again.

Chapter Text

Tiachi was ecstatic. Her red hair and matching fur boa trailed behind her as she ran down the halls, clutching her hat to her head to avoid losing it. Her boots squealed on the black marble as she screeched to a halt in front of the heavy doors to the mistress’s chamber. Quickly straightening her sweater dress, she pounded her fist on the door.

The doors opened slowly and dramatically but Tiachi slipped through as soon as the crack was open wide enough for the weasel witch. “My Lady! I have wonderful news!”

The sea witch was sitting cross-legged on her velvet cushion, a massive crocodile resting its head in her lap like a puppy. “Yes?” Despite the rudeness of Tiachi’s interruption, the mistress seemed to harbor no ill will.

Tiachi grinned broadly. “We found it.”

Patty knew something was wrong. She swiveled her head between her sister and her meister, frowning. She’d come home from basketball with Tsubaki and Black Star hoping they’d have ended the awkwardness. Liz had even promised her that they’d ‘dealt with it’ but everything felt worse than before. Patty swallowed her food and turned to Kid. “So, what have you been up to Kid? You’ve been in your room a lot for the past couple days. Working on something or…?”

“Cleaning.”

“This whole time? Come on Kid, your room’s not that messy.”

Kid looked down at his plate, more interested in cutting his dinner into perfectly symmetrical pieces than eating it. “I’m reordering it.”

Liz felt a pang. The house may be huge, but it wasn’t big enough that she hadn’t heard him screaming and wrecking havoc down the hall through the sound of her own sobs. She’d wanted to comfort him but now that she knew what he was going through, what she was putting him through every time they got closer, how could she? Liz didn’t want to hurt him more than she clearly already had.

Patty waited for her sister to weigh in but was met with silence. Sighing, she dropped the conversation and continued to pick at her food.

“Lord Death, we have a serious problem,” Sid informed the reaper.

“Hmm?”

“Based on the intelligence we have gathered, the most dangerous and powerful of Pandora’s weapons has been found, by the mystery witch’s forces.”

“Ah… that’s not good now is it?”

“The Spear is the most deadly weapon Pandora created. If they have it, they’ll be planning something big.”

“Well at least we know what that’ll be,” Lord Death said solemnly. “What else do you use a god-killing weapon for?”

The students of the E.A.T. class and the staff of the D.W.M.A. stood assembled in the Death Room. They all knew something serious must have been going on, especially since Spirit had informed them he was supposed to gather, ‘the best fighters the academy has.’

“Kid? Do you know what this is about?” Maka asked her friend. She hadn’t seen him much in class lately, but it wasn’t that out of the norm for Kid to skip.

“I’m not sure, but it probably has something to do with the witch weapons we keep running into.”

“Okay everyone, you’re probably wondering why I called you here today,” Lord Death chimed. “Unfortunately, the mysterious witch we’ve been investigating has gotten her hands on Pandora’s Spear, which is a very dangerous weapon.”

Stein stepped forward and addressed the group. “The spear is rumored to be able to kill anything, with some calling it a ‘god-killer’, or… a reaper killer.”

Kid’s face went white and he wasn’t alone.

“Yes,” Lord Death continued. “We believe that the witch is mounting an offensive against the academy in an attempt to assassinate me. Your mission will be to head off her forces before they get to Death City, and retrieve the spear if possible.”

Sid spoke next. “I have tracked the army and have its location. If we strike now, we can end this before they even come close.”

“Now I’m not going to make any of you go on this mission. I understand how dangerous this will be, and I want you to as well. But if you are willing-”

“Stop wasting time sir!” Black Star shouted out. “We’ve got this!” For once, everyone seemed to agree with him.

As meisters and weapons left the room, following Sid out to the transports, Marie and Stein hung back. “Sir,” Marie said. “As much as I’d like to be involved in this fight, I don’t think it would be wise. I’ll stay with you and defend Death City if the team fails, but, well,” she looked down at her belly. “I don’t have just my life to think about.”

“Of course, Marie,” Lord Death nodded. “Spirit, you should go with Stein then.”

“But sir-”

“If you are able to stop the advance now, I won’t need to fight with you anyway,” he insisted. “Besides, I need you both to do something for me.”

“What is it?” Stein asked.

“Keep an eye on Kid. I’m not the only reaper ya know.”

Tiachi grinned as she marched forward. The spear was heavy on her shoulder, but having the honor of conducting such an important mission was not something to complain about. The army of kishins and male witches (far less powerful than the likes of her) marched behind her, following her . She was the leader, she was one of the mistress’s high generals now. She’d proved herself and she was determined to do it again.

“Alright everyone,” Stein said. “Listen up. We hit them hard and fast. The witch leading the charge has the spear, but we need to assume the army will defend her if we go after it. We strike with everything we have now and the forces never reach Death City.”

The students nodded somberly. The best weapons and meisters were here and the ‘army’ wasn’t even that many people. The wild card was the spear itself. That powerful of a weapon was not something to take lightly. This was the last town before Death City, their last chance to have the cover of buildings before the desert. The meisters crept in the shadows, peeking out from behind the walls at the soldiers marching in the streets. The civilians were hiding inside away from the danger. The witch leading them looked overly confident, which could be good news or bad news for them.

Kid griped Liz and Patty tightly as tension hung in the air, every meister watching Stein, now wielding Spirit, and waiting. Stein nodded to Sid on the roof, who nodded back before turning to look through Azusa’s scope. Sid aimed her at the witch, and fired.

Chaos followed as the students rushed out into the streets, attacking every surprised soldier. Maka sliced a male witch. Black Star was blade locked with a kishin. Kid fired shots off, flipping through the air and dodging attacks. Stein vaulted off the ground with Spirit, landing on the chest of a soldier before spinning the scythe around and slashing another. Sid continued firing with Azusa.

Tiachi shook her head to clear the ringing that had come with the blast. Gripping the spear hard she stood again. “I think they’re here mistress!” She called.

Kid turned to the sound of the familiar sing-song voice of the witch who’d sent the hound after him. The weasel witch was looking on top of a building where a woman stood. She jumped down, landing on the street, her bare feet in a puddle that seemed to grow. Her blue eyes bore into Kid. He couldn’t read her emotions but he could tell they were strong. She knew him.

“Who are you?” Kid questioned. The woman walked forward gracefully, her eyes still trained on Kid.

“I am Keto, my child,” she said. The sea witch raised her hand, and a salty mist passed over the battle. Liz and Patty, suddenly standing next to their meister, watched with him as the witch vanished. Tiachi laughed maniacally.

“Oh god,” Marie gasped as she watched through the mirror. “How is that possible?”

Lord Death surveyed the scene. Weapons were forced into human form as a strange mist washed over them. “I don’t know.”

Tiachi laughed again, sending a blast of magic at Maka and Soul, who went flying back. Mayhem descended on the D.W.M.A. as Keto’s soldiers, still possessing their abilities, attacked the now unarmed students.

“What the hell was that mist?” Black Star cried out, using his soul wavelength attack to fight off soldiers.

“I don’t know!” Kid called back, kicking a soldier that had sneered at the Thompson sisters. “But every weapon can’t transform now.”

“Except Spirit,” Stein added, slashing the scythe against a kishin. A shot from the rooftops took out another. “And Azusa.”

“Death scythes,” Kid nodded. Another kishin narrowly missed the pistols. “You two need to get to cover,” he ordered, pushing Liz and Patty out of the way. “There’s nothing more you can do right now.” Liz wanted to argue, but she knew Kid was right, and she needed to protect her sister. She pulled Patty into a gap between buildings as Kid threw a witch soldier past.

Tiachi scanned the fight, clutching the spear close to her. In the confusion the D.W.M.A. had forgotten about her. She knew her instructions. She knew what she needed to do. Lady Keto had entrusted her with this task, and she would not fail. She gripped the spear and started running.

“We can’t just do nothing!” Patty insisted.

“Well what can we do?” Liz asked desperately. “We can’t-”

“Transforming is back!” Soul shouted as his arm shifted. Weapons scrambled to change and defend their meisters.

“Kid!” Liz called for her meister, but he was lost in the crowd. In looking for him, she saw the weasel witch running with the spear, sprinting towards the edge of town and thus towards Death City. “Patty!” Liz ordered and her sister transformed, landing in her hands. She took off after the witch.

“Kid!” She called again, trying to rejoin with her meister without losing the witch. Suddenly, Tiachi turned around and sent a blast of magic at the girls, sending Patty flying and Liz sliding across the ground.

Liz turned to reach for her sister, but another blast of magic hit her leg and she cried out. Crawling across the ground, Liz looked frantically for her sister or her meister, but when she saw Patty, her sister was pinned under a chunk of building that had fallen and wouldn’t be able to help.

Kid finished off another soldier, feeling his blood run cold as he turned and saw Patty, injured but alive, but also without her sister. “Liz?” His heart pounded in fear.

“Did ya know this thing can kill reapers?” Tiachi giggled. Liz clawed at the ground, her eyes wide with fear.

“Liz!” Kid was desperate. He pushed through the crowd. He saw the witch standing over his weapon, his partner, his friend, his… everything.

“I betcha it can kill a little girl like you!” Tiachi raised the spear.

“No!” Kid sprinted. His muscles burned with superhuman strength as he rushed forward. He didn’t know if he’d make it in time, but he knew he had to.

“GAAHH!!!!” Everyone froze, witch forces and D.W.M.A. alike. As the scream died, Kid staggered where he stood. There was a ringing in his ears and nothing else. He shakily looked down at his chest, where the spear handle poked out. It dissolved into nothing as he stared at it. He felt lightheaded. His vision blurred and his knees hit the ground, the thud shaking his ears like an earthquake. The world was spinning as he fell sideways towards the ground. He’d grown up surrounded by death. He’d never thought he would fear it. He was wrong.

Kid was terrified. His breathing was erratic and he couldn’t focus enough to hear. Tears were streaming his face, he could feel them. His head moved suddenly and Liz’s face came into focus above him. She was crying too.

He wanted to tell her so much. He wanted to tell her that he was scared and that he was glad she was here to make him feel brave. He wanted to tell her he knew this was the end and that he’d known that when he’d started running. He wanted to tell her that this wasn’t her fault and that he’d do it again in a heartbeat. He wanted to tell her how lucky he was for her face to be the last face he saw.  He wanted to tell her how much she meant to him and how much better his life had been because she was in it.

But there wasn’t time. Kid could feel that. He reached up and cupped her face, wiping a tear away and smiling at her, and saying the one thing he needed to say most.

“Goodbye.”

Chapter Text

“GAAHH!!!” The fighting entirely stopped as the son of Lord Death cried out. Tiachi stood in front of the reaper, holding the end of the spear, the other sticking through Kid’s back. She grinned, letting go and stepping back as the weapon dissolved into dust and Kid fell to his knees.

“KID!!” Liz screamed as her meister, her partner, her… everything collapsed to the ground. She started to crawl towards him, but Tiachi raised her hand, crackling with energy.

The witch laughed maniacally before she was slashed simultaneously with both Spirit and Soul. Her eyes widened for a moment as she fell backwards. She gazed up into the sky, giggling as she died. “I did it mistress… I made you proud…”

Liz made her way over to Kid and pulled his head into her lap. “Kid, Kid please, can you hear me?” Kid looked scared, his eyes were frantic and tears were pouring down his cheeks. He was gasping and choking and Liz didn’t know what to do. “STEIN!” Her voice broke. “Kid, Kid, hold on, please, please, just hold on. STEIN PLEASE!”

Kid looked up at her as if he was just seeing her. His eyes grew soft and he gave her the smile she loved.

“Kid, Kid, hold on, please, stay with me, please please don’t leave me please.”

Kid reached up and held her face, caressing her cheek. “Goodbye,” he said. His arm went limp and fell away as his eyes dimmed and his lids drooped.

“NO!!!” Liz screamed as Stein rushed over, pulling Kid from her and laying him flat on the ground.

“Kid? Kid!” Stein checked for a pulse and found none. His soul wavelength sent energy into his hands and he placed them on Kid’s chest, a shockwave traveling through the boy’s body and causing him to tense as if electrocuted. Stein checked for a pulse again. Nothing. He shocked Kid with his soul again. Pulse? None. Again. Pulse? None. Again.

Kid’s eyes blinked open. He was laying in less than an inch of water. Crows cawed around him. He could see a twisted black tree waving gently above him. It felt… peaceful.

He sat up. A white mist hung in the air. The water itself was white and dotted with black reeds. The sky was gray, almost smokey. The water stretched out as far as he could see, the landscape dotted with more black trees and reeds creeping from the water. Kid stood slowly, surprised to realize that he and his clothes weren’t wet. 

“Hello?” His voice echoed in the void. He walked, the water rippling gently at his feet, the trees and reeds creaking and moving in a breeze he couldn’t feel. It was cold, yet he wasn’t uncomfortable. “Hello?” He made his way to a place in the water where the plants stopped. There was a steep drop off which he couldn’t see through the milky water, yet he knew it was there. He felt drawn to it, yet he held himself back.

“ You seem lost little one .” The voice was sweet and calm. It wrapped itself around Kid’s brain in a comforting embrace. He recognized it, that voice, the one that he’d heard when he’d fallen through the air with the chimera, the one that had told him, ‘No ’, when he’d thought he was about to die. A figure started to rise from across the depths.

The creature was tall, looming over Kid in a dark cloak that devolved into shadows at the edges. His head was a skull of carved obsidian. An aura of white energy surrounded the edges of the creature, illuminating its details despite their darkness. The eyes glowed with the energy. “ Do you know where you are? ” The voice was all around them. "You’re at the riverbed. The mortals have many names for it. ”

Limbo. “I… I’m…” Kid swallowed. “I’m dead.”

“ Does this frighten you? ” The creature moved across the water, getting closer to Kid. “Do I frighten you? ”

“No…” He felt strangely calm even. Kid took in the creature again. His mind had been fuzzy since he’d woken up here, but now he could recognize what was in front of him.

“...Sanzu.”

Again. Pulse? None. Again. Pulse? None. There’s no wound, his heart just stopped. If I can get it working again, I can save him. Stein kept trying as the D.W.M.A. students looked on in horror. Keto’s army had left as soon as Tiachi was killed. There was silence other than Stein continuing to work. 

“Black Star!” he barked. The assassin ripped his feet from where they had been rooted and sprinted to kneel next to the doctor. “Use your soul wavelength with me, as strong as you can.” Stein grasped hands with Black Star, and the two continued sending energy through the reaper’s chest.

Again. Pulse? None. Again.

Kid rushed to get on his knees, the white water sloshing around him.

“ There is no need to kneel, little one. ” Sanzu chuckled. He tilted his massive head, amused.

“I- you’re- you’re Sanzu, the Sanzu, you’re-”

“Death. ” He nodded to the boy. “As are you. ”

“You… you created reapers, you created my father-”

“And you, my boy, and you. ” Sanzu glided across and lowered his massive frame so that his white glowing sockets could gaze into Kid’s eyes. “You… are an interesting one aren’t you? ”

“Now!” Black Star and Stein thrust again. “Now!” The assassin called out and the two tried again. “Now!” Stein’s hand slipped away from Black Star’s. “Come on!”

“Black Star…”

“Come on! Again!” Another soul wavelength blast, this time without the professor.

“Black Star…”

“Again!” A jolt of energy. “Again!” Another.

“Black Star.” Stein said it firmer this time, placing his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “He’s gone.”

Black Star shook his head, tears streaming his face. “No, again!” Another jolt of energy.

“You are a reaper, a god, an immortal… and yet… you are here, now. And you were meant to be here, now. ”

“Everyone has a day that they’re destined to die right? And today was the day for me. Not when I fought the chimera, but today.”

Sanzu tilted his head thoughtfully. “Yes. And no. Do you understand what destiny is little one? ” He gestured along the water flowing past him, moving with the mist. “It’s like a river. They start and they end. Their path is set before them. The water may flow freely, but it flows along its path. The ending is determined by the river itself.

“Your destiny is not decided by fate or a predetermined plan, but it is still inevitable. You were meant to be here because you are you, little one. You are Death the Kid. That means you are brave and loyal and willing to die for those you love. Destiny is not fate, my boy, its character.”

“You’re saying that it’s who I am, as a person, that brought me here?”

Sanzu nodded. “It's in your nature. Just as caring for that human girl is in your nature. ”

“Liz…”

“It is interesting… ” Sanzu gazed at Kid deeply. “A reaper and a human… Do you know the story of creation, little one?”

“Life, the woman you loved… she sent you gifts, creatures, humans, but they were frightened of you. You created reapers to bring her gifts to you and keep balance in the world she had made.”

Despite the lack of features, Sanzu looked wistful. “Yes. My love, Life herself, who I am eternally separated from, who I yearn for everyday. She is my, ‘Liz’. You ended your life of your own free will, not uncommon for death gods, but you did it for the sake of her. You are the first reaper to do this. ”

“To die for someone?”

“To die for something. Reapers die when they are done, when they are ready to rest. You died for love. You died before you wanted to, before you were ready, yet still by choice. Do you regret it? ”

“No,” Kid said firmly. “But… I wish things could have been different. I wish-”

“That you were ‘normal’. Since you were a child you prayed to me to make you human. But if you were human, you wouldn’t be ‘you’ now would you? ” There was an amused smile in his tone. “Your character defines your path. I cannot change that. If you were human, you wouldn’t be Death the Kid, and you might not love the woman Death the Kid loves. ”

“I just wish I would’ve had more time with her.”

“Ah yes, time… Eternity is not as long as you think, little one. The humans think immortals forget, but the memories you choose to take with you… they are truly eternal. ”

Sanzu looked along the river again. “I’m going to give you something, Kid. Something no one, in the billions of years since the stars blinked to life, has ever had. ”

“What’s that, sir?”

“A choice .”

“Come on Kid! Come on! Come on…” Black Star slumped, exhausted. Kid still wasn’t moving. He still wasn’t breathing. His heart still wasn’t beating. “No…” The assassin leaned against Tsubaki who wrapped her arms around him tightly, crying. Maka buried her face into Soul’s chest, sobbing. Spirit held both of them protectively.

Liz fell out of her sister’s embrace and gripped Kid’s shirt. “No, please, no, please, you can’t, you can’t die!” She squeezed her eyes shut. “You can’t die, you’re death remember? You can’t… please…”

“A… a choice?”

“You can either cross over my river… move on to the other side of the veil… or you can return, to your friends, to your father, to her. ”

Kid hesitated. “But, the balance between life and death… even reapers can’t bring people back.”

Sanzu nodded solemnly. “This is true. But I have watched the universe grow stagnant. I have grown tired. Yet you intrigue me. A reaper, born and raised on Earth, among the humans, corrupted by the bad, influenced by the good. I cannot think of a better person to lead the universe to its death. ”

“I wouldn’t-”

Sanzu raised a shadowy claw to silence him. “Why do lives end?”

“... So that new ones can come into being… So that balance can be maintained.”

“Everything dies… everything ends… So that it can begin again. ”

“Then why aren’t you making me cross over, why are you letting me choose not to end?”

“You will end eventually, as all things do.”

“But you’re letting me postpone it.”

Sanzu reached out and stroked Kid’s hair, smoothing out the lines that shared his name. “Yes, little one. I will only offer this once. If you die again, you will have to move on. ”

“Why? Why offer at all?”

Sanzu almost looked like he was smiling. “My love’s creations live lives on Earth so that they can bring me stories. That is her true gift to me. And you… You will make an interesting story. ”

“Kid… please… please come back to me…” Liz whispered. “Please… I can’t- I can’t lose you…”

Kid turned back towards the shallow water he’d come from, seeing an archway made of the twisted trees. “If I go back… I end the world.”

“Yes. ”

“But I choose when it ends.”

“Yes. ”

“And… and I’ll see Liz… and she won’t feel guilty about me dying for her.

“Yes. ”

Kid stepped forward. “I’ve decided.”

“I know. ” Sanzu laughed and it sent ripples through the water. “It's your nature. You chose before you even arrived here. When you sacrificed yourself, when you cut your long life short despite the consequences on the world, on your duty to it. ”

“I chose her.”

In. Out. In. Out. Kid breathed, his chest rising and falling gently. Liz, laying with her head against his chest, heard his heart beat. “Wh- What-” She jolted up and gazed down at Kid. “He’s- He’s-” Alive. Saying it felt like jinxing it. She watched his chest.

Up. Down. Up. Down.

“He’s alive!” Liz scooped up Kid cradling him close to her and laughing through her tears of joy. “He’s alive!”

Stein rushed forward and sure enough he found a pulse. The students of the D.W.M.A. broke into cheers of elation and relief.

Liz held the still unconscious Kid. “Thank you,” she whispered.

Kid groaned as he opened his eyes. He felt groggy. Sanzu … He could remember meeting him… he could remember that they’d talked, but some of the details were fading… 

He let them go. Somehow he knew he didn’t want to remember.

“You gave us quite the scare Kid,” Dr. Stein said as he entered the dispensary and saw Kid awake.

“Is everyone else okay? Liz and Patty?”

“There were some minor injuries, but they’ve healed now. You were asleep for awhile.” Kid started to sit up. “Normally I’d advise against that,” Stein commented. “But I’m not exactly clear on the recovery from coming back from the dead.”

Kid smiled at him. He felt weak, but he had people to see. “I’ll manage.”

“... Dad?” Lord Death was facing away from him, looking into the mirror. “Dad I’m-”

Lord Death spun around and moved across the room at the speed of light, hugging his son tightly. “I thought… I thought I’d lost you…”

“I know. I’m sorry.” Kid returned his father’s hug.

“How? How did you-”

“I guess the spear wasn’t all it was cracked up to be,” he lied. What little he could remember of his time in Limbo was between him and Sanzu.

“I’m so glad you’re safe.” Lord Death let out a relieved sigh like he’d been holding his breath since Kid’s had started again. “But don’t you ever scare me like that again young man, do you hear me?” he scolded, then softened. “Kid… I-”

“You don’t have to-” 

“I love you, son.”

Kid had thought he was going to apologize. His heart panged as he realized that he’d never heard the words. It had always been like everything else between them. Something unspoken.

“I- I love you too, dad.”

“Hey…” the reaper knocked on Liz’s ajar door and the pistol sprinted across her room and hugged him.

“Oh my god oh thank god thank Death you’re awake and you’re okay and-”

“Doyouwannagooutwithme?” he rushed out.

Liz stared at her meister, her eyes wide. “Wh- What?”

Kid took a breath and tried again. “Liz, I don’t know what we have here. All I know is that whatever this is, whatever we are… it’s worth exploring, it’s worth holding onto.”

“But- but- what about all that stuff you said? About me growing old and you not being human and how you can’t get closer to me and…” She trailed off, hoping with all her heart he’d have an answer.

Kid thought for a moment. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”

Liz grinned and pulled him into a kiss.

Kissing Liz the first time had been amazing, wonderful, perfect.

This was better.

Crona struggled against their chains, but to no avail. This was bad. This was really bad. The whole reason they hadn’t returned to the academy since Medusa’s defeat was that they weren’t ready to deal with this sort of thing yet! They needed more time, just a bit more time-

“HEY!” Ragnarok roared. “WHEN ARE YOU PANSY ASSES GONNA SHOW YOURSELVES HUH?”

“Ragnarok please!” Crona begged. “Don’t make them mad!”

“Make them mad?” the demon sword responded. “They’ve gotta know who they're messing with! They can’t just take us from our apartment like that! If I was still big I’d tear them to pieces. Hell, let us out of these chains and I’ll find a way!”

“Hush now,” the sea witch said as she entered the room. Ragnarok instantly sank into Crona’s back, but it didn’t seem to be his choice. “Hello dear. I’m sorry for your accommodations. I had to be away recently so I couldn’t meet you when you got here. How are you?” The chains fell away.

Crona staggered back, trembling. I… I can’t summon Ragnarok… why isn’t Ragnarok here… I can’t deal with witches without him!

“I know you’re scared, but it's alright now. I’m here, and so are the rest of your friends!”

Crona looked around for Maka and was instead greeted with the familiar, but less friendly, faces of Eruka, the Mizune sisters, and Free. “W-Who are you?” they whimpered to the witch.

“Why, I’m the only thing that truly matters, sweet child.” 

Keto Gorgon smiled at her grandchild. 

“Family.”

Chapter Text

Kid slammed his door angrily, meaning the front door of Gallows Mansion. Let’s face it, he glared to himself. This is my house, not dad’s. He never uses it anyway. The reaper trudged off to his room, slamming that door as well. Slamming doors, especially when you have the strength to crack them, is very cathartic.

They’d argued again, like they always did nowadays. It always started with Lord Death lecturing his young son and escalated with Kid angrily questioning the elder reaper’s ability to parent. Kid didn’t want a mentor or an all-powerful god, he wanted a dad, but he couldn’t have one.

“What so you’re spying on me now?”

“For good reason! You’re not eating, you’re not sleeping-”

“Oh so NOW you care!”

“What’s that supposed to mean.”

“You know exactly what I mean! A REAL father would’ve noticed before now!”

“Kid!”

“What? Am I wrong? Really?”

“I’m worried about you!”

“No you're not! You’re worried about your ‘legacy’, your reputation.”

“That’s not true!”

“Then why is my existence such a secret! Hell, you have to reach the rank of Death Scythe before you even hear my name!”

“I’m protecting you-”

“I don’t need you to protect me! I can handle myself!”

“Kid-”

“You don’t even love me!”

“... That’s not true!”

Kid wiped a tear off his face. He hated it here. He hated his father watching his every move. He hated how trapped and alone he was. He hated it here. He hated it here .

Kid threw some clothes in a backpack, some cash, some basic supplies, and cracked his window. He had one leg out before he hesitated. He stared at the empty bed.

Kid left a quick note that he left of his own accord and then climbed out of his window, mounting Beelzebub.

One year. One whole year of jumping from city to city. One year of self discovery, of soul searching, of looking for a purpose, before Death the Kid found himself in an alley in New York City.

“Hey you!” Liz taunted. A spoiled rich brat wearing a suit just standing in an alleyway? Perfect. She walked towards Kid, grinning. “You seeing this Patty?” She held up her sister and pointed the pistol at the boy in front of her. “Must be our lucky day.”

Kid stared at the girl in front of him, baffled. She was tall with long blonde hair. Her jeans, blue tank top, and gray fur-lined jacket were ratty. A joint hung from her mouth and a dog tag hung from her neck, though her posture didn’t say military. One hand was on her hip and the other held a silver and black Beretta M9 Pistol  Her dark blue eyes bore into him, sizing him up as she pointed her weapon at the reaper. She grinned triumphantly as if she’d already won.

He thought she was absolutely beautiful. He could have easily left, walked past her, used a shadow to push her if she wouldn’t let him, but he found himself frozen. This human, this girl was pointing a gun at his face with complete confidence. She wasn’t scared of him, not in the slightest. She’d decided he wasn’t a threat. She sneered at his fancy clothes and uptight posture. This girl was looking down on him. She saw herself not as an equal but as better than him.

She was looking at him as a human, and he liked it.

“Oh boy this’ll be a fun one!” Patty’s voice chimed from weapon form.

Kid tilted his head, intrigued. He’d met weapons that worked for his father and he’d seen kishins, especially on the run, but he hadn’t met a weapon-meister duo that wasn’t one or the other. “You must be Patty,” he said, nodding towards the pistol. “And who might you be?” He tried to sound nonchalant but he felt incredibly drawn to the pair in front of him.

“Liz Thompson,” she said proudly, stalking towards him. She grinned at her sister. “We’re the Devils of Brooklyn, and you’re in deep shit.”

Kid didn’t react beyond raising his eyebrows slightly. “Ah, yes I’ve heard of you two.”

Liz faltered slightly, clearly surprised at his lack of fear. “T-Then you know what you need to do!” She turned Patty sideways. “Cash, valuables, now!”

Kid’s brow furrowed. “Why?”

Liz looked at him, confused, then shook herself back into confidence. She walked closer, pushing him against the wall then leaning her hand against it, getting up in his face and pointing Patty at him again. “Why? Or I’ll blow your fucking brains out pretty boy that’s why!” she sneered.

“Yeah rich ass give it here already!” Patty added.

Kid looked at her, then down at the pistol, then back at Liz. “Do it.”

Liz’s confident smirk twitched. “W-What?”

Kid took a step closer, pushing the end of the pistol against his throat. “Do it. I’m curious.”

“Curious?”

The boy shrugged. “If it’ll hurt.”

“H-Hell yeah it’ll hurt! It’ll kill you! So-”

“Will it?” Kid mused. “Your pistol is a demon weapon, so it shoots compressed wavelengths of your soul, not bullets. Even if it was a normal gun it wouldn’t kill me.”

Liz didn’t like his emphasis. “What, you think you’re somethin’ special rich boy? You think you’re invincible?” He had to be bluffing, trying to freak her out.

“Not invincible,” he admitted. “Just very… durable.”

“Alright enough games,” Liz growled. “Give us all the money you’ve got!”

Kid took in Liz again and added what he’d heard about the ‘devils of Brooklyn’. She was playing tough, but he’d already seen that facade crack. The gun in her hand was her sister. The muggings were likely their way of surviving. These two needed money far more than he did. The reaper shrugged and handed Liz a stack of cash.

Liz smirked. This guy is clearly just pretending to be tough, he handed that over without a fight!   “Oh? What’s this?” She poked the skull at his neck. “Looks valuable.”

“That I can’t give you.”

“Doesn’t look like you have a choice!” Patty cackled.

“It’s a family heirloom. My father wouldn't be happy if-”

“Daddy’s boy huh?” Liz looked around the alley. “Doesn’t look like he’s here right now, does it?” she teased. She made a grab for the silver skull.

Instinctually, Kid manifested a shadow around it.

“Wh- What the hell?” Liz staggered back pointing Patty at him with a shaky hand. “Wh- What was that? How did- How did you- Who are- WHAT are you?”

Damn it . Kid straightened his suit jacket. “Like I said… my father wouldn’t be happy if I lost this.”

“Oh shit, oh shit, oh my God…” Liz felt like she was going to be sick. The kid in front of her was… well she wasn’t sure what he was, but she was dead, she was so dead. Her sister would be dead too. Liz raised the pistol with trembling arms. “Stay the hell away from us!”

“It’s alright I’m not going to-”

Liz fired a shot at the reaper, sending him flying back into the wall and ran as fast as she could.

“Come on sis, why are we running?” Patty questioned, now back in human form being dragged by the arm. “We can totally take that wimp.”

“Patty, just keep running!” Liz put as much distance between her sister and the boy as possible.

Kid sat up groaning, the crater in the wall behind him a testament to how much his back hurt right now. He watched the devils of Brooklyn take off down the street, trying to outrun death…

“Huh…”

“You little brats are done for!” the gang leader growled. The goons circled the girls.

“Patty!” Liz called, transforming and landing in her sister’s hands.

Kid’s jaw dropped. He’d been trying to find these two since the attempted mugging yesterday. Now they were surrounded by one of the most notorious gangs in Brooklyn. They’d clearly done something to piss them off, but Kid wasn’t really focused on that right now.

Their weapon forms… they’re both pistols… they’re both… identical…

They’re… symmetrical.

One of the gang members flicked open a switchblade and leered at the girls. “I’m gonna enjoy th- OOFF!” A foot to the stomach cut him off and sent him flying far further back than any human kick would be able to. The thugs turned to stare at the five-foot-two monochrome-clad boy who was completely ignoring them.

“Wow! You- you two are amazing!”

“Hey! Who the hell are-” The gang member was thrown across the room like he weighed nothing.

“You’re absolutely stunning!” Kid grabbed the neck of a charging gang member and used his head to bash another’s. “Brilliant just brilliant!”

Liz and Patty stood dumbfounded as the pile of unconscious bodies grew taller and taller. The gang leader turned to flee but a shadow grabbed him by the ankle and flung him into the heap, after smacking him into the wall several times, and Kid stood on top of him, dusting off his hands. 

“Well then,” he said, straightening his sleeves before sliding down the mound of groaning men. “I have never seen weapons as perfect as you two before! My name is Death the Kid, I am a grim reaper, and you two are beautiful!”

“A… a grim reaper?” Liz asked cautiously.

“Did ya hear that sis? He called us beautiful!”

Kid beamed at them. “I would be honored if you girls would agree to be my weapon partners. What do you say?”

“... You want us to be your  weapon partners?” Liz narrowed her eyes skeptically.

“Of course! You two are amazing!” Hmm… how do I convince them… “If you partner with me, you will never want for anything again. I will make sure both of you are always safe.”

“Never want for anything?” Patty’s eyes widened.

“Safe…” Liz looked at her sister. They hadn’t had a stable home in years… “We’ll think about it.”

“Welcome to Gallows Mansion!” Kid proclaimed as he opened the huge front doors. Liz’s and Patty’s jaws dropped. The house was huge and immaculate. Every painting was perfectly straight, everything was monochrome, with the occasional gold accent of a frame or candlestick. The whole place screamed “expensive” and the Thompson sisters were in awe.

The tour revealed just how big the house was, and how perfect. Liz would occasionally try to figure out how much something was (and therefore how much she should get when she pawned it) but Kid seemed much more interested in how symmetrical objects were. One “antique” vase turned out to be from the Death-Mart down the road. When asked why he bought something so cheap Kid responded, “But it’s symmetrical, it’s priceless! Plus those one-of-a-kind pieces mean you can’t put one on each side of the room and maintain balance, who would want that?” Liz was starting to detect that their new meister was even weirder than previously thought.

“So you two can pick any of these bedrooms,” Kid said, gesturing to the several guest rooms he had just shown them.

“We’ll share a room,” Liz answered automatically. Patty gave her a weird look, no doubt confused as the first time they didn’t have to share in their lives being passed up, but Liz wasn’t going to let her sister out of her sight. She had no plans to make this a forever home. This was a pit stop, a job. They’d rob this guy out of house and home and then take off.

“Suit yourself.” Kid was still beaming at them, but he couldn’t help it. Symmetrical weapons, how lucky could I be?  “I’ll need to go inform my father that you are to be pardoned immediately, I’ll be back soon.” This is going to be… interesting.

“Your father… Lord Death?” Liz asked. Was it her imagination or did he seem nervous? Is he worried his dad won’t pardon us?

“One and the same,” Kid answered, forcing a confidence that sacrificed authenticity for believability. “Don’t worry, I’m sure it will go fine.” For you.

He left them to explore the house.

It had taken months but Liz and Patty had their own rooms now. They’d also learned to not mess up the symmetry of the house. Kid was more lenient on their own rooms, valuing their privacy, but Death forbid the rest of the house looked ‘lived in’. Patty had fun letting her room get so messy she could barely walk in it and then calling Kid in and enjoying the immaculate, organized room that came as a result, one weeping reaper later.

Liz was still having trouble embracing their new home, and their new housemate. Patty was having so much fun in the moment, but Liz was worried about the future. What if he decides he doesn't want us? What if he changes his mind? What if he abandons us, like everyone does…

A knock on her slightly ajar door jolted her out of her thoughts. Kid stood firmly behind the door frame, hands now clasped behind his back professionally. She could see his eyebrow twitching at the mess (not as bad as her sister, but not up to his impossible standards either). “Dinner is ready.”

“One sec,” Liz responded, pretending she had been busy when she was clearly not doing anything. She met him and her sister in the main dining room, picking up the plate laid out for her and moving it a few seats down. Kid was their meister and host, but he certainly wasn’t her friend and she wasn’t going to let him forget that.

Kid mentally hit himself for being upset. I thought we agreed we were done trying to make friends?  he chided himself. As the girls and him finished up dinner he asked, “Do either of you want dessert?” and pulled the cover off of a cheesecake.

Both girls’ eyes widened. They were Brooklyn natives, they recognized the traditional sampler cheesecake from Junior’s, the greatest cheesecake in the world. “That’s- Gimme!” Patty exclaimed. Kid raised an eyebrow in amusement before cutting her a slice of each flavor, doing the same for Liz.

The elder weapon’s mouth watered. “When we…” lived on the streets, “When we lived in New York, we always saw cheesecakes in the windows. Everyone always said Junior’s was the best…”

“That’s what I heard too.” Kid left out that he’d learned that while chatting with men in an underground gambling den after winning an arm wrestling match to prove his age wasn’t reason enough to deny entry. They didn’t need to know about that. “I didn’t get a chance to try it while I was there, but I found out recently that you can have them shipped.”

Buying New York style cheesecake had been a very rare treat for the girls when they were on the street, and now it was sinking in that they could have as much as they wanted whenever they wanted. Patty kept shoveling cheesecake into her mouth, stopping once to squeeze out a, “thanks Kid,” through the mass of food. Kid cringed a little at the mess she was making, but he gave her a smile anyway. 

It occurred to Liz that he didn’t bother eating it. “Do you not want any?” she asked.

“Oh no, don’t worry about me, I’ll eat anything you don’t want.”

“Then you’re not getting any!” Patty joked through another mouthful.

“Then that’s fine.”

As Patty ran off to her room, Liz found herself walking into the kitchen, where Kid was doing the dishes they’d all dirtied. “Hey, thanks.”

Kid looked up, confused for a moment, before registering what she meant. “Wh- oh, don’t worry about it, it’s nothing.”

“It’s not.” Liz walked up to him, staring at her feet awkwardly. “You got that for us. We’re not… used to stuff like that.” I’m not used to saying thank you. I’m not used to having a reason to.

“You two have had it hard enough.” His tone went dark for a moment. It sounded more like he was glaring at the universe for their past rather than talking to Liz. “It’s the least I can do,” Kid added, shaking off the anger from the previous comment.

Liz stared at the dishes. “Do you… do you need help?”

“I can handle it, you don’t need to-”

“Would you mind if I helped?” The eldest Thompson was starting to pick up that her meister would happily shoulder the weight of the world alone.

“... Not at all.” He scooched to the side, giving her room.

The next time they ate together, Liz didn’t move her plate away.

Liz collapsed on the couch, freshly cleaned of sand and clad in pajamas, and let out a sigh of exhaustion. The pyramid of Anubis had been quite the adventure and it was a relief to be back home.

Home. She couldn't pinpoint the moment that Gallows Mansion had become home, but it certainly was.

“Kid! There you are!” Patty exclaimed as their meister stepped into the room. They’d gone home to clean up while he’d reported to his father so he’d finished showering last. Unlike the girls, Kid wasn’t in pajamas, but he was in a more casual look than they’d ever seen him, jeans and a t-shirt. “Wanna watch something with us?” The reaper joined them on the couch.

They hadn’t been watching for long when Patty fell asleep leaning against her meister. Liz felt her own eyes drooping from her resting place on Kid’s other shoulder. Sleepily, she looked up at him.

Kid had an arm around each sister, protectively. She caught his eye and he gave her a small, soft smile.

Oh. That’s when.

Liz had grabbed a late-night snack from the kitchen and was walking back to her room when she heard sounds from downstairs. Confused, she followed the noise to the training room, surprised to see Kid not only up, but fighting with a punching bag.

Kid dealt another blow, sending the bag flying into the wall as the chains holding it up snapped. With efficiency that suggested this was not the first time, Kid hung up another bag and hit it with a reaper fighting technique.

“Kid? What are you doing?” It was past midnight, which wasn’t exactly ideal training time.

“Sorry did I wake you up?” He turned to her, looking concerned. There were dark circles under his eyes.

“No, I was- wait no, Kid, what are you doing up?”

“I need to practice,” Kid stated, turning back to the bag and landing another blow.

“Now? You’re clearly tired why-” Liz stopped. The kishin. It had only been a few days since the anniversary battle below the D.W.M.A. “Kid… Asura getting out wasn’t your fault.

“I lasted two seconds against him. He probably could have killed me if he wanted to, and he’s out there, terrorizing the world. I’m a grim reaper, I need to be ready, I need-”

“You need sleep.”

“Reapers don’t need sleep.” That was a blatant lie which she would have believed once.

“I may not know much about reapers, but you need sleep,” she insisted. “There’ll be time for you to get stronger, but you’re not going to do that by hitting a punching bag at one in the morning by yourself. Get some rest.”

“I-” Kid sighed. “Yeah… yeah okay.” He followed her reluctantly upstairs.

They stood in front of the door to Gallows Mansion. All three were drained. The kishin had been defeated, Death City had been returned to its usual location, and Kid and his weapons were just happy to be home.

“I think I’mma nap forever!” Patty groaned as she rushed to her room.

“I second that,” Liz yawned. “Long day. You, Kid?”

Kid nodded, but he seemed distracted. Liz made a mental note for later, she’d be no help to him as tired as she was.

After her nap Liz found Kid sitting alone in the mansion’s library. There was a book in front of him, but his gaze was focused just above the spine, clearly lost in thought. “Hey, you okay?”

“Something’s… different.”

“Well, yeah, we did it,” Liz said, perplexed. “We defeated the kishin, of course it’s different.”

“No, I mean,” Kid sighed, closing the book and pinching the bridge of his nose. “Something’s… missing now. I can’t explain it. It just feels like… when Asura died… I don’t know it’s like he took something with him.”

“Maybe you just got used to the madness wavelength being around the world,” Liz suggested. “And now that it’s gone you’re still expecting it?”

“Maybe…” It was very clearly not that, but he wished it was.

“Maka invited us to play basketball with everyone, including Crona.”

“Now?” Kid asked, surprised. “After we just defeated the greatest evil in the world?”

“When’s a better time to spend time with our friends?”

“... You’re right.” Kid smiled at her. “Let’s not keep them waiting.”

“...”

“...”

“... So… how do you want to do this?” Kid rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

“Well it’s not like she’s gonna be upset,” Liz noted. “I’m pretty sure she’ll see this as the best thing that’s ever happened.”

“That doesn’t answer my question,” her boyfriend pointed out. “I know she’ll be fine with us dating, she’s wanted this for a long time, let’s be honest. I’m just trying to figure out how we tell her and keep her from telling anyone else.” The two had decided to keep the fact that they were dating between them for now. They still weren’t sure how this was going to go and they’d already had to deal with way more than any new relationship should have to. They wanted to enjoy being more casual and not think about the future for a bit.

That, and Kid didn’t want to tell his dad yet, or risk anyone else doing it.

“I don’t think Patty will want to jeopardize her favorite ship,” Liz chuckled.

“Well then…” The reaper led the way into the living room, where Patty was playing a video game. “Hello, Patty. You’re sister and I have something important to tell you-”

“OH MY GOD ARE YOU TWO FINALLY BANGING EACH OTHER?” the younger pistol exclaimed excitedly.

“Wh- What? No! No we’re not- I mean not, um, that , we’re just- well we’re together but- we’re not doing that yet!”

Liz shot the flustered Kid a smirk, his embarrassment amusing enough to fight off her own. “Yet huh?”

The reaper’s blush covered his entire face. “Well- I- I just meant- you know- we haven’t talked about that yet but- you know- it is part of a relationship- well not always but- I mean-”

Liz put her boyfriend out of his misery with a peck on the forehead and a grin that clearly said, ‘just teasing’.

Patty squealed, jumping up from the couch and rushing over, crushing her sister and meister into a hug. “I have been waiting for this for so long! You two are going to be perfect together! Wait till everybody else hears about this-”

“Actually Patty…” Kid interrupted, his face starting to return to its normal pale shade.

Patty deflated. “Seriously? You’re doing the whole secret-relationship thing?”

“Not forever,” Liz promised. “We’re still really new to this, we just want to figure things out on our own first, okay?”

“But we wanted to tell you,” Kid reassured her. “We’re a team, and this will change some things, but we need to navigate those changes together.” He looked at the youngest Thompson seriously. “Patty, I care a lot about your sister, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care about you, you’re still my weapon partner and you’re still my family.”

“Just don’t break her heart,” Patty warned. “Or I’ll kill you.”

“If I break her heart, you’d better.”

“I was going to rob you,” Liz blurted out.

“What?” Kid shifted so he could look at her face. They’d been cuddling on the couch in silence and her outburst had seemed to come out of nowhere.

“When we first moved in… I didn’t think I’d want to stay. I thought we could make your life hell, steal everything, make a ton of money, then leave town.”

“... Well I’m glad you didn’t.”

“That’s it?” Liz sat up fully and stared at her boyfriend. “I just told you that I was trying to con you for-”

“Liz, I knew.”

“You… you knew? Since when?”

“Since you came to live with me.” He looked off into the past. “It was pretty obvious honestly.”

“But…” Liz shook her head. “Then why did you let us move in in the first place?”

Kid thought back for a moment. “Worst case scenario, you’d steal everything I have and leave, which would still make you and your sister better off than when you first came here. Best case, well, I didn’t predict this but...”

“So you just, didn’t care?” Liz said incredulously.

“I cared about you, just not me,” he admitted.

“Well…” Liz started to relax again. “I’m glad you stumbled across us.”

“Stumbled? You mugged me,” he teased.

“No not then!” Liz playfully smacked his chest. “I meant when that gang was trying to hurt us, that was lucky.”

“Ah…” Kid’s cheeks colored. “Actually… I’d been looking for you…”

“What? But you didn’t know we would be symmetrical weapons until you saw me transform later right? Why’d you follow before?”

“Well, when we first met, I found you very intriguing.” Kid’s face got redder. “And… I thought you were hot.”

Liz laughed and cupped Kid’s face. “Remember how I called you pretty boy?”

“You also shot me.”

Liz kissed him. “Did that make it all better?”

“... Maybe. You should probably do it again, just in case.”

Liz laughed again, wrapping her arms fully around Kid’s neck and kissing him deeper.

Kid had grown up in Gallows Mansion, but if he was honest, it hadn’t been home until the Thompson sisters had shown up.

Chapter Text

“Thanks you guys, I really needed this,” Maka said, taking another sip of her tea.

“Of course,” Liz reassured her. “I know you’re worried about Crona, but I’m sure they’re fine, don’t worry.” It had been almost a month since Crona had left their apartment, leaving a note behind about needing to ‘discover themself’. Maka had found it when she’d tried to check on her friend. She’d been hoping that the demon sword meister would return to the academy soon, and the new development had surprised her. She’d also hoped they’d be back by now though, and her sour mood had justified a ‘girls’ day’ to try to cheer her up.

Maka sighed. “I know, I just wish there was something I could do now, you know? They’re out there all alone…”

“Hey, that’s not true,” Patty chimed. “Crona’s always got Ragnarok with them, remember?”

“True… You’re right, I’m just worried but there isn’t really a reason to be right now. I guess I just need to be distracted.”

Tsubaki refilled her tea. “In that case, Liz, Patty, what’s been up with Kid lately?”

Liz swallowed down a blush. “What do you mean?”

“Come on, you guys have to have noticed,” Maka responded. “Ever since the battle with Tiachi, he’s been acting really different.”

The chain scythe nodded. “He’s been super guarded and nervous, but also happy, I don’t get it.”

“Hmm,” Patty suppressed a snicker. “Kid, acting like he’s hiding something that’s making him super happy… I don’t know what that could be about. Do you sis?”

Liz loved her sister but right now she hated her. “W-Well Kid did die during the battle. Maybe coming back from the dead made him appreciate life more or something.”

“Maybe he’s been appreciating a certain aspect of life more,” Patty goaded, but under her breath so only her sister heard.

“How about you Liz?” Tsubaki inquired. “We didn’t really talk about it, but you had to watch Kid die, just like the rest of us.”

“What are you getting-”

“Okay enough is enough,” Maka insisted. “Liz, when are you going to ask out Kid?”

“Wait, what?” Liz had spent so long trying to figure out how to deflect questions about if Kid and her were dating she hadn’t predicted a question about why they apparently weren’t . “Um…”

“Oh come on, we saw you two at the dance,” Tsubaki reminded her.

“Ooh you two danced?” Blair the cat suddenly interjected, leaping into Maka’s lap and the conversation.

Patty was shaking from suppressed laughter. “Yeah sis, when are ya gonna ask out Kid, huh?”

“I- I can’t ask him out.”

Maka raised an eyebrow. “What? Why?”

Sorry Kid. “... Because he already asked me out.”

“WHAT?!?!” Tsubaki cried.

Maka’s eyes were wide. “Wait, did you say-”

“I said yes. We’re dating. He asked me after he woke up from recovering from the battle.”

“W-Well that’s great!” Tsubaki stammered, clearly surprised but joyful nonetheless. “I thought we’d have to play matchmaker to get you two together.”

“How could you not tell us!” Maka exclaimed.

“I’m sorry!” Liz rushed out. “Kid wanted to keep it between just us for a bit, well we told Patty but we live with Patty so-”

“Yeah, yeah, fill us in!” Blair interjected. Now that Maka was dating, the cat had taken even more interest in hearing any relationship gossip from the D.W.M.A. “Have you two kissed yet?” The others stared at Liz, waiting eagerly for an answer.

“Yeah we, actually um, we kissed after the dance.”

“WHAT?”

“OOHH!”

“Really?”

“Hey! You didn’t tell me that!” Patty huffed.”Is that why everything was so awkward after that night? The things I put up with…”

“If you two kissed before you got together, then why are you so worried about everyone knowing about your relationship?” Maka argued. 

“Well… Kid wants to tell his dad first…”

“When’s he planning on doing that?” Tsubaki asked.

“... I don’t wanna rush him.”

Maka thought for a moment. “I guess telling your parents you’re dating someone is always pretty nerve-racking. My dad finding out about me and Soul was bad enough. When your dad is Lord Death it must be a lot worse.”

“But Lord Death loves you two,” Tsubaki added. “Why would Kid be worried about it?”

“Well,” Liz sighed. “I’m human and that creates a lot of potential problems considering that he’s… not.”

“Creates a lot of potential advantages too I bet,” Blair teased.

“What do you-”

“He’s a reaper right? So super flexible, super strong, can manipulate shadows and defy gravity… kinky.”

Liz turned beet red. She didn’t usually get embarrassed about stuff like that, but she hadn’t really considered how Kid being a reaper would be a factor. 

“... Maybe don’t bring that up when you tell Lord Death,” Tsubaki remarked.

Kid had been living on cloud eight (How could nine represent pure bliss? Ridiculous) since he’d started dating Liz and now he got to clean the house, could life get any better? Patty and his girlfriend (That’s right, I have a girlfriend, Liz is my girlfriend ) were having a girl’s day, Black Star and Soul were off doing something stupid, and he had a bottle of all purpose cleaner and tons of time alone. 

He knew he needed to be more careful about curbing his enthusiasm about dating Liz. Other students, and even Stein, had started to notice he was acting strangely happy despite not pointing out something symmetrical. The other day, he’d written his name without incident, thinking about how Patty had promised him and Liz alone time that night, and only realized that the lack of perfection hadn’t bothered him when he saw Soul’s shocked face. Luckily, many of them were chalking it up to the fact that he’d died recently, and he’d been using that excuse too.

It was a weekend now and he could let his guard down and enjoy himself, but it also meant he needed to distract himself from the looming knowledge that he would have to tell his dad, and everyone else, relatively soon. Cleaning was a good way to do that. He adjusted his skull headphones, an old present from Liz, that played mono sound. (Why would anyone want stereo? Do you want the sound to be unbalanced?) The reaper finished off wiping down the coffee table just as the song changed.

That picture frame

Those hoodie strings

They are driving me insane

Kid started cleaning the floors, polishing the dark marble tiles, absentmindedly nodding to the music.

Toilet paper facing inwards

Unsynchronized synchronized swimmers

A closet that's not organized

Kid started whistling the melody.

“I still can’t believe you didn’t tell us.” Maka shook her head as they walked towards Gallows Mansion.

“Hey, I shouldn’t have told you now,” Liz insisted. “You can’t tell anyone okay? Especially not the boys.”

“We know,” Tsubaki snickered. “It’s not like Black Star and Soul can keep a secret.”

The girls walked into the mansion, noticing that Kid had indeed been busy cleaning while they were gone. The mansion was always immaculate, but after Kid cleaned, it practically sparkled. They traveled further into the house, unsurprised by the freshly scrubbed carpets, dusted picture frames, and smudge-less windows.

Patty craned her neck. “Do you guys hear that?” she questioned.

The others listened for the faint noise, which suddenly got a lot louder as Kid came sliding into the room, standing on towels soaked in cleaner, and singing at full volume.

“-baby I

Gotta make things right!

Make it the way it's supposed to be,

It's my OCD-”

The reaper froze like a deer in headlights as he registered that he had an audience of four girls, one of whom was his girlfriend, and all of whom were giggling.

“...” Kid cleared his throat and stood up straighter, pushing his headphones down to around his neck. “... I thought you’d be home later.” Yes, great tactic just pretend that was totally normal that will definitely work.

“It is later Kid,” Liz chuckled, giving the reaper a quick peck. “I didn’t know you could sing.”

Kid was still flustered so it took him a minute to register that she’d kissed him in front of Tsubaki and Maka. “B-ah Liz that’s not, uh, that’s not appropriate for friends like us friends to do as friends-”

“Kid, they know,” Patty smirked.

“What!” Kid spun around. “Liz…”

“They won’t tell anyone!” she insisted. “Besides, how long are we going to keep this up?”

“I’ll tell dad… soon.”

“This week?”

“... if he’s in a good mood...”

“Should we leave you two alone?” Patty snickered.

“Or should I leave too?” Liz teased. “I’d hate to get between you and, uh, cleaning. ”

“I was cleaning!” Kid huffed, his face still bright red.

Liz snuggled closer to Kid, enjoying another late-night cuddle session. “Sing something for me.”

“What?”

Liz gave him a pleading look. “Please?”

Kid thought back to his conversation with Sanzu and how the god had told him he’d end the world if he returned. He’d chosen that future, all so he could see the girl staring up at him smile one more time. Those deep blue eyes melted his heart every time he looked at her. He’d given up his life so she could live, and he’d given up the world so he could hold onto her a little while longer. He liked to think that he’d find a way to change it, but that was only because it scared him that he didn’t care. It scared him that even if the worst came to pass, he’d think it was worth it.

He sang for her.

“If your world falls apart,

I'd start a riot.

If night falls in your heart,

I'd light the fire.

In the dark, when you sound the alarm,

We'll find each other's arms.

For your love, all you are,

I'd start a riot”

Chapter Text

“Okay okay! I give up! You win!” Ox coughed out. Recently, the brainiac had decided he should improve his hand-to-hand fighting, but he’d made the mistake of asking Black Star to help him. In hindsight, he should have predicted that the assassin would insist on using random surprise attacks to teach vigilance.

Black Star released his pupil. “How do you expect to be a master assassin like me if you can’t anticipate a sneak attack?”

“Black Star, for the last time,” Ox pleaded as he was allowed to stand again. “I just want to learn some fighting techniques, I don’t want to become the next master assassin.”

“Well you’re definitely not going to with that attitude!” Black Star insisted. Tsubaki sighed as Kim, Jackie, and Harvar snickered.

“No-”

“Don’t worry, my nerdy student!”

“Wait-”

“I, the great Black Star, will not fail you!”

“Actually I’m good-”

“Now you won’t be as great as me, of course-”

“I changed my mind.”

“But you just stick with me and you’ll be fine!” Black Star put his hands on his hips confidently. “Soon, you’ll be ready for anything!” He kicked the hallway wall for emphasis.

A few things happened. First, the door to the supply closet popped open from the force. Second, the group of students gasped in shock. 

Third, Kid and Liz stopped making out.

“WHAT THE HELL?!?!” Black Star yelped as the reaper and his weapon frantically scrambled apart.

“This isn't what it looks like!” Kid sputtered.

“You two-” the assassin stammered. “You two are-”

“No no no, we uh, we were just-” Kid failed to come up with an explanation as Black Star started backing away. “Black Star…” Kid warned, his voice filled with concern. “Don’t-”

The assassin took off down the hallway and Kid raced after him.

“... It’s about time,” Kim smirked at Liz, who seemed not nearly as concerned with the reveal of the relationship as her boyfriend.

“I thought you guys were trying to keep it secret,” Tsubaki questioned. “But you’re just making out in the middle of the school?”

“Kid was freaking out about symmetry and… well, I just had to distract him somehow,” Liz smiled slyly.

“Do you think Kid will kill Black Star to keep him quiet?” Ox asked, somewhat hopeful sounding.

Liz thought for a minute. “Probably.”

Students were slowly making their way to class and the E.A.T. room was starting to fill up. Most of the students had taken their seats when Black Star came screeching in.

“Guys guys guys!” he panted. “Kid and Liz are-” He was cut off by Kid tackling him to the ground and covering his mouth.

“Nothing! Kid and Liz aren’t doing anything!” the reaper insisted as the ninja struggled.

“Dating!” Black Star forced out as he barely managed to rip Kid’s hand away. “I caught them making out in a supply closet.”

Patty laughed. “Seriously? All that sneaking around and you can’t keep it in your pants for one school day? We haven’t even been here for an hour!”

Kid stood up, looking flustered. “There was no- nothing was out of my pants!” he defended indignantly, his face now completely crimson. He straightened his suit, which had been disturbed in his tussle with Black Star, but his hair was still ruffled, more likely from his time with Liz.

The others had entered the room now, and Liz was beaming with pride at the jealous looks of her fellow students who had considered the Grim Reaper’s son as ‘off limits’.

Kid’s face remained red until lunch.

A knock on the classroom door interrupted the lesson and Spirit entered. “Sorry to interrupt Stein, but I have a message from Lord Death.” The Death Scythe turned to look at the reaper, grinning like a mad man. “Kid, your dad wants to see you immediately, you sly dog you!”

Kid paled. “Wh-”

“I knew you had it in you! Ever since you were a little boy, I knew I had to impart my wisdom. I was worried you wouldn’t listen, but hey look at you now! Making out with girls at school! I’m so proud.”

Everyone in the room now knew that reapers couldn’t kill with a stare. Spirit would have been liquified.

“How… how do you-” Kid took a deep breath to quell his panic and rage. “How do you know about that?”

“Oh come on Kid, don’t be modest! The whole school knows at this point! Anyway Lord Death said he wants to talk to you right away.”

Oh… shit.

Kid felt a strange sense of déjà vu as he stood in front of the Death Room door, nervous to face his father and defend his relationship with Liz. He was trying not to shake, and failing miserably at it. Standing up straighter, he muttered, “okay,” to himself before finally entering.

“Ah, there you are Kiddo,” Lord Death said cheerfully. “Now I wanted to talk to you about-”

“No, okay, listen dad,” Kid rushed out, as if he was worried that he’d lose his nerve before he finished. “Yes, okay, yes, Liz and I are dating. She told me she liked me after the dance, but I said we couldn’t be together because she’s human, but then she nearly died during the fight with Tiachi, and then I did die during that fight, and it really made me think about what’s important, and yes I know Liz is still human and I’m not but I don’t care I just care about her and I know-”

“Kid! Kid! Kid!” Lord Death held up his hands. “Slow down, just relax alright?”

Kid finally looked at his father. “... I really care about her.”

“I know that.”

“But I know we’ve talked about-”

“Kid,” Lord Death said firmly. “I never said you couldn’t get attached to humans. I’ve never wanted that for you. I just wanted you to be aware of what caring about them would mean for you.”

“... I know I’ll have to reap her.”

“And as long as you’re prepared to deal with that, then I’m okay with your relationship. You know I care about the Thompson sisters. Liz is a wonderful young woman and I’m happy that you’re happy with her. I just want you to be ready, especially since, hopefully… I won’t be around when you go through that.” If Liz dies when you’re both adults, I’ll already be dead.

Kid swallowed. His whole life his dad had been preparing him for when he’d take over as Lord Death but it didn’t make him feel at all ready. Considering what taking over would mean for his father, he didn’t think he’d ever be. He thought back to his talk with Liz. “I’ll deal with it, when the time comes.”

Lord Death nodded solemnly before perking up into his usual chipper self. “Anyways, I also wanted to talk to you about Pandora’s weapons. Sid has recently informed me that he believes another witch tool has activated. We’re tracking it down now. Once we find it, I want to send you, Maka, and Black Star to retrieve it. This witch Keto has been ahead of us with these weapons and after…” After you died. “... uh, the spear… we want to avoid that.”

Kid nodded. “Have you learned anything more about Keto? Do we know her motivations?”

“So far, no. I’ve never heard of any witch like her, but we’re looking into it.”

“We’ll find something eventually,” Kid reassured, nodding to his father again before turning to leave.

“Oh, and Kid?”

“Yes?”

“Just because you are my son, doesn’t mean school rules don’t apply to you.”

Kid raised an eyebrow in confusion.

“No making out in school closets.”

Kid was sure his face had just combusted with how hot it felt.

“So, how’d it go with your dad?” Liz asked as they entered Gallows Mansion.

“... Surprisingly well,” Kid admitted.

“Surprisingly well?” Liz quirked an eyebrow. “What, did you think your dad wouldn’t ‘approve’ of me or something?”

“No no no!” Kid rushed out. “I just, I thought he wouldn’t want me to be with someone at all. We talked when I was younger about how I’d outlive every human I’d meet. I guess I put more emphasis on it than he intended. He just wanted me to be prepared, I just, um, took it to the extreme.” He looked away sheepishly.

“... Are you, prepared I mean?”

“I’ll worry about it when it happens.”

“Yeah, I know, but…” The pistol sounded guilty.

“Liz, don’t do that,” Kid said firmly. “I told you, I’ll handle it, and it’s not your fault, or responsibility.”

“But you said having to watch me die-”

“Liz,” he interrupted. “I know I said we couldn’t be together before, and I’m so sorry about hurting you then, but I’ve decided that being with you is worth whatever happens. I made a decision. If you want to change yours, I will respect that, but please, don’t do it because you think I should have made a different one.”

Liz gave Kid a small smile. “I do really like being with you, Kid.”

Kid’s face lit up. “I like being with you too. I can’t believe how lucky I am to have someone in my life as- Ah! Patty!" he fumed suddenly. "Did you knock into this painting? It’s not level with the ground!”

Kid sprinted off and Liz sighed. Some things will never change, huh?

He was surrounded by ruins. Buildings were reduced to sad piles of rubble. Sand billowed at his feet. Neither the moon nor the sun were grinning from the sky. He could feel the darkness around him growing stronger. 

There was a dark puddle in front of him and more in the distance. As he reached towards the liquid to investigate, his right arm came into view and he staggered back, as if he could escape the attached appendage. It was clawed and looked almost metal, with inky tendrils circling around it. He fell to the ground in surprise and his eyes caught his chest. He couldn’t see his own soul.

Sanzu was standing in front of him now, an aura of coldness coming from him. “This is how the world ends, little one.”

“Help me stop it!” Kid begged. “Please, there has to be something I can do!”

“You’ve already done it,” Sanzu said calmly. “You made a decision, and there will be consequences, as I said there would be.”

“No…”

Sanzu met his eyes. “This is your future. Ultimate destruction.”

“No! This… this can’t be my destiny… this isn’t my path!”

Sanzu chuckled. “What did I say about destiny, my boy? It is character. This is your future because this-” he gestured around them, “is who you are.”

The god moved aside and revealed a broken mirror, and Kid stared at himself.

“Gah!” Kid shot up in bed, panting and sweating. He looked down at his arm (which was normal) and his soul (which was present). There was no weird black ink. He wasn’t surrounded by ruins, just a meticulously kept bedroom. He took a minute to breathe before getting up and going to the bathroom.

Kid splashed his face with water, leaning on the counter to steady himself. He looked at his reflection, his arms trembling. The familiar glow of gold was reassuring.

In the dream, his eyes had been red.

“Ready to head out?” Nygus asked her partner. “We’ve searched this place up and down, I think we’ve found all the clues about the weapons we’re going to find.”

Sid took another look around the tomb, scratching his head. “I guess… but, something’s been bothering me,” he admitted. “We managed to learn that another witch tool has activated, and that it is the mirror, but we couldn’t find out what it does, and we couldn’t learn anything about the other weapons or even how many there are.”

“We’ll find a way to track the others. Joe is still working on the scepter, and even though it’s no longer functional, maybe it will tell us more.”

“Yeah, but… we kept looking for answers. We searched this tomb top to bottom, but the one thing we should have found, we never did.”

Nygus nodded with realization. “And if this is a tomb-”

“Then where is Pandora’s body.”

Chapter Text

Eruka gulped as she stepped into Keto’s throne room. “You… uh… you wanted to see me?” she quavered.

“Yes, my dear, please, sit.” Keto gestured down to a cushion in front of a tea table before sitting down herself on the opposite side. “Tea?”

Eruka stared at the witch. She’s controlling my body with dangerous snakes, why is she trying to ‘befriend’ me? Or is this some kind of test? “Y-Yes please, thank you.” Don’t make her mad.

Keto poured the frog witch some tea and then some for herself, taking her time, then taking a sip, then finally, speaking again. “I have an important task for you.”

Oh no… “F-For… me?”

Keto chuckled. “Yes, my dear. You see, I’ve been working to collect some things, some trinkets that have caught my interest. Recently, I’ve learned that one of them has surfaced, and I want you to fetch it for me. I’ll send you with a few of the Mizune sisters, and some of our kishin operatives, that should be plenty. I need that mirror as soon as possible so I’ll be sending you out tonight. Do you think you can handle that?”

“I- I- I don’t know, I-”

Keto stood and turned towards her aquarium, stepping up to the glass. “You know, most people believe that sharks don’t invest in their offspring. They birth them and then the pup is left to fend for itself. Many see this as a sign that they don’t care, but it’s simply not true. Shark mothers spend years gestating their eggs, providing food and nutrients for their babies, picking a safe location to give birth, making sure that when they begin their lives they will be off to the best possible start.” Keto placed her hand on the glass and her pet shark, Akheilos, affectionately bumped his nose against it. “I did the same for my daughters. I took care of them when they were defenseless, and when they were old enough to fend for themselves, I let them swim away. I let them make their own mistakes and their own decisions. As their powers grew, I prepared myself for the possibility that they would kill each other or find themselves facing the Grand Witch. I knew I might lose a child, and that it would hurt, but I was prepared. But then…” Keto turned back towards Eruka, her eyes turning black as her pupils grew with the clenching of her fist. “Lord Death… his academy… they hunted them. They hunted my girls. Arachne, Medusa, Shaula… They hunted them down, like they hunt down all witches. Predators are not meant to be hunted, my dear. If a shark dies in the ocean, this is part of life, but, if poachers have entered the water… to save the ecosystem, they must be dealt with.” Keto stepped towards Eruka again, looming over the girl. “Pandora’s creations hold the key to defeating the D.W.M.A. forever. No more meisters, no more death scythes, no more Lord Death. She built them specifically with reapers in mind, the only weapons of their kind. So you see, I need to retrieve them first, before the academy finds a way to turn them on us.”

“W-Why me?” Eruka squeaked. “If this is so important, why would you trust me with it?”

Keto kneeled in front of the shaking witch and gave her a sharp grin. “Why, my dear,” she cooed, coaxing the frog’s head up. “Don’t sell yourself short now. You helped raise the kishin. You are a talented young witch and if you let yourself believe that, you will see just how powerful you really are.” The shark witch stood. “As long as you give me your best, you will never disappoint. Now please, go and prepare for your mission.”

Eruka turned to leave, her knees wobbly.

“Oh, and Eruka?”

“Y-Yes, Mistress Keto?”

“Be sure to pay your respects before you head back to your room.”

The frog witch nodded, leaving the throne room and walking down the vast black marble halls until she reached a chamber flanked by two attendants, who led her through the doors to stand before a massive vat of blood.

“Hand please,” an attendant said, her face masked. Eruka held out her hand and grimaced slightly as the other witch pricked her. “Recite the words and complete the ceremony,” she ordered.

Eruka stepped up to the stone vat, holding her hand over it and letting drops of her blood join the rest below. “I pay my respect to those we have lost, to Shaula, to Arachne, to Medusa, to Tiachi, to my sisters before me, may we never forget their sacrifice.”

Something moved deep in the blood and Eruka took it as her cue to leave.

“Okie dokie!” Lord Death began, looming over the students. “In Sid and Nygus’s recent expedition of Pandora’s tomb, they discovered some vital information. While many of the weapons were enchanted to appear in a random location if the tomb was opened, the mirror has a set location for its appearance. Now that we know where it is, we need you three,” he gestured to Maka, Kid, and Black Star, “to find it and bring it back to the academy before the witches get their hands on it.”

“You can count on us sir!” Maka declared.

“Now, you will all need to be careful. There is a chance that the witches will beat us to this one too, in which case you will need to recover the witch tool from them. The good news is we believe that the surrounding jungle has been dampening witch powers lately, likely some sort of protection for the mirror. They won’t be completely powerless, but they won’t be able to use anything like spatial magic or flight to escape. However, this won’t apply to the mirror. Pandora’s mirror is designed to reflect your worst memories, to make you see the truly awful moments from your past. It is less deadly than the weapons we’ve encountered before, but don’t think that means it’s less dangerous. You'll need to keep your guard up.”

“We can handle it,” Black Star insisted as Kid and Maka nodded seriously.

“Good luck and see ya soon!” Lord Death waved them off.

Spirit scratched his head. “Hey Sid,” the Death Scythe asked quietly. “I thought you didn’t find out anything about what the mirror actually did.”

Sid narrowed his eyes, staring at Lord Death’s blank mask. “We didn’t.”

“This is the place,” Maka said, looking around the jungle. “Now we just need to find the opening to the ruins.”

Without hesitation, Black Star began banging on every rock and section of ground within his vicinity. “COME ON RUINS OPEN UP WILL YA- AAHHHH!!!!!” The blue-haired meister plummeted through the vines, revealing a hole in the ground.

“Well that… works,” Kid sweat dropped. He and Maka took the less painful route of an elevator named Beelzebub.

“...Found it…” Black Star said weakly. He shook himself before leaping up again. “So where’s this mirror then?”

Maka looked down at the map Sid had copied from the tomb walls. “Apparently, this way.” She pointed down a dark hallway.

“I- I don’t like the looks of that,” Liz whimpered from gun form in Kid’s hand.

“It’ll be fine,” the reaper reassured her. “I don’t see anything.” His eyes were already adjusting to the blackness and the only life in the tunnel appeared to be a rather large spider, which he wasn’t going to mention to his squeamish girlfriend.

“Stupid reaper eyes,” Black Star grumbled as he and Maka pulled out flashlights.

The team headed down the seemingly endless caverns, the tunnels twisting and snaking around. Occasionally a hole in the ceiling gave them a beam of sunlight. At one point a bat flew past Maka’s head making her jump, which Soul teased her for.

“Ugh, how much further,” Black Star groaned.

“It shouldn’t be too much more,” Maka answered, but she was getting tired too. The jungle above had made them hot and sweaty and now the coolness of the cave had made them cold and damp. “Gosh, it’s freezing,” she shuddered.

“Is it?” Kid questioned, confused.

“Dude, you don’t have to rub it in,” the assassin huffed.

“No, I mean, I didn’t notice but it shouldn’t be that cold. We’re not that far underground. It should be chilly obviously, but…” The reaper trailed off as they entered a huge cavern gleaming with crystals.

“Whoa…” Maka marveled, letting her flashlight fall and watching her breath hang in the air. “It’s not crystals, it’s-”

“Ice,” Kid finished as he felt one. “The whole cave is lined with ice.” He pointed up at a hole in the ceiling. “The light is reflecting off of it and lighting the cavern.”

“Then how is it not melting?” Black Star questioned. “If it’s ice and it’s being hit by the sun, shouldn’t it be melted by now?”

“Maybe it is,” Kid mused as he noticed slots in the ground. “I think the opening in the ceiling didn’t appear until Pandora’s Tomb was opened. This cave used to be filled to the brim with ice crystals but it’s been slowly melting away ever since. Then the water drains out through the floor. A built in clock for the mirror to be accessed.”

“There it is!” Maka rushed forward to the center of the massive room, where a rather unimpressive stone-lined mirror was displayed. As she reached for it, she made contact with Eruka’s hand, who, having come from the other side of the room, had also not seen her until just now.

“Y-You?” Maka was frozen for just long enough for the witch to snatch the mirror. The meister quickly readied Soul, but as Eruka yelped in fear, she pointed the mirror out in front of her and the girl was hit with a beam of light. “Ah!” she staggered back, blinded momentarily as her own voice echoed throughout the cave. “No! Soul! ” it said. A hazy outline of a downed Soul appeared in front of her, she saw herself rushing towards him, she could feel the kishin looming near-

“Maka! It’s not real!” Kid yelled, firing shots off at Eruka as she took off down the tunnel she’d entered from, which hadn’t been on their map. “It’s the mirror, it makes you see your worst memory, remember?” Black Star sliced at the two kishin soldiers that had accompanied the witch.

“Maka, I’m fine now, I’m here,” Soul insisted. “Come on, we need to get her.”

“R-Right.” The scythe meister shook herself and took off after her friends and the witch.

Eruka picked up speed. Out of everyone the D.W.M.A. could send, why’d it have to be these three again? She ran down her tunnel, not the one they had entered from, which certainly hadn’t been mentioned on the map Keto had given her. The Mizune sisters are guarding the entrance, oh why didn’t I bring them with me!

Black Star finished off the kishins and rushed to catch up with the others, Kid hot on Eruka’s heels. The reaper fired at the witch, who yelped, and in a panic, held up the mirror which flashed with light again.

Maka, still a ways behind Kid due to her hold up earlier, watched as once again the mirror produced a hazy vision with fractured edges, the scene enveloping them. It was a playground. There were children playing and laughing, chasing each other happily, a happy and bright moment.

Kid froze. 

Eruka took full advantage, sprinting towards the Mizune sisters, who were sitting in a river boat. “START IT START IT!” she wailed desperately, hopping in just before the boat’s engine revved to life and sped off towards the sunset.

“No!” Black Star shouted as he watched the witches get away. In this dense of jungle, he couldn’t just run and catch up to them. The playground scene splintered and shattered as the mirror moved out of range, leaving the reaper still frozen in place. “Kid you had her! Dammit!”

“Black Star…” Tsubaki cautioned. Kid still wasn’t moving.

“Kid?” Maka didn’t understand how a happy playground could be upsetting, but if the mirror had shown her the time she’d thought her now-boyfriend had died, it must be something. “Are you okay?”

Kid’s knees gave out and hit the dirt.

Liz and Patty snapped out of weapon form, not something they usually had to do for anything besides asymmetrical breakdowns. “Kid, hey,” Liz said, worried. She reached for her boyfriend’s shoulder. The contact jolted him out of his stasis and he scrambled back to his feet, breathing heavily.

“Kid-”

Kid stopped her. “Just-” He paced around, his hands erratic. “Just- just- give me- give…” He steadied himself on his knees, breathing hard again. “Give- give me a minute.” His whole body shuddered, exhausted from just getting the sentence out, and he took some deep breaths. Kid straightened again. He squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to choke back tears, and tilted his head to the side angrily when his efforts still allowed wateriness through. “Just- just-” He ruffled his own hair, mimicking a gesture of affection his father used often, one he always said he hated.

“Kid… Liz started slowly, not wanting to overwhelm him. “It’s okay, just breathe, just breathe.”

The reaper took another several deep breaths. “Okay, okay, okay, okay…” He repeated it like that would make it true. “Ah, Death…” He crumpled to the ground again, sitting with his head in his hands and his elbows on his knees, transitioning from covering his face to rubbing the back of his neck. “That…” He took another deep breath. “... sucked.” His voice quavered but was getting steadier by the minute.

“... Are you doing okay?” Liz asked gently.

“Yeah yeah,” Kid rushed. He noticed how fast he was talking and tried a few more deep breaths.

His foot was tapping rapidly making his knee practically vibrate. It took a bit, but Maka eventually noticed that he was switching feet every eighth tap.

“Yeah,” Kid said again, taking care to make his speech slower. “I, uh, I… I haven’t thought about… that … in a long time so…” He sniffed loudly and stood up. “We should go, we should go, we can’t let her get away.”

“Whoa, easy Kid,” Maka cautioned. “Take a minute to-”

“We’ve got lots of ground to cover if we’re going to catch up before they get to the edge of the magic dampening,” Kid insisted. “I’ve got plenty of time to recover, let’s go.” He walked past her, leaving the others no choice but to follow.

Patty went back to weapon form, which Liz held as she stayed close to her boyfriend, watching him with concern.

Maka and Black Star exchanged worried glances, but trudged on.

“I can sense three witch souls up ahead,” Maka said, breaking the suffocating silence.

“Good, everyone get ready,” Kid added. He nudged Liz’s arm and she handed him Patty before changing herself. He’d been quiet since the incident earlier, but a stony determination was driving him forward.

Sure enough, the witches were in front of them, standing by the now parked boat and about to cover the remaining ground on foot. Once they exited the bubble of magic dampening, they’d be gone for good.

“The Mizune sisters?” Maka questioned. “First Eruka, now them?”

“Witches who helped Medusa helping Keto can’t be good,” Tsubaki concurred.

“Alright, you guys ready?” Black Star asked like everyone should answer, but he was looking right at Kid.

“I’m ready,” the reaper said, tightening his grip on his pistols, the girls sending a pulse of resonance back to ease him.

Eruka looked around nervously. “Okay, let’s hurry and get out of here,” she begged. She couldn’t shake the feeling they were being watched-

“Hiyah!” Black Star burst onto the scene and sent a Mizune sister flying. 

Eruka squealed. “T-Take this!” She aimed the mirror at Black Star. Fractured images of the kishin defeating them at the D.W.M.A. anniversary party, Tsubaki almost losing to her brother, watching Arachnephobia take Brew, Kid crushing him with his heel, all of Black Star’s biggest losses swirled around them.

Black Star shook his head. “You think these stupid mind games are gonna stop a star like me? Hahaha! This just makes me wanna win more!” 

He sliced through one vision, uncovering a startled Mizune sister behind it, and charged the small witch. The other Mizune quickly merged with her sister. The combined two Mizune, which resembled a child, slashed Black Star with beam whiskers.

Maka took a swing at the Eruka next, and was similarly met with images of Soul, the black blood taking him over, lying unconscious in her arms…

She took a breath as her boyfriend resonated strongly with her, the constant presence of his soul keeping her from letting the images feel real. She swung again, knocking the mirror from Eruka’s hands. It skidded across the ground.

“Kid!” Maka cried as she was forced to jump back to avoid a tadpole bomb.

The reaper darted towards the mirror, reaching it just as Eruka did, meaning his hand was on the surface as she activated it.

The space around the D.W.M.A. students fractured, water vapor hardened to icy shards that stabbed out from the ground. This was the mirror’s full potential, it just needed a reaper to activate it.

Shards of glass-like ice swirled through the air, slicing Maka, Black Star, and Kid. They guarded their faces with their arms. The witches, standing behind the mirror, were unaffected physically, but mesmerized by the power that was currently drawing blood.

Images appeared in the shards. Children playing and laughing just like before, but this time more clear.

“Hello! ”

Kid’s eyes widened at the voice and he turned to face the crystal forming before him. A young Death the Kid, no older than nine was smiling back at them. “Can I play too?”

“No, no, no,” Kid tried to ignore the scene, but it was reflected back at him everywhere he turned.

One of the laughing children stopped. “Uh… sorry Kid, but, this game can only have, um…”  He counted the others. “Five players so-”

“No,” another child said. “No way, I’m done with this. Listen, every day you ask if you can play and every day we say no, when are you gonna take a hint!”

“No no no…” Kid shook his head. Maka’s cheek was sliced open. Black Star had a sliver of ice sticking out of his forearm.

“Come on,” a little girl pleaded. “Don’t be mean about it.”

“No, okay, no!” the child stomped his foot. “Why would we want to hang out with a crazy perfectionist like you? We don’t want to play with you, we’ll never want to play with you, so just go away you weirdo!” The boy pushed small Kid.

“GrAHHH!!!!” Kid screamed and unleashed a hail of wavelength bullets on the image. He blasted it over and over again, years of frustration, anger, hurt, and misery fueled every shot.

The ice in the air melted into a sudden wall of water. The mirror lay on the ground, cracked and fractured and dim.

With the mirror’s destruction, the magic dampening had ended and the Mizune sisters and Eruka wasted no time in flying away. This left the weapons, the human meisters, and the reaper.

Kid was trembling, staring down at the broken witch tool in front of him. He was soaked like the others, but the water on his cheeks had been there when he started shooting.

With the threat over, the weapons transformed back to human form, joining Maka and Black Star in looking on with sympathy.

“Kid…” Liz started, not sure what she should say, or what he needed to hear, just that he needed to hear something from her.

“I- I’m fine.” Kid’s voice was shattered and he was patching it up as discreetly as a child who’d broken a vase. “I’m- okay now.”

“Kid, you just-”

“No, I’m okay now,” he emphasized. “I have you, all of you now, I have friends now, what happened then doesn’t matter.”

“It matters to you,” Liz reminded him. “You’ve fought the kishin, you’ve had to reject me, you’ve nearly died, and this, this was your worst memory.”

Kid didn’t trust himself to say anything but he could feel fresh tears falling.

“Pfft!” Black Star scoffed. “That little dweeb who pushed you couldn’t have handled being friends with a death god.” The assassin puffed out his chest. “You’ve gotta be a star like me to be awarded that honor!”

“Yeah!” Patty jeered. “Those brats should count themselves lucky the Thompson sisters were in New York at the time!”

“Oh man, can you imagine if we’d all met at that age?” Soul added. “I would’ve had way more fun hanging out with a reaper than sitting in music lessons with my brother.”

“Maybe I could’ve played house instead of ball,” Tsubaki added.

“Maybe I’d actually know how to play basketball,” Maka chimed.

“And you and I…” Liz mused. “What do you think, our five year anniversary would be coming up?”

Kid wiped his face as discreetly as possible, which was not at all since everyone was staring at him. “Guys…” He trailed off as he looked at his girlfriend, his weapon partner, his friends, his family. “I… I wish we could’ve met then too.” He gave them a soft smile.

“GROUP HUG!!” Patty whooped and initiated just that.

Kid’s arms were pinned at his sides in seconds by his friends and he rolled his eyes before meeting Liz’s and smiling again.

They were walking back to their transportation when Tsubaki turned to the reaper. “Hey, Kid?” she muttered so only he could hear.

“Yeah?”

She thought back to the swirl of ice, how they couldn’t see anything beyond the visions of young Kid. “You weren’t aiming for the mirror, were you?”

Kid thought back to putting a bullet between his own eyes. “No,” he admitted. “I wasn’t.”

“I’m- I’m- I’m so sorry!” Eruka trembled. “I tried, I really did but… the reaper, he destroyed the mirror-”

“Death the Kid?” Keto interjected. “Lord Death’s son?”

“Y-Yes.” Eruka kept shaking. I failed, oh no I failed. She’ll kill me! Or she’ll feed me to the shark! Or the blood monster!

“I see…” Keto stared off, lost in thought. “Oh well, what a shame.”

“You’re not… upset?”

“Upset? Of course I’m upset, this is very aggravating, but there are worse things.” She turned to look at the cowering witch in front of her. “I’m not upset with you of course, dear child. You did very well! You held your own, even got the reaper to destroy the witch tool rather than take it so they won’t be able to use it.” She smiled, flashing her rows of jagged teeth. “You did beautifully, and I just want you to know, your probation is over!”

“Probation?”

Keto nodded and flicked her wrist. Eruka fell forward, gagging as snakes slid out of her mouth and across the floor, right into the waiting jaws of a crocodile, hiding in the dark.

“You are now a full member of Riptide!” Keto smiled as Eruka coughed and recovered. “Now, the guards will show you to your new room. Can’t have you in a cell anymore now can we?”

“Thank you!” Eruka gasped before hurrying off. I can’t believe it… she appreciates my efforts, she’s not threatening me… This is how she has such strong numbers.

“Hey roomie!” a voice startled Eruka out of her thoughts. The girl in front of her looked about twenty. Her choppy pixie cut was deep brown and her skin was a warm russet. Her brown eyes were big and full of a friendly, overly chipper spark. Her face was angeled, sharp other than the roundness of her cheeks. Her slightly pointed ears and round button nose where both pierced. She wore narrow rectangular glasses, a black romper, leggings with bat designs, and knee-high lace up boots. With her cheerful demeanor and dark clothing, she reminded Eruka of a goth puppy. “Welcome to Riptide!” the girl bubbled. “What’s your name?”

“E- Eruka. Eruka Frog.”

The girl shook her hand. “Kimoro, Kimoro Chiroptera.”

“You chose to come back… there are consequences.”

“No!”

“Who are you really, little one?”

Kid gasped, waking from yet another nightmare. This time however, he walked down the hall to knock on Liz’s door.

“Yeah?” she answered groggily.

“Can we talk?”

Liz shook herself awake. This must be pretty serious. “Of course, come in.”

Kid sat down next to her on her bed before getting too anxious and needing to stand and pace. “I… it’s about the memory you saw today… About what you said… about how it’s the worst, not all the other bad stuff and-”

“Kid,” Liz insisted. “It’s okay. Of course a memory from when you were that young is harder on you than the things you’ve dealt with since-”

“You didn’t see all of it.”

“... What do you mean?”

“I mean, when I shot it, I cut it short. You didn’t see the part that makes it my worst memory.”

Liz nodded. “Okay. What happened next?” She could tell he needed to tell her.

“After… after he pushed me I…”

“We don’t want to play with you, we’ll never want to play with you, so just go away you weirdo!” The boy pushed small Kid.

Kid growled and his shadow reached out and grabbed the boy by the ankle, yanking him off his feet.

“Ah!” the boy cried. The skin on his knee was scraped and his ankle was already starting to bruise as he stood again and limped back, horrified. “You- you- you monster!”

“No wait!” Kid pleaded. “I’m sorry I’m so sorry!”

“Get away from us!” The boy who’d tried to let him down easily shrieked.

“I’m so sorry, it was an accident I swear!” The children ran and Kid desperately turned to the girl who always looked like she felt bad when he was left out. “It was an accident.”

“Stay away from me you freak!” she screamed. There was no pity in her eyes now, only fear.

“...Oh,” Liz said as Kid finished.

“It’s not my worst memory because they hated me, it’s my worst memory because they were afraid of me. They looked at me and they saw…” He looked down at his hands as if the boy’s blood would be there. “A monster.”

“Kid, you’re not-”

“Don’t say I’m not a monster.”

“Oh no, you are a monster.”

Kid jerked in surprise. “What?”

“You’re not human, you’re a death god. You’re, by most definitions, a monster. But that’s what you are Kid, not who you are, got it?”

Kid sighed, sitting back down next to her and smiling softly.

“Want to stay in my room tonight?”

Kid started blushing. “To sleep right?”

Liz laughed at how flustered he was. “For now.”

“Lord Death, we have questions,” Sid said, standing beside a now very nervous Spirit.

“W-Well Sid has questions, but you know I wouldn’t mind knowing too…” he trailed off.

“Hmm?” the reaper cocked his head.

“How did you know what the mirror did? And why is Pandora’s tomb empty, shouldn’t it be her final resting place?”

Lord Death sighed, his head dropping for a moment before he looked up and adopted his more serious voice.

“It’s empty because Pandora is alive.”

Chapter Text

“Liz couldn’t make it?” Maka asked.

Patty smiled. “Nah, she’s on a date.”

“Aw, how have Kid and her been lately?” Tsubaki grabbed some more popcorn.

“They are so cute,” Patty beamed. “Honestly, I can’t believe they waited as long as they did to finally admit they liked each other! They’re always smiling at each other and Kid’s whole face lights up when he sees Liz and Liz gets all blushy when Kid says she looks beautiful and- It’s just adorable.”

“I’m happy for them,” Maka said. “It took me and Soul awhile to overcome our awkward phase, but I guess Kid and Liz were able to figure that out before they told everyone.”

Tsubaki nodded. “Yeah, there is that weird adjustment phase when you’ve been friends with someone for a long time. You have to make a new normal.”

“Well Kid and Liz haven’t actually gone on a date until now,” Patty commented. “They’ve hung out just them at the house and stuff but never like a real date, ya know? But now that they aren’t trying to keep their relationship secret anymore, they’re going on a picnic.”

“Ooh that sounds like fun,” Maka commented.

“Yeah, I can’t wait for Liz to get back and tell us all about it.” Patty grabbed a handful of popcorn, not waiting to finish chewing before speaking again. “I bet she’s having a great time-”

“GOD DAMMIT!” Liz exclaimed, barging into the room. “That little-” She clenched her hands, envisioning a neck between them.

“So…” Maka trailed off. “How was the picnic?”

Liz laughed humorlessly. “Well, it was great for two seconds. But then the spot wasn’t ‘symmetrical enough’. Then it was great for two seconds, then a tree cast a shadow that just had to be lined up perfectly with the lines on the blanket, then…” She stomped her foot in frustration. “Argh!”

“Sorry Liz,” Maka cringed. “I’m sure Kid didn’t mean to-”

“He never means to,” the eldest Thompson sighed. “But he still manages to drive me crazy! It’s just, I don’t know, I guess I was kidding myself when I thought he’d be more lax about the symmetry stuff. I thought maybe, he’d be happy with just me and he wouldn’t need everything to be symmetrical, that I’d be good enough…”

“Come on sis,” Patty chimed. “You know how Kid is about symmetry. It’s definitely not your fault. I don’t think he can help it.”

“Yeah, I know,” Liz admitted. “But I got frustrated and we had a fight and it felt like Kid didn’t even understand why I was mad! I asked him to just forget about the symmetry and you would’ve thought I told him to drop kick a baby.”

Tsubaki gave Kid a sympathetic look. “I don’t think anyone would ever say dating Kid would be easy. When I started dating Black Star, a lot of people thought I was crazy, but it’s worth it, isn’t it? They’re worth it.”

“I guess,” Liz grumbled, plopping down next to her friends.

“Everything going okay?” Lord Death asked.

“Yes sir,” Spirit confirmed as he entered the Death Room again. Death Scythe Tezca Tlipoca and his meister Enrique are in the Death Vault now. With the help of a demon mirror, Joe should be able to find a way to repair Pandora’s mirror in no time-”

Kid burst into the Death Room. “Dad have you seen-” His face went red as he realized that not only was his father staring at him, but also Spirit, Stein, Marie, Sid, and Nygus. “I, uh… Sorry to interrupt.”

“No you’re okay Kid,” the elder reaper reassured. “We were just finishing up. What’d ya need?”

“Uh…” His face was still red, if not more. “I… I was going to ask for dating advice actually-”

“YES!” Spirit leapt forward. “Finally, I’ve been waiting for this day for years!” He threw his arm around Kid. “Don’t worry Kiddo, you’re flying with an expert now. I shall impart my knowledge-”

“Um, Spirit, I actually wanted to talk to Marie.”

There wasn’t a single person in the room besides the scythe that didn’t take some pleasure in his deflation.

“What’s going on Kid?” Marie asked.

Kid shook off any embarrassment. Liz, you’re doing this for Liz. “I messed up. I ruined a date. Liz is really upset and I don’t know what to do.”

Spirit slid back. “Well what I would do is tell her ‘hey baby I-’” Marie gave him a swift hammer pound to the head and Lord Death lowered his hand which had been primed for a reaper chop.

“Well,” Marie mused. “I think a good idea would be to show her how much she means to you.”

Kid sighed. “I tell her how important she is to me all the time, I don’t think-”

“No Kid, show her how much she means to you. Do something special, something that doesn’t benefit you, something that’s clearly for her.”

Kid nodded slowly in thought. “Okay I…” he gulped. “I think I know what I need to do.”

“Well I hope it goes well for you,” Maire smiled.

“And if that doesn’t work,” a dazed Spirit added. “You can always-”

This time, Lord Death did administer a reaper chop.

It wasn’t until Monday that anything happened, partly because Liz was still mad and avoiding Kid, and partly because Kid needed to build up courage. Liz left for school without her meister. His obsession with symmetry had ruined their date, the last thing she wanted to do was be late to class because he was still tidying the house. Kid wasn’t actually making sure everything was symmetrical that particular morning, but instead repeating a mantra of, ‘you can do this,’ in the bathroom mirror.

When the E.A.T. students were hanging out in the hallway, Kid finally had the nerve to complete his plan.

“Liz!” He called to her and rushed over. Her face soured a bit and he became even more determined to go through with it. “I wanted to say, I’m very very sorry about spending so much time worrying about symmetry on our date. You deserve better than that.”

Liz sighed. I’ve been really hard on him about this. “Thank you, but I know how you feel about symmetry. I shouldn’t have assumed you’d change all that overnight just because we were dating.”

“Yes, you do know how I feel about symmetry. It’s very important to me, but you are far more important. I care about you more than symmetry.”

Liz, as well as the other students looking on, gasped. From Kid, this was practically a declaration of love.

“And to prove it… I… I want to show you.” Before anyone, including himself, could stop him, Kid pulled out a pair of scissors and chopped the bangs on the right side of his face, and only the right side.

Liz’s eyes widened and she covered her mouth in shock. “Oh- oh my god- Kid, Kid.” Their friends and classmates were equally stunned.

“Yep…” Kid squeezed his eyes shut, willing every muscle in his body to not collapse. “It’s- it’s- it’s asymmetrical. But that’s fine. That’s totally fine. That doesn’t- oh Death- that doesn’t bother me at all,” he grimaced. His face was twitching. “I’m perfectly fine with this. This isn’t even an issue. I’m totally okay. This is fine. This is better than fine because it shows you how much you mean to me. I really like you Liz and- holy shit it’s really not symmetrical huh- and I will learn to- oh this is just- I will learn to-”

Liz grabbed the scissors out of Kid’s hand and snipped the other side of his hair. He hadn’t cut off much, so she could fix it later, but for now he just needed it symmetrical.

“Oh praise Sanzu…” Kid gasped, leaning on his knees as he breathed in relief.

“Kid what were you thinking?” Liz said incredulously.

“That I- I care about you Liz.” His word choice was careful.

Guess we’re not quite to the ‘I love you’ phase. “Kid…”

“Thank you for cutting it, but I would have gone as long as I had to in order to- mph!”

Liz cut him off by kissing him. “Got it,” she said, smiling. “I’m more important than symmetry. I’ll take it.”

Kid blushed, trying his best to ignore the eyes on them. “I am really sorry that I ruined our date. I just- to me, symmetry is perfection and… I wanted everything to be perfect for you.”

Liz looked into the reaper’s eyes. “Kid, if we’re spending time together, it’s perfect.”

Kid’s face got warm, but from giddiness, not embarrassment. “Oh…” He couldn’t imagine him being enough, but he certainly wasn’t going to question it.

Kimoro grinned as she walked into Keto’s throne room. “Hello ma’am!” she chirped.

Keto smiled at her. “Ah, my dear, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

Kimoro stood at attention. “Our informant inside the D.W.M.A. has sent word that Lord Death plans to send out a team to find Pandora.”

“Pandora?” Keto’s brow furrowed with worry. “Well, we certainly can’t have that. We need to find her first. She’s far too valuable.”

“Valuable, miss?”

“There are legends about Pandora. Many believe that she is the keeper of Lord Death’s greatest secret. One that would destroy everything he has built. If we can convince her to tell us, I can use this knowledge to crumble his academy. Have Ms. Saebum prepare her tools in case of a visitor.”

Kimoro tilted her head in confusion. “Zuchi Saebum? You think she’s necessary? Pandora is a witch, like us. If we explain the horrible atrocities committed by the D.W.M.A. army, surely she’ll gladly help us.”

“Unfortunately my dear, that traitor has no loyalty to her fellow witches. She betrayed us long ago.

“A former member of Lord Death’s personal guard has no place among us.”

Chapter Text

“You're absolutely sure?” Keto questioned, staring into the reflecting pool in front of her.

“Positive, my lady,” the water gurgled. “Lord Death is planning on sending them out today.”

“Will you be among them?”

“Unfortunately, no. Lord Death is still keeping me at my post guarding the Death vault.”

“And Brew?”

“Still no. I’ve searched as best I can without drawing suspicion to myself, but the number of people trusted with Brew’s location is small.”

“You are a Death Scythe are you not?”

“Yes, but Lord Death has chosen to be even more closed off than usual.”

Keto sighed. “Thank you for the update. Stay at your post.”

“Yes my lady.” The water bubbled once more before going still.

Keto turned towards her soldiers. “Change of plans. Send the team out after Pandora now.”

“This mission is of the utmost importance,” Lord Death said. He surveyed the Death Room, where the team was listening intently. “Sid, Nygus, Stein, and Spirit will stand by and provide back-up as necessary. Kid, Maka, and Black Star, you and your weapons will serve as the negotiation team. If anything goes wrong, you are to contact the others immediately.”

“Who exactly are we negotiating with sir?” Maka asked. The decision to send the students had been sudden and they were still largely in the dark.

“Pandora.”

“W- What?” Kid gasped. “She’s alive?”

“Yes, and she is the only one who knows both the locations of all of her creations and how to defeat them.”

“But she’s a witch,” Black Star commented. “Why would she tell us ?”

Lord Death was silent for a moment. “Because she used to work for me.”

Everyone’s eyes widened in shock.

“Pandora was a member of the Guardians of Death, my personal elite squadron, alongside Asura and Eibon. She betrayed the other witches to join us and fight against them. She studied under Eibon, which is why the witch tools share similarities with the magic tools. After Asura’s defeat, she retired, requesting that I let her live in peace and convince the world she was dead. Her tomb was meant to seal away the devices she’d created and to assist in faking her death.”

“So you think she’ll cooperate?” Stein asked.

Lord Death hesitated. “With persuasion I think she will. We didn’t part on the best of terms, but she believes in justice and order, she will not support her weapons being used to cause the chaos that Keto has created.”

“Sir, if I may,” Sid interjected. “Why didn’t we seek out Pandora before?”

“... I’m sure some of you have heard the rumors that she knew my greatest secret, one that could end the academy forever. In exchange for not telling anyone that, I promised to not tell anyone she was alive.”

The team was shaken. What secret could possibly end the D.W.M.A.?

“But anyway!” Lord Death chirped. “Better get to it!”

As they left, Kid held back for a moment. “You’re greatest secret… I already know it… right?” He really didn’t want to hear another answer.

“Right, of course,” Lord Death lied, as he had done every day since Kid was born.

“Alright,” Stein said as the negotiation team left the helicopter. “Remember, we are trying to talk to Pandora, not attack her.” He gave a pointed look at Black Star.

The team approached the massive structure. It was a concrete dome, covered with crawling ivy.

“How has no one found this before now?” Black Star gazed up as they entered the building’s shadow.

“There is powerful shielding magic around it,” Kid explained. “If we didn’t know it was here, we wouldn’t notice it.”

“I don’t see a door,” Maka pointed out. She rested Soul on her shoulder. While this was technically a diplomatic mission, every weapon was currently ready for a potential fight.

“There’s gotta be a way inside, right?” Black Star started slashing at the walls, which the others were pretty sure wasn’t the best course of action, but they couldn’t think of anything better. As the assassin went crazy doing zero damage, the others felt around the edges.

“Wait,” Kid said suddenly, stopping. Black Star should at least be scratching it. “If we didn’t know this was here, we wouldn’t notice it. The spell would convince us nothing was here. What if this isn’t really solid concrete?” He placed his hand on the wall. It felt solid, but he noticed he had difficulty putting all his weight against it, almost as if part of him knew he couldn’t. This isn’t real. It’s not solid. He tried to lean on the wall again. This time his body let him, but this time he fell forward through it.

“Kid!” Maka rushed over to where their friend had just been.

“I’m fine!” he called, dusting himself off. “It’s not real, but you have to believe it to get through.”

“Oh, okay,” Black Star threw himself into the wall without hesitating, appearing on the other side with Kid. Maka soon followed suit.

They could still see the concrete walls, but now they were hazy and shifty, like bottled smoke. In front of them was a ground covered in vines, all of which led towards the large house in the center. It was a decent sized manor, not as big as Gallows Mansion though. The walls were white marble and the fringes were gold. The academy team was surprised to see that the weapons among them were now in human form.

“I think when we passed through the wall, we were forced out of weapon form,” Tsubaki postulated.

“Well then,” Soul added. “All the more reason to not get into a fight with- wah!” He was cut off by a vine wrapping around his ankle and ripping him off his feet. The vines caught the majority of the group off guard, but Kid, Tsubaki, and Black Star were able to avoid them. Everyone else joined Soul pinned to the wall, unable to move.

Vines shot out at the remaining four. “Pandora!” Tsubaki shouted. “We’re just here to talk, we don’t want-” The vines whipped around her and she was incapacitated too.

“Look, we’re not supposed to fight you!” Black Star was down next, joining the others on the wall.

Kid was the last one not wrapped in vines, but he couldn’t dodge them forever. His team’s mouths were covered. He was the only one who could convince Pandora, assuming she could hear them. “We were sent by Lord Death and-”

The vines that had grabbed Kid’s leg loosened. The other tendrils similarly froze.

Kid swallowed. She was giving him a chance, but if he didn’t say the right things, he’d join the others. “... We were sent by Lord Death. We need your help.”

The vines around them retreated. Everyone was released from the wall as they crept back towards the edges of the dome, leaving the manor pristine and revealing steps up to beautiful golden doors, through which a woman emerged.

She was pale and clad in a high neck white lace gown with flowing sleeves. Her hair was also white and cascaded in waves down her back and shoulders. Her face looked fairly youthful, but her orange eyes were filled with the weight of age and surrounded by winged black eyeliner, which continued down from her ducts like inky tear tracks. She glided across the ground.

“Who are you?” she demanded, her voice guarded and sharp. Her stance was tense.

“We are from the academy-”

“I wasn’t talking to you, Scythe,” she hissed at Soul. She looked more pointedly at Kid. “Who are you ?”

“... I’m Death the Kid. I’m Lord Death’s son.”

“Lord Death’s… son?” She seemed surprised, like most people were upon meeting Kid, but there was something different about it, something the reaper couldn’t place.

“Why are you here?” She eyed him skeptically.

“The weapons you created, the witch tools, they’ve resurfaced. The witch Keto is trying to find them and use them against the Death Weapon Meister Academy.”

Pandora nodded. “I see… Come inside. All of you. We have much to discuss.”

Eruka tried not to puke as the magic boat rushed across the ground. “Ugh, how do you design a land vehicle that makes you seasick?” she grumbled.

“Yeah, you are looking a little green,” Free concurred.

The frog witch groaned. “Are we there yet?”

The wolf-man squinted. “Close.”

When Pandora had suggested they talk in the library, Maka had been excited. Now, seeing it, she was in complete awe. The circular room was in the exact center of the house. The lower wall was lined with bookshelves. Ladders led up to a wrap around balcony, which was also lined with more books. From there, the walls became glass, leading to the domed roof, which was someone showing the blue sky despite the cover they’d passed through. The center of the library was a garden. Wooden paths and decks sprawled out across a pool dotted with grasses and cattails. Swans lounged around the whole room, some on bookshelves napping, others walking past them, and more swimming in the water with cygnets following closely behind.

“Wow… This is incredible!” Maka exclaimed.

Pandora smiled at her. “I thought I detected a lover of books. This library contains many works, some human, some witch. They help me pass the time in solitude. Pretending to be dead can be quite limiting.” She led them across the wooden walkways to the deck in the center of the pool.

Kid was nearly drooling. They were already in a circular room, on a circular lake, and now, “There are exactly-”

“Eight chairs,” Pandora finished. “I do what I can to maintain order. She stifled a laugh at Kid’s excitedness as she and the students sat down. A swan flew towards them and rested at her feet. “Now, why did Lord Death choose to send you seven? What makes you special? Why would he send children?”

“Well Kid is Lord Death’s son, as he said, and…” Maka trailed off. Why did he choose us? This is a diplomatic style mission. Why not the Death Scythes? Hell, my dad is right outside… The others seemed to be thinking the same.

“Maybe because we defeated the Kishin?” Soul offered.

Pandora froze. “You’re the ones who killed A- the Kishin?”

“Yes miss,” Patty confirmed. She had decided that when trying to befriend a witch, she should be as polite as possible.

“I see… That’s why he sent you…” She watched the cygnets splashing with each other in the water as a tear fell down the black lines on her face. “I created the witch tools to destroy the Kishin, for destroying the man I loved.

“Asura killed the person you loved?” Liz asked, sympathetically heartbroken.

“No,” Pandora admitted. “The creation of the Kishin took him away. When the Kishin was born, Asura, my love, was no more.”

“Uh oh, hey!” Sid called, stepping towards Stein and Spirit. “You’ll want to take a look at this.” He passed them his binoculars.

Stein gazed at the ship fast approaching. “How did they find us? How could they possibly know Pandora is alive? Lord Death said he was the only one who knew?”

“He was the only one who knew,” Spirit pointed out, solemnly. “Until he told all of us.”

Sid sighed. “We have a mole.”

Spirit gazed through the binoculars. “Maka… please hurry.”

“You- you loved Asura?” Maka stammered, thinking back to the moment she had killed Asura. “I- I’m sorry about-”

Pandora waved her off. “It’s not your fault. It’s not even Lord Death’s fault, although that took me years to realize. We served together in Death’s personal guard. They fought witches. I feared falling into the evil hunger for power that comes with most magic, so I begged the reaper to let me join. He saw good in my soul and accepted. I became a blood traitor to my people, but I learned a great deal from Eibon, my mentor. While fighting alongside Asura, I fell for him. I should have seen his descent into the madness, but we are blind to the faults of those we love.

“When Lord Death imprisoned him, I was determined to find a way to beat the madness. Like Eibon obsessed over saving his wife, I too obsessed over a futile task for the one I loved. I slaved away for years over my creations: a mirror that could show Asura his past, a creature that could keep him in check and allow him a life outside of that skin bag, a device to split Asura into fragments to allow for the removal of the madness… All of them were failures. My magic was fueled by loss and heartbreak, nothing good could come of it. Even when I thought killing him would be more merciful, I couldn’t bring myself to use the tools of destruction I had created. Like Lord Death, I couldn’t bring myself to end him, even if ending him was the kindest thing to do.

“Lord Death became worried about my creations and the possibility of them being used on the innocent, but I deflected and blamed him for everything. I threatened to share his secret with the world, but even I had realized that my weapons were far too dangerous. I sealed them with powerful magic, and then sealed myself away in this place.”

Kid closed his eyes for a moment, taking it all in. “The witch Keto has opened your, uh, tomb. Now the weapons are showing up at random.”

Pandora nodded. “The idea was the tomb could be opened if Asura escaped, but only as a last resort. Each weapon is meant to appear one at a time. If one didn’t work on the Kishin, the next wouldn’t be far behind. If Keto is after them… well, she is one of the most powerful witches in existence. She used to stay out of the conflict, but…”

“But what?” Black Star pressed.

“But recently her daughters, the Gorgon sisters, died.”

“What?” Soul cried. “You’re saying that Keto is Medusa and Arachne’s mom?”

Pandora nodded. “She’s always been powerful, but I think you’ll find that now, she and her organization Riptide, are by far the most dangerous threat the academy has ever faced. She is a mother whose babies have been taken, there is no enemy with more motivation and no enemy with less to lose.”

Stein slashed Spirit across the torso of the wolf-man but it did little more than push him back. For now that’s all they could do, hold them back from entering the sanctuary. Sid was tunneling under the dirt, appearing behind Riptide soldiers and stabbing with Nygus. The rest of the D.W.M.A. forces were similarly occupied. The smoke from tadpole bombs filled the air.

Pandora froze for a moment and quickly stood. “They’re here.” she said solemnly.

“What? But that’s impossible! No one knew we were coming!” Tsubaki insisted.

“We’ll worry about it later,” Kid barked. “Maka, Soul, Black Star, Tsubaki, go help the others. Liz, Patty, we’ll stay with Pandora. We can’t let them get to her.” The others nodded and rushed off.

Pandora moved swiftly to the desk near the door of the library, grabbing a piece of paper and scribbling on it, ripping it in three, and handing it to each student. “We need to hurry. Find these books, they contain information on the witch tools.”

Kid, Liz, and Patty nodded and hurried to the shelves, Pandora joining them.

Another bomb blasted Stein back, but he vaulted forward again, slicing a soldier in half. Maka replicated the move and took out another. Tsubaki and Black Star were using uncanny sword mode, glitching in and out of vision, appearing behind unsuspecting kishins.

Within the wall of the sanctuary, the vines were dying as ice covered them completely.

“Got ‘em!” Patty called, running back to the front with books in her arms.

“Excellent.” Pandora grabbed them from her, combining them with the ones her, Kid, and Liz had gathered. “These have all the information that I can give you on the witch tools. Unfortunately I destroyed the rest, but I can fill in the blanks. We can’t let them get these-”

The door to the library burst open and Eruka and Free barged in.

As they dove out of the way of a tadpole bomb, Kid turned to his weapons and handed them the books. “Take these and hide, they don’t know about them they’re just here for Pandora.”

“Kid we can-”

“You can’t transform, just stay hidden and stay safe, please.”

Liz gave him a quick kiss. “Come on Patty.”

“So you’re Pandora huh?” Free tilted his head. “You don’t seem to be worth all this fuss.”

Pandora reached into her sleeves and pulled out feather-shaped blades, launching them across the room and slicing the wolf-man across the face. “I’m sure I can change that opinion.” She directed another flurry of blades at Eruka.

Kid took an icicle to the shoulder from Free, but managed to launch him back with a chop across the chest. The reaper wheezed in pain but charged the immortal again. The two grappled with each other. Free assumed his wolf form, taking advantage of the massive jaws to bite Kid’s leg, causing the boy to scream in pain. Kid was then slashed across the stomach and sent flying backwards.

“Gotta say,” Free commented. “Never really liked you reapers.” He raised his hand, forming an icicle.

“No!” Liz screamed.

Pandora heard her. She leapt forward and sent out a burst of energy. Brilliant white light sent the wolf-man howling back out of the room as millions of tiny blades pierced his skin. Eruka, similarly affected, joined him.

The swan witch fell to her knees, weakened from the effort.

And even more so the icicle slowly melting in her chest.

“Pandora!” Kid rushed over to her, confusion evident on his face. “You… you saved me…”

She looked up at him. “Take my soul.”

“What?”

“I’m dying, when I do, take my soul. You have two weapon partners. You will need two witch souls in order to make them both Death Scythes. I would-” She struggled for a moment. “I would be honored if you used mine.”

“Why?” Kid was still lost. “Why would you offer this? Why would you die for me? Why was I enough to convince you to help us in the first place?”

“... You look like him.”

Kid’s eyes widened, although he supposed it did make sense. “You- You saw my father’s face?”

“No, sweetheart, not your father…” She coughed. The witch leaned closer to him and whispered.

“Your brother, Asura.”

Pandora smiled up at the reaper, tears filling her eyes as her life faded to black, while Kid’s crumbled around him.

The barrier collapsed. It splintered and fractured until it was gone. Eruka and Free ran towards the ship, leaving with the remaining soldiers, and disappearing off into the distance.

“Pandora’s dead,” Stein panted.

The manor itself began to fade, the stone melting into feathers that drifted off into the sky. Slowly, the walls disintegrated until the library was visible. The shelves, the books, they all turned to feathers, carried off in the breeze. Only the pool remained, the only thing that had been here before Pandora had come. The swans were singing mournfully.

Liz and Patty approached, holding the only remaining books in their arms. “These are all we have on the witch tools,” the younger Thompson sister explained. “She was going to help us more but…”

Spirit sighed with regret. “This hasn’t been the victory we hoped for, but at least Keto didn’t get a hold of Lord Death’s secret. Now, it dies with her.”

“I don’t think so.” The others followed Liz’s eyes back to Kid.

The reaper was kneeling on the ground, eyes glazed over, tears on his face, and a witch soul cupped in his hands. He was staring in front of him, but it was clear he was seeing nothing.

“Kid?” Liz knelt down next to him. “Are you okay?”

Kid stood up, but he made no indication that he heard her. He squeezed the soul and it flickered before blinking out of sight, stored in some reaper way they couldn’t understand. He continued staring in front of him.

During the ride back to the academy, as the others filled the adults in, Kid didn’t say a word. He just gazed at the air in front of him. Liz put her hand on his shoulder, but if it was comforting in any way he didn’t show it.

When they arrived at the academy, Lord Death was standing outside.

“Lord Death, Pandora is dead sir, but she did give us these-”

“Is it true?”

Kid’s voice was so quiet they barely caught it.

“What?” Lord Death tilted his head.

“Is it true?” Kid repeated, a little firmer this time.

“Is what tr-”

“IS IT TRUE?” Kid roared. “THE SECRET, THE ONE SHE KNEW, IS IT TRUE? HAVE YOU BEEN FEEDING ME A LIE MY WHOLE LIFE?” He was shaking, tears streaming down his face.

“Kid…” Lord Death reached out for his son. Kid jerked away.

“I- I had a right to know,” Kid seethed. “You- you lied to me, my whole life. Every second, you lied, you-” He trembled with anger.

“Kid I-”

“Don’t! Don’t bother!” He glared up at his father. “I’m a student at this school, and I will continue to serve you as one, but-” Tears of betrayal racked his chest with choked back sobs. “Don’t EVER call me your son again. In fact-” He reached up and ripped the skull from his neck.

The sound of it hitting the pavement was equivalent to a city toppling.

Kid tried to glare one more time, but grief broke through and his face crumpled.

He stormed off.

It was Spirit who spoke first.

“Sir, I’m sure he didn’t mean-”

“He did, Spirit, he did…” Lord Death picked up the skull and went back into the D.W.M.A. without another word.

“Kid?” Liz poked her head into her boyfriend’s room. He was sitting on the floor in front of his bed, leaning against it. “How are you doing?”

“They were right,” Kid gave a humorless chuckle. “The secret, it really would destroy the academy…”

“Kid, you don’t have to tell me what it is to tell me how it made you feel.” She sat down next to him, wrapping her arms around him.

She held him as he screamed.

“Well at least she is dead,” Keto sighed. “And the information the academy has will soon be ours anyway. Well done you two.”

“Thank you, mistress,” Eruka bowed slightly. Free imitated, albeit poorly, before both turned and left.

Keto walked down the hall, entering a room flanked with guards. “Hello, my dear, are we ready to come out now?”

The shackled figure on the floor mumbled something.

“What was that dear?” Keto curled her finger.

Crona’s jaw was forced upward as the black blood in their body hardened and shifted to her commands. “Y-Yes, grandmother,” they said through gritted teeth.

Keto grinned.

Chapter Text

“A mole? You really think Keto has a spy within the D.W.M.A.?” Joe Buttataki asked, wiping sweat from his brow.

“That’s what Spirit said,” Tezca Tlipoca responded. The demon mirror was clad in his usual gray plaid bear mask, covering his whole head. “There’s no other explanation for how she knows as much as she does.”

Joe stood. “Well, we’d better keep this as secret as possible. Who knows who we can trust?” He held up the newly repaired witch tool, examining the mirror’s surface for any missed cracks. “Good as new.”

Tezca looked over to the table where the scepter that could split souls, also newly repaired, lay. “You think that maybe having these functions is a bad idea?”

“Maybe,” Joe admitted. “But we are keeping them separate from the demon tools, and if Riptide gets a hold of any of Pandora’s weapons, we’ll need all the firepower we can get.”

Kid followed his routine. He washed his face. He pulled on his pants. He buttoned his shirt. He pulled up his suspenders. He shrugged on his jacket. He straightened his-

Kid’s hand dropped from his collar abruptly. The skull he always wore… Right. He’d thrown it at his father and told him to go to hell. Even when Kid wore casual outfits he morphed the skull into a smaller necklace to wear under his shirt. He hadn’t been without it since the chimera ripped it off. Before that… well, he couldn’t remember a time without it.

Kid sighed.

He unbuttoned the top of his shirt and tried to pretend it didn’t hurt.

“Hey… how are you doing Kid?” Maka asked cautiously. It was no secret that she’d invited them all to hang out after school for his sake. Everyone had been walking on eggshells around the reaper since Pandora. Seeing Kid disown his father had been jarring to say the least, and everyone was torn between wanting him to patch things up and wondering what secret could possibly be so bad.

“Fine,” Kid said quickly. He clearly wasn’t, but Liz gave the scythe meister a sympathetic look.

“... Well, I’m hungry!” Black Star declared, eager to change away from the awkward topic. “You guys got any food?”

“Sure,” Maka responded, more thankful for the shift than annoyed. She got up and left for the kitchen.

Tsubaki noticed Kid tugging at his collar occasionally. She wasn’t even sure he noticed he was doing it.

“Argh! Soul!” Maka growled at her boyfriend, stomping back into the room. “You were supposed to throw these out!” She held up a collection of old food that had been sitting in the back of the fridge including slimy mushrooms, a block of fuzzy cheese, and a sandwich with blue bread.

“Why are you throwing them out?” Kid asked, sounding genuinely confused.

The others stared at him with incredulous faces while Liz groaned and Patty giggled.

“Um…” Maka raised an eyebrow. “Because… they’re rotten?”

“Rot- Oh!” Kid shook his head, looking both annoyed and amused with himself. “Right, I forgot, humans.”

Soul, completely forgetting that he’d gotten in trouble, gazed at their friend with concern. “... What do you mean?”

“Well, humans don’t eat ‘rotten’ food, but-”

“Ew!” Tsubaki squeaked. “You do?”

“Don’t put ‘rotten’ in quotes Kid, that food is clearly rotten,” Liz sighed exasperatedly.

“To you maybe.”

“Dude what?” Black Star shook his head to recalibrate. “You would eat that?”

“Well not the mushrooms if given the choice. I’m not a huge fan of shiitake. I typically go for death caps or destroying angels.”

Tsubaki paled. “Aren’t those poisonous?”

“Nothing’s poisonous to me,” he reminded them. “It’s like when I eat cyanide, it’s just a little tingly.”

Patty nodded. “I’ve seen him put cyanide in his coffee,” she confirmed. Her sister had buried her head in her hands.

“So you won’t eat a non-poisonous mushroom, but this is fine?” Maka questioned, holding up the sandwich in it’s bag.

Kid squinted at it for a moment before getting excited and snatching it from her. “Are you kidding? This is perfect! The mold is covering every inch of the bread so it’s perfectly even and symmetrical!”

“You seriously eat mold?” Soul yelped.

“Well not all mold, don’t be ridiculous.” Kid opened the bag and examined the sandwich. “See, this is the fuzzy blueish-green kind, that’s the best. The white fuzz isn’t bad either. The slimy kind of mold is good, but only on mushrooms, they have the perfect texture to complement it. The black one with all the little dots is terrible.” He bite into the sandwich. “But the fuzzy kind is fluffy like mashed potatoes.”

He was met with looks of horror.

Patty laughed. “Hehe,” she poked her sister. “You kiss him!”

Liz groaned again. Why I don’t know. She looked at Kid’s innocent face and their friends stunned in disgust. “When we first moved in, Kid was convinced that food couldn’t go bad.”

“I’d never lived with humans before,” the reaper defended, still eating the sandwich. “How was I supposed to know?”

“You’d met humans before right?” Black Star argued.

“Well the rules you all have is ridiculous!” Kid threw up his hands in frustration. “You say you can’t eat mold and then turn around and eat blue cheese, why do you think it’s blue? Some mushrooms give you liver failure, some are considered a delicacy, you say ‘ew, bacteria’ and then use it to make bread, peppers developed capsaicin to cause pure pain and keep animals from eating them and you bred spicier, more painful ones, Death, avocados are poisonous to tons of animals and you put it on toast! But Sanzu forbid that the toast has a single spot of mold!”

“Huh,” Patty tilted her head in consideration. “I hadn’t thought about it like that. From your perspective, we’re the weird ones.”

“I know humans aren’t the most efficiently adapted species,” Maka admitted. “But being able to eat any poison? It’s a bit much.”

“Don’t you guys get bugs?” Tsubaki asked. “With rotten food being in the house?”

Liz froze for a moment, thinking. “I- I’ve never seen a bug in Gallows Mansion…” she said, her eyes widening in realization. “No flies, no gnats, nothing. Not even around the outside.”

“Of course not,” Kid added. “Most bugs have a survival instinct to stay away from death, which includes me and the house.”

“That’s gotta come in handy,” Soul commented. “I’d love to have built in mosquito repellent.”

“It is nice, although it applies to some other animals too.”

“Blair doesn't have a problem with you,” Maka pointed out.

“Blair is a cat. Cats don’t think ahead enough to be afraid of death.”

Having heard her name twice, the purple feline trotted into the room. “Well we do have nine lives,” she purred. “And we do like getting into trouble. I guess you could say that we’re-” She changed into her human form. “Horny for death,” Blair giggled.

Liz managed to cover her boyfriend’s eyes but Maka and Tsubaki weren’t fast enough and their significant others were now both spewing blood from their noses.

“Crona?” Keto cracked the door open and entered. “Dear, what’s wrong?” She approached the sniffling child. “I told you, your probation won’t last forever. Once you prove yourself, you’ll have free reign to move about the headquarters and to control the black blood without my input, I promise. Eruka had your mother’s snakes inside her, remember? But once she proved herself, she was freed. She seems to like it here, and I’m sure you will too.”

“I- Where’s Ragnarok?”

“That bully?” Keto scowled. “I’m keeping him away from my precious grandchild. He won’t hurt or tease you anymore.”

“My- my friends…”

“Dear, you can make new friends-”

“No!” Crona shook their head, silent tears falling. “I miss my friends, I miss Maka, I want to go home.”

Keto’s face soured for a moment, but Crona didn’t see. “Dear, this is home… but… I suppose, if you really want your friends we can arrange that.”

“Don’t hurt them!” Crona rushed out, pleading desperately.

“Of course not,” Keto smiled. “I just want you to be happy dear.” She played with their hair gently. “Now, it’s time for you to pay your respects.”

Crona gulped and made their way down the hall to the altar.

When the black blood joined the vat below, the liquid churned into a deep burgundy, almost violet color.

“Welp,” Tezca said. “Better go tell Lord Death that-” He was cut off suddenly.

And so was his head.

“What?” Joe gasped, shock freezing him. He hadn’t even sensed another soul much less- “Y- You?”

“Me,” Justin Law smiled.

With the swipe of his bladed arm, a second body hit the floor.

Chapter Text

“You’re a monster,” the voice said.

“I’m not human, but I’m not evil,” Kid insisted.

“You are evil, you have the madness.”

“No I don’t!”

“You hide it, it’s buried but it’s there.”

“You’re lying.”

Asura smirked. “You’re just like me, brother.

Kid bolted up for what felt like the millionth time. Sweat poured off his brow. His chest heaved and he ran his hands across his face. The nightmares had only gotten worse since he’d found out the truth. Asura had replaced Sanzu and he’d gone from hearing he’d destroy the world to hearing he’d enjoy it.

He needed air.

Kid threw on his usual outfit, minus the skull of course. He wouldn’t be able to sleep again anyway. As he walked down the hallway, he stalled in front of Liz’s door. He wanted to confide in her, to ask her to tell him he wasn’t evil. His hand reached for the door to knock.

Kid stopped himself and left the house, walking through Death City with his hands in his pockets.

“Soul?” Maka yawned. “Is that you?” There was a noise from the kitchen. Maybe it’s Blair. The cat liked to prowl the streets at night.

She rubbed her eyes and got out of bed, walking down the hall into the kitchen. She turned on the lights.

“Huh,” Maka muttered. She looked around the room, scanning for something out of the ordinary, but found nothing. She shrugged and turned back.

“Chi chi chi.”

Maka’s eyes widened as a hand clamped over her mouth and a syringe punctured her neck.

“Where are we going?” Crona asked, looking over the edge of the ship, watching the sand roll by.

Keto smiled. “To see your friends of course.”

As soon as Kid stepped back into Gallows Mansion he knew something was wrong. He couldn’t feel Liz and Patty’s souls. Panicked, he sprinted down the hall.

“Liz? Patty?” He ran into Liz’s room. The window was open. Her bed was empty and the covers were on the floor. He ran to Patty’s room. He saw the same.

“No, no, no…” Kid staggered out of the room, breathing erratically. They were gone. They’d been taken.

“NO!!!!” Kid’s fist collided with the wall. It cracked like his heart.

“Kid! Liz! Patty!”

Kid turned. “Tsubaki?” He rushed to follow her voice and found the weapon, arm slashed and limping.

“Kid, thank Death!” She stumbled towards him and the reaper caught her.

“Whoa whoa whoa, easy Tsubaki, easy.” He led the chain scythe over to the couch. “What happened?”

“They took Black Star,” she said. “We were sleeping and they broke into the house, Riptide agents I think. They held him down and injected him with something, but he made enough noise beforehand that it woke me up. There were too many for me to fight on my own. I got away, but they took Black Star. I didn’t want to run but-”

“You had to,” Kid reassured her. "Liz and Patty are missing. They were probably taken by Riptide as well. I-" Kid swallowed the lump of guilt in his throat. "I wasn't here but their rooms are empty."

“Why would they take them?”

“I don’t know, but we’ll find them.”

“Uh…” Maka blinked slowly as her hazy vision cleared. Her hands were bound, chained above her. She saw Soul hanging down next to her and past him she could make out the similarly bound forms of Black Star, Liz, and Patty. So far she was the only one who had come to.

Each of them was hanging from a pillar of stone. Maka's feet could just barely brush the sand beneath her. They were arranged in a semi-circle. Tents dotted the landscape and she could make out fencing along the edge. This was some sort of temporary camp. She wasn't sure how far into the desert they were, but it must've been far enough that no one in Death City had found this. With her soul perception, she could make out several kishins and a few witches moving through the tents and along the perimeter. She could also sense-

"Crona," Maka croaked, her throat still dry from just stirring.

"I'm sorry Maka, I can't control it." Crona looked rigid. They were holding a blade, but it wasn't Ragnarok. It was pure, twisted, inky black blood.

"Don't worry, my dear," Keto cooed. "There's nothing to fear."

As Maka looked into the face of the witch whose daughter she had killed, and saw the glint of rage behind her sweet smile, she found herself highly doubting that.

Tsubaki and Kid agreed to stop by Soul and Maka's apartment on their way to the academy. Both of them were fairly confident in what they would find, but they had to be sure. As expected, the scythe and meister were gone.

"Tsubaki, look." Kid pointed to the window sill.

"Black blood," the chain scythe confirmed. "And that means-"

"Crona."

"Do you think they were forced to take Maka and the others?"

"Maybe. Crona doesn't have the best track record when it comes to their family. Keto might be controlling them, but she could also be manipulating them emotionally."

When they made it to the academy, there was chaos. Staff were scrambling around in a panic. Students were standing outside, some frozen in shock, others nervously mumbling to each other.

“What’s going on?” Tsubaki asked.

“You didn’t hear?” Ox responded. “Joe Buttataki and Tezca Tlipoca were murdered.”

“What?”

Kilik gave his friend a somber nod. “Yeah… and Pandora’s mirror was stolen too. They think it was a spy in the D.W.M.A.”

Kid’s eyes flickered over to Kim, who was a nervous shade of green. He made eye contact with her for a moment. She was shaking. “Well,” the reaper said. “There’s nothing you all can do, you should probably go home.” Kim’s eyes widened. Kid gave her a stern look. “Don’t you think? No reason to be around here while they’re looking for a possible mole.”

Kim nodded, still shaking. “Yeah… come on, let’s go.” As she walked past Kid, she mouthed. ‘Thank you.’

“Come on,” Kid whispered to Tsubaki. “We need to go find the others.”

“Without help?”

“The academy is looking for a killer. If they think that’s Crona, they won’t ask about why. They’ll kill them. We’re Crona’s only chance.”

“But what about Black Star and the others?” Tsubaki whispered back as they walked away. “How do we get them back?”

Kid turned to her. “We’re a weapon and a meister, aren’t we?”

“What the hell is this?” Black Star shook in the chains, trying in vain to get loose.

“I wanted to talk to all of you,” Keto answered. “Without all the fighting you D.W.M.A. types love so much.” She stepped closer. “You see, I have a proposition for you. My grandchild, Crona, seems to like you all and I wanted to give you the opportunity to join us.”

“Join you?” Soul scoffed.

Keto’s eyes narrowed. “Yes. You’ve proven yourself to be quite formidable. I don’t offer this lightly. Normally I only employ witches and kishins, but for Crona, I will make an exception. If you join Riptide, I can offer you full protection from the academy. After your probation period is over, you’ll even have a fair deal of freedom, dare I say more than Lord Death currently allows.”

“You expect us to believe you’ll just let us live after Medusa?” Maka challenged.

Keto’s eyes flashed with rage, but then she took a deep breath and continued. “I’ll admit, it will be… difficult for me… but I understand that you were following orders. You’ve all been brainwashed by the academy. Lord Death has convinced you that he stands for justice, but, what justice is there in killing any witch you come across?”

“You’re crazy!” Black Star yelled, still trying to rip out of his chains.

“Oh really? Then tell me this, assassin, would Lord Death have even tried to stop you if you’d decided to kill Angela?”

“I don’t know Kid, there’s a lot of them,” Tsubaki commented as she looked across the sand at the camp. With Kid’s soul perception and flying skateboard, it hadn’t taken them long to find it.

“We can take them,” Kid said confidently. He was fast converting his earlier guilt into adrenaline and determination.

“Kid-”

“Tsubaki, you are a member of the Nakatsukasa clan, one of the most powerful weapon families in the world. One of your ancestors served in Death’s personal guard. I am a grim reaper. Both of us know that the people we loves’ lives are on the line. We’ve got this.”

“Are you going to be able to fight with me? I know you chose Liz and Patty because-”

“If you stay in chain scythe form I’ll be fine.”

The weapon nodded. “Then let’s go.” She transformed.

Kid gripped the hilts, one in each hand.

Perfectly balanced.

“He would have let you kill that little girl, that sweet, innocent, little girl,” Keto goaded.

“Shut up!”

“You know I’m right.”

“Yeah, but Lord Death was totally okay with Angela and Mifune staying in Death City after Arachnophobia fell!” Patty argued.

“If Lord Death is such a saint,” the witch spat. “Then why has his own son disowned him, hmm?”

Everyone was silent.

“Oh come on. What secret could be so dark, so evil that Death the Kid couldn’t stand by it?”

“E- Even though Kid’s mad at his father,” Liz spoke. “He’s still a student at the academy. I think that says a lot.”

“Mistress Keto!” a kishin soldier cried, running in. “We’re under attack!”

Keto’s eyebrows furrowed. “By who?”

Kid sliced a soldier before leaping onto the shoulders of another, stabbing the kishin in the eyes and jerking upward. As the body fell, Kid launched himself at the chest of another and slashed his neck.

Kid growled with frustration as more soldiers rushed towards them. “Tsubaki, we need to resonate.”

“What?” the weapon called.

“I’m a grim reaper, we can resonate with anyone,” he reminded her before slicing another torso. “But be prepared, this will feel… different.”

Tsubaki’s weapon form shifted as she connected to Kid. The blades grew longer and darker. The hilts darkened as well. Skull designs appeared in each one. Woah. Tsubaki had never realized just how powerful Kid was. She had to stop thinking about the size of his soul or she’d drown in it.

Keto’s eyes widened as the reaper wielding a chain scythe struck down the kishin soldier. “Well.” The witch eyed the boy with curiosity. “We meet again, Death the Kid.”

Kid’s head raised and he glared at Keto. “Let. My friends. Go.”

“Now, the Nakatsukasa girl would make a great addition to Riptide. The reaper, unfortunately, I can’t allow.”

“Let them go!”

Keto sighed. “Crona dear, if you don’t mind.” She waved her hand and the teen’s back went rigid. As they screamed in pain, black blood erupted from their back, not unlike the way Ragnarok often did, except this mass had no soul. It was pure black blood, just like the sword Crona was holding. It had arms and massive muscles like Ragnarok’s formerly powered form. The mouth and eyes were tears in the blood, like a jagged jack-o'-lantern. It grinned at Kid.

“I’m sorry,” Crona gasped as their arms raised, every muscle contraction fueled by the hardening and softening of the black blood. They charged Kid.

The reaper dodged the attack, and the next, but barely. Crona was moving like a puppet, janky but fast. Kid was trained in all kinds of combat, but he’d become used to ranged attack. By staying away from threats, he protected Liz and Patty. Now, he’d have to use Tsubaki to defend himself, but against a black blood weapon, she was in danger.

Kid gritted his teeth and glanced at his girlfriend, weapon, and friends. Then he turned to Crona, his other friend who was in danger. Symmetry will have to wait. “Tsubaki… uncanny sword mode.”

The students' eyes widened. “Kid!” Black Star warned. “The uncanny sword is very dangerous-”

“I can handle it! Tsubaki, now!” The weapon obliged and the familiar black lines grew up onto Kid’s face. He grimaced and staggered, but with determination lunged forward.

The two dark swords crossed with a clang. They were locked together, both swordsmen straining with effort. “Crona,” Kid said. “You don’t have to do this.”

“I don’t have a choice,” Crona sobbed. They pushed the reaper back. The swords continued to clash, the meisters matching each other blow for blow. The black blood monster on Crona’s back held the teen’s hands, forcing each movement.

“You do, Crona, you do have a choice.” The reaper struck again, specifically only aiming for the sword and leaving his friend unharmed.

“End him Crona!” Keto growled. She composed herself. “Once you kill the reaper, we can take all your friends home. Your probation will be over. You won’t be controlled anymore, by anyone.”

“She’s lying Crona,” Kid insisted. “She’s trying to manipulate you, just like Medusa did, but you don’t have to let her Crona.”

“I can’t!” Crona cried, swinging again. “I can’t fight it!”

“I’m your family Crona, not him, not them,” Keto asserted.

“You can fight it Crona, you are strong, I know you can.”

“I can’t!”

“I’m your family! I’m your blood! End him!”

“No!” Kid lunged forward, the shadow puppet of the uncanny sword giving him extra strength. He lept into the air and sliced clean through the monstrous black blood formation on Crona’s back. He landed on the other side, panting and covered in the sticky substance. He turned to face his friend.

“Crona, we are your family!” The reaper waved his arm towards the other students. “Me, Tsubaki, Black Star, Liz, Patty, Soul, Maka, Stein, Marie, we are your real family. The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb Crona. We’re the family you chose, we’re the one that matters.” Kid stepped closer, letting Tsubaki fall to his side. “Medusa is gone, because of you, of what you did! The black blood isn’t a tool to control you, it is a weapon and you are it’s meister. You command it. Please, fight it!”

“I- I-”

“Bloody needle.”

The second the words left Keto’s smirking lips, Kid went taut, his eyes widening as he gasped. The black blood that had been left on him from breaking the puppet creature stabbed into him, puncturing through flesh.

As the black blood softened again, the needles receding back out of the boy’s skin, red flowed from his countless wounds.

His knees hit the ground and he collapsed as Crona and the others looked on in horror to the soundtrack of the sea witch’s cruel laugh.

“Kid!”

Chapter Text

“Kid!” Liz and the others watched in horror as the reaper keeled over and hit the sand, now clumping with black and red blood. 

Tsubaki transformed and kneeled next to the downed meister. “Kid?” He wasn’t moving. He was barely breathing. Tsubaki changed her ponytail into her weapon form and stood, glaring daggers at the witch.

Keto laughed, throwing her head back in amusement. “What are you going to do, my dear?”

Crona staggered back, terror all over their face as they stared down at Kid. It’s my fault, it’s all my fault…

“A weapon doesn’t need a meister to fight,” Tsubaki seethed, clutching the chain.

“Oh, I agree.”

“Gah!” Tsubaki gasped in pain as she was slashed across the back.

“No!” Black Star screamed. Justin Law grinned at the boy.

“Y- You?” Maka gasped. “It’s you! You’re the traitor! You’re the mole!”

“But why?” Soul demanded.

Justin smirked. “I watched Lord Death, the ‘all-powerful’ god I chose to serve, be utterly decimated by the Kishin. He was a true god, with real power. Lord Death is a charlatan who relies on his followers for even the simplest tasks. Keto will destroy his academy and Asura will be risen once again!”

Tsubaki grimaced in pain as she struggled to her feet. “You’re insane.”

“Correct,” Keto grinned. “Crona, be a dear and restrain the girl would you?”

“... No.”

Keto’s confidence cracked. “N- No?”

“No!” Crona cried, the black blood sword shrinking inside of them. “No! I’m sick of this! I’m sick of people always telling me what to do, who to be. I’m sick of being used, manipulated, controlled, I’m sick of all of it!” The teen stood taller, a firm look of determination on their face.

Keto scoffed. “Don’t be silly dear, I’m only doing what’s best for you-”

“You don’t care about me!”

“There is nothing more important to me than family. Medusa-”

“Medusa was a monster!” Crona cried. “A cruel, harsh, abusive monster who never loved me. I wasn’t her child, I was her experiment, her pet project that she could take apart and put back together. And she- she deserved what she got!”

“Crona!” Keto warned. “Watch your tongue child. You will not talk about your mother that way!” She was starting to tremble with rage, her eyes watering slightly.

“Medusa isn’t my mother,” Crona said confidently. “Marie is.”

“You will obey me! I can control anything my children created, and I can control you!” Keto shrieked. She flicked her hands out and Crona felt the black blood start to tighten inside of them.

“Crona, you don’t have to do this.”

The meister breathed slowly.

“We’re the family you chose, we’re the one that matters.”

Their fists clenched with effort.

“The black blood isn’t a tool to control you, it is a weapon and you are it’s meister.”

Crona squeezed their eyes shut and strained.

“You command it.”

The black blood stopped hardening and relaxed.

“Wh-” Keto gasped in surprise, stepping back. “H- How?”

Crona flexed their shoulders. “Medusa made the black blood, but we made it what it is today.”

“We?” Justin questioned, standing by curiously, awaiting orders.

“RAGNAROK!!! Crona screamed. A burst of black blood erupted from their back and the demon sword towered over them. He wasn’t in his past incredibly bulky form, but he also wasn’t the tiny form he had been since they came to the D.W.M.A. It was something more inbetween, more balanced between the weapon and meister. Even their souls, as Maka could tell, were now the same size, not drowning each other but instead supporting each other.

“WAAAHH!!!” Ragnarok screamed, his eyes bulging and swiveling as he adjusted. “It’s good to be back! I missed you little buddy!” He roughed up Crona’s hair, but it was far gentler and affectionate than his usual teasing. “So… Is this the bitch who’s been giving you such a hard time?”

Crona smiled softly. “It sure is.”

“Hey! Chum bucket! Nobody messes with Crona, except me!” He proudly thumped his chest.

Keto looked worried. “Crona… think this through.”

“I have. Ragnarok?” The weapon sank into their back before forming into the demon sword in his meister’s hands.

“Crona…” Keto shook her head. “If… if this is what you want… If you are truly no longer a Gorgon… I…” The witch hung her head. “I will respect that.” She looked up and her gaze hardened. With a growl she thrust her hands out and a wave of energy struck Crona, making them cry out and their knees tremble, black blood pouring from their nose. “If we meet again, I will not see you as family.” She swirled her hands and a portal of sea mist appeared. As she stepped through she offered one final order.

“Justin, kill them all.”

The guillotine grinned. “With pleasure.”

Crona gulped and took a step back, all the earlier confidence melting as the Death Scythe approached.

“Come on, don’t give up now!” Ragnarok barked. “We’ve got this!”

Tsubaki stood next to them and gave the nervous meister a reassuring nod.

“Yeah, you guys got this!” Black Star cheered from the chains, soon joined by Soul, Liz, Patty, and Maka.

Crona smiled, wiped their nose on their sleeve, and gripped Ragnarok’s hilt. “Okay. Let’s do this.”

Justin smirked and charged.

Tsubaki swung her chain scythe at Justin’s right side and Crona swung Ragnarok at his left. Both blows were blocked by the blades on Justin’s arms. The Death Scythe then changed both arms into iron collars, which latched around both students’ arms. As their eyes widened, Tsubaki and Crona were thrown like rag dolls.

The girl cried out in pain as her already injured back hit the sand hard. Justin took another swing at her, but Tsubaki narrowly dodged by rolling across the ground. The next slice she didn’t quite avade and it produced a huge gash across her side. Tsubaki screamed in sync with Black Star. Too injured, her ponytail reverted out of weapon form and she collapsed, cradling her side.

“Leave her alone!” Crona barked, swinging Ragnarok across Justin’s torso, sending him flying away from the downed weapon. “Ragnarok, screaming resonance!” The sword’s mouth emerged and screeched, the sound waves hitting Justin full force. The Death Scythe slid back, blocking his eyes from the onslaught of sand.

He started walking forward, pushing through the waves of sound, much to Crona’s surprise and worry. “You know I’m the executioner who appears with deafening sound, right?” he smirked, tapping his earbuds. He slashed at Crona, breaking the wave of noise. “Your screams are falling on deaf ears.”

“Man, this guy sucks!” Ragnarok complained as Crona evaded another swipe. One of the hits landed, but the black blood hardened and the teen was merely forced back. “We haven’t even been able to get him once!”

Crona locked blades with Justin, pushing against each other for a moment before the Death Scythe took a cheap shot with one arm and struck them, knocking the wind out of them. As they gasped, Justin took advantage.

“Sinner cross knife!” The force of both blades slicing Crona propelled them back, falling to the sand with a thud.

“Crona!” Maka screamed.

Crona struggled to stand, staggering, but raising Ragnarok again. They charged forward, but they gasped and jumped back, narrowly missing the structure shooting out from the ground. Justin had dove his arms into the sand and guillotines were erupting from the desert floor. Crona’s eyes bulged as they lept aside, narrowly missing the thud of a guillotine blade. More fell around the teen and they sprinted around the minefield of falling metal. The avoidance led Crona back in front of Justin. The teen swung Ragnarok, hitting the Death Scythe across the chest.

A loud clang reverberated through the air as the force of the impact knocked Crona onto his back again, sliding across the sand. “Wh- huh?” The meister struggled to sit up and gazed in confusion at their opponent.

Justin grinned wickedly. “Keto supplied me with a few… upgrades.” He knocked against his side and the metallic sound of armor sounded back. He cracked his neck as more metal grew out across his face, forming a knight’s helmet. The blade’s on his arms grew larger and darker, resembling battle axes. A pendulum hung from the helmet, swinging tauntingly.

Crona gulped again.

Justin ran forward, launching himself into the air and falling down towards the teen. “Unlawful silver gun!” A burst of soul wavelength slammed through Crona’s body.

They cried out in pain, blood spurting from their nose again as they collapsed.

“Crona!” Maka screamed, struggling in her chains again, still to no avail.

Justin’s grin was just visible under his visor as he stalked towards the chained students. Crona wasn’t moving. Ragnarok had melted away. Tsubaki could barely crawl. The chains continued to be formidable. Justin eyed the students, raising a bladed arm and preparing to slice across them all.

A loud clap of thunder shook the desert. The winds whipped up, swirling around like a cyclone. Justin faltered, lowering his arm and turning to look behind him.

Death the Kid groaned and shifted. His hand slammed onto the sand with another boom of thunder. As he pushed himself up a flash of lightning illuminated the sky. He swayed on his feet, his head slumped forward like a broken marionette. A breath escaped his lips, a cold burst hanging in the desert heat. 

The reaper’s fists clenched at his sides. He was still surrounded in a puddle of his own blood, but it was changing. The inky darkness slowly spread until no red was left. The resulting fully black blood crept up Kid’s body and into his numerous wounds. He jerked and spazzed for a moment before relaxing, letting out another breath with a shudder.

Death the Kid raised his head and opened his red eyes.

Chapter Text

“Oh, he’s awake.” Jack Karu leaned back in his chair, propping his feet up on the desk. The crystal ball in front of him displayed a clear view of several people of interest. The Star Clan survivor, the Nakatsukasa heir, the Devils of Brooklyn, the duo who took down Medusa, Keto’s flesh and blood, the Death Scythe who’d lost faith, and of course, the reaper. He took a swig of whiskey. 

“Well then, brother of the kishin, let’s see what you can really do, shall we?”

Kid swayed and staggered to his feet. His eyes flashed open, now red instead of gold. The remaining black blood at his feet was soon absorbed into the reaper. Five black lines appeared across his mouth. The blood started seeping out and forming a fabric-like armor black suit. Blood ran down his arms, plinking against the sand in inky drops.

Justin grinned with false confidence, an unease seeping out through the cracks. “Well well well,” he challenged. “The Grim Reaper… Jr.” he chuckled.

Kid didn’t respond. His gaze was cold, calculating. He eyed his opponent up and down. The blood dripping down his arms started to harden in his hands, forming jagged swords. His grip around them tightened as Justin’s laugh petered out into a growl.

“As you’re friends have already learned,” Justin gestured to Crona and Tsubaki. “You non-believers are no match for a Death Scythe!” he spat.

Kid threw his head back and laughed darkly. “You’re a fallen disciple, Justin Law. And I… am a Death God.”

Justin barely had time to raise his arms and block the blow when the reaper charged. The two moved fast. Blades clanged against each other. The weapon was pushed back, sliding in the dust. “So…” he panted. “You-”

Kid cut him off with another slash of the swords. He flipped forward and pierced the ground as Justin barely moved out of the way.

“Impressive-”

Kid lunged forward again and put a gash on each of Justin’s shoulders, perfectly symmetrical. 

Justin gasped. He swung his blades and hit Kid in the side. The black blood hardened and no damage was dealt. The reaper retaliated by stabbing the Death Scythe in the stomach. His armor upgrade from Keto protected him, but the black blood swords curved and wrapped around his waist. Using the grip, Kid threw Justin into the air, causing him to smash into the side of Soul’s pillar, with the scythe barely twisting out of the way. Justin hit the ground groaning in pain.

Kid twirled his swords as his opponent struggled to stand. He stalked back and forth like a tiger waiting to pounce.

Justin glanced up at the reaper then kept his head down, suddenly diving his arms into the sand. A guillotine grew out from the ground, the blade shining above Kid’s head. The boy looked up slowly as it dropped.

“No!” Liz cried as the metal landed with a thud. The blade had pinned Kid to the ground, landing on his neck. Justin smirked.

Kid calmly turned his head towards Justin and the smirk dropped. The reaper grabbed the blade and lifted it off. After he stood, he let the blade fall again behind him.

Justin retracted the guillotine and readied the blades on his arms. He hesitated, then chuckled. “I forgot, you have the black blood now.” He eyed Crona. “So soul attacks then.” The Death Scythe jumped into the air, flipped, and with the words, “Unlawful silver gun!” a beam of silver energy sliced through the air and through Kid.

The others gasped as they stared at Kid, who stood exactly where he had been, seemingly unharmed.

Kid raised an eyebrow, looking down at his body and examining it before letting out an amused, “Huh.” He rolled his shoulders and raised the black blood swords again.

Justin glared at the reaper. “You think you’re so powerful because you’re Lord Death’s son. You’re nothing! Your father is a false idol. He is nowhere near as powerful as the Kishin!”

“I agree,” Kid responded calmly. “But there’s a lot of differences between me and dad.”

Justin growled in frustration and charged again. A whirlwind of metal and hardened blood followed. Kid locked blades with the Death scythe, the two pushing up against each other, their feet sliding in the sand. Kid’s face was calm and neutral, showing no effort or strain.

Suddenly, Kid pushed off from the ground, flipping over Justin and landing behind him.

There was a gush of blood. Justin Law’s knees hit the ground as his head did.

“Whoa!” Black Star exclaimed. “Alright, get us out of these.” He shook in the chains, craning his neck to check on Tsubaki, who was awake, but laying on the ground, holding her side.

Kid stood up and let his swords fall to his sides. He seemed… calm.

“Kid?” Soul asked tentatively. Kid didn’t move. He didn’t even acknowledge Soul.

“Kid?” Liz tried. He still didn’t respond. “Kid,” she tried again more forcefully. Bile welled up in her throat. “Kid, baby, please, look at me!”

Kid turned his head towards her. It was tilted, like he was confused.

“Kid, are you okay?” Liz trembled. He kept staring at her. It’s like… It’s like he’s staring through me… It’s like he doesn’t recognize me… “Kid, are you okay?” Her voice was cracking.

Kid looked down, his brow furrowing like he was thinking, then back up at her.

“Kid... “ She swallowed. “Do you know who I am?”

Kid’s vision seemed to finally truly focus on her and he scanned her face.

He nodded.

Liz shuddered with relief. “Kid…” she tried again. “Are you alright?”

Kid blinked rapidly, then his whole body jerked and tensed. The black blood armor and swords slid off of him. He fell to his hands and knees, retching. Black blood erupted from his mouth, spewing out and staining the sand The lines on his face vanished. His eyes, now gold again, rolled back into his head as he collapsed.

“Mistress, do you-”

“Leave me!” Keto screamed. She swished her arm out and a vector arrow pushed the guard out and slammed the doors to the throne room. She clutched the table, tears falling from her face. A choked sob cracked through her heaving chest. The sea witch clenched her fists to try and regain composure.

She sighed with a shunder and started the record player with a flick of her finger. As the tune played, she tapped along to it, forcing herself to focus on the music.

That's life (that's life), that's what all the people say.

You're ridin' high in April, shot down in May.

But I know I'm gonna change that tune,

When I'm back on top, back on top in June.

Keto smiled to herself, laughing slightly at the fact that she had been crying. She wiped her face and stood up straight again. Akheilos swam up as she passed his tank and she gently caressed the glass as she passed over to the other side of the room. A framed picture of Crona sat on a table along with others of her daughters. She picked up the picture and sighed before dropping it to the floor. 

The glass crunched as she stepped on it.

Crona finished using Ragnarok to cut through the chains that held Liz and she sprinted towards her meister and boyfriend. He was twitching and his eyes were moving erratically despite being closed. 

As Tsubaki and Crona finished freeing the others, Liz rocked Kid back and forth repeating a mantra of, “It’s okay, you’re okay, you’re going to be fine.”

Jack Karu watched the reaper convulse on the ground as he swirled his glass. “Well aren’t you just full of surprises…” he muttered to himself. He watched the academy students drag their downed friend away. They left the Riptide camp littered with corpses. They left the black bloodstained sand. They left the body of Justin Law.

“Well,” the necromancer smiled. “Looks like I’ve got some errands to run.”

Keto walked past her newly acquired weapons. Justin may be gone, but he had served his purpose. Now she had Pandora’s mirror and scepter. And she had something even more valuable, the blood of Maka Albarn. She picked up the vial Eruka had retrieved while the girl was unconscious. She clutched it and began walking down the hall.

Pandora’s mirror flickered and a strange image flashed across the surface.

If anyone had seen it, they would have thought a bear was behind them.

Marie didn’t know what she expected when she answered the door, but it hadn’t been Crona. Ragnarok, currently small again, rested on their head and gave her a cheerful wave.

“H- Hi, Marie, I just wanted to-” Crona stopped as they noticed her pregnant belly, eyes wide.

“Oh get in here!” Marie pulled the teen into a bear hug, giving Ragnarok a pat as well. Crona melted into the hug.

Stein smiled at them from afar before going off to prepare the guest bedroom, which he highly suspected would soon become Crona and Ragnarok’s bedroom.

After all, with a baby on the way they could use the extra help.

Kid was lying still now. The soft beeping coming from the vitals monitor rang through the otherwise quiet dispensary. Patty had fallen asleep across his torso, the rise and fall of his chest soothing her. Liz held his hand, never taking her eyes off his face.

Lord Death stood in silent vigil over them. He didn’t think he’d be welcome if Kid was awake, but Heaven and Hell couldn’t tear him away now.

Keto entered the chamber, dismissing the attendants with a nod. She stood before the vat of blood, darker than normal blood with Crona’s mixed in. She uncorked the vial of Maka’s blood and poured the contents into the pool. The effect was immediate. The liquid churned and bubbled, steam rising from the gore.

Tiachi’s pale face broke the surface and she gasped for air, blinking up at her mistress.

Keto grinned.

My, my.

Chapter Text

“Hiya!” Tiachi swung and the dummy’s torso was split in two, stuffing bleeding out from its wound. She heard movement behind her, quickly twirling and slicing apart another dummy that had popped up. She gazed around her at the fluffy carnage before looking upward for approval.

Keto nodded proudly at the weasel witch. “Well done my dear, well done!” she applauded. “You’ve done very well.”

Tiachi panted with exertion. She’d replaced her sweater dress with a sleek black tactical suit. Her long red-brown hair was pulled back into a tight professional bun. She rested her arms at her side, the black scythe blades that had replaced her hands gleamed wickedly.

“I can go another round, mistress,” Tiachi insisted. She raised her blades again to demonstrate.

Keto raised her eyebrow with pleasant surprise before starting another session. More dummies popped up, firing and slicing at the witch-weapon.

“Um, you wanted to see me, ma’am?” Kimoro asked timidly as she entered the catwalk above the training area.

Keto grinned as she turned to the younger witch. “Ah yes, Kimoro. With Crona…” she composed herself for a moment. “With Crona’s betrayal, we could use some more power. Repeatedly we have been stopped by the academy’s favorite group of brats, so I have decided, if Lord Death has an elite team, then we need one of our own. Tiachi’s recovery and new abilities makes her a perfect candidate, but there are some others I have in mind that I need you to find.”

“Who did you have in mind?”

“Well, we already have Free, but I want you to find Giriko and your grandfather, Mosquito. They served my daughter Arachne well, they would be perfect additions to our new team.”

“RAHHH!!” Tiachi sliced the final dummy, breathing heavily. The single scratch on her cheek leaked deep violet-red blood for a moment before it retracted back inside of her.

“What do you think?” Keto turned to a witch with red goggles.

Zuchi Saebum gazed down with maniac glee. “She’s perfect.”

The first thing Kid did when he got home was take a shower. Well, technically the first thing he did was violently throw up, but as soon as that was taken care of, he took a shower. He scrubbed his hair and skin roughly. He kept scrubbing until he’d scraped at least one layer of skin off, leaving him slightly pink. Stepping out of the shower, he dried himself off just as roughly. After putting on his clothes, he brushed his teeth, once again scouring harshly. The minty tang was a nice change from the metallic copper of blood-

Kid rushed to the toilet and threw up again, shaking. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried again to purge the thought of the black blood from his mind.

He sighed and started brushing again.

Jack Karu yawned and stretched, sitting up in bed and rubbing his copper eyes. It was two in the afternoon and he was ready to start the day.

He showered and dressed in his usual outfit of black jeans, combat boots, a black button up, and a formal brown vest. Jack pushed the sleeves up to his elbows and wrapped both of his forearms with fresh bandages. He trimmed and tidied his tawny beard before styling up his faux hawk, which, unlike the rest of his hair, was black and streaked with gray.

The coffee pot beeped from the other side of the loft and Jack gave himself one more once over in the mirror before making breakfast, mug in hand. After eggs, toast, bacon, ham, hash browns, steak, and more eggs, he tidied up the kitchen and poured a second cup of coffee, including Irish cream and an extra splash of whiskey this time. Then Jack slid down the ladder to the main floor of the warehouse.

The necromancer sat down in front of one of the many cluttered tables and began mulling over the plans in front of him, taking sips of his coffee occasionally and scribbling notes. He reached over the table to the wall and snatched a book off of one of the looming shelves, flipping through it briefly before finding the passage he needed about Riptide.

“Underwater…” he mumbled, turning back to the plans and, after some deliberation, marking an “x” on the map. “Oh-kay then!” He brushed his hands together and stood. “Time to go.” He turned to look at the saggy couch against the wall, and more specifically, its occupant. “Jay, you gonna be alright while I’m out?”

Justin Law’s head turned towards him slowly, creaking and groaning as the metal and bandages around the neck twisted and strained. His cold, empty eyes gazed out from his hollow sockets. His visor was currently up, revealing his shriveled face and sunken cheeks. The armor around his body hung awkwardly on his emaciated frame. The former Death Scythe stared in silence, void of emotion, life, and soul.

Jack threw him some finger guns and slipped out the door.

“Kid?” Liz puzzled as her boyfriend and meister sat down at the dinner table. “Are you… How are you feeling?” Kid had been discharged by Stein from the dispensary with a clean bill of health, but she was still surprised to see him up.

“Fine,” Kid mumbled before scarfing down his food. He was starving.

“... You sure?” Patty raised an eyebrow at him.

“Yeah-” He swallowed. “Yeah, I’m okay. I feel a lot better now. Like Stein said, no trace of the black blood.”

“Still, you had a pretty rough time-”

“So did you,” Kid interrupted defensively. “You got drugged and kidnapped. Are you okay? Have you been remembering to use the new window locks every night?”

“Kid, we weren’t the ones who-”

Kid finished the last of his food and stood up abruptly. “As long as you two are okay, I’m fine. I’ll be in my room.”

As he left, the sisters turned to each other. “He’s your boyfriend,” Patty argued. “You figure it out.”

Liz sighed and nodded.

Kid paced around his room, trying and failing to relax. His hand went to his collar to straighten his- Oh… right… His hand dropped.

“Kid?” Liz knocked as she entered. “Can we talk?”

“Uh… sure, yeah…”

“How are you really doing?” she pressed, sitting down on his bed.

The reaper sighed and joined her. “I just… It feels like the black blood is still there. I know it's not, I know Stein tripled checked and I know I somehow got rid of all of it, but I still don’t know how I did that and… I just can’t shake this feeling.”

Liz nodded. “When you were infected with the black blood it was… terrifying.”

Kid swallowed and looked away. “I’m sorry… I’m sorry I scared you.”

The pistol cupped his face in her hands and turned his eyes towards hers. “I was scared Kid, I was terrified for you. I wasn’t scared you’d hurt me or any of us. I was scared of losing you. When you looked at me and…” Liz shuddered and Kid wrapped her into a hug.

“I promise, you are never going to lose me,” Kid insisted, holding her tightly. As he pulled back, he brushed her hair away from her face. “I think… I think looking at you is what helped me snap out of it.” He gave her a confident smile.

Liz laughed and wiped her eyes. “I came in here to see if you were okay.”

Kid kissed her and smiled. “I do feel better now,” he chuckled.

“Hey, you know, you should talk to Crona. If anyone knows about dealing with black blood, they do.”

Kid nodded thoughtfully. “That’s not a bad idea.”

Kid walked through the wasteland, the dust swirling at his feet. The inky puddles around him quivered as he moved past. He gazed down at a corpse, its identity lost to time with its flesh.

“Do you believe me now?” Asura asked.

Kid turned to face him. “I’m nothing like you, I rejected the black blood. I would never do this.”

Asura shook his head with frustration. “You expelled the black blood because you don’t need it. You are powerful Kid, more powerful than dad, more powerful than me. I never used the black blood as a weapon, I only used it to recover from centuries of entrapment. Reapers, like us, we don’t need to fight with black blood… once we access the madness.”

“I don’t have the madness!” Kid growled.

Asura shook his head again. “Because the way you obsess over symmetry is the pinnacle of sanity.”

“I-”

“You need to be careful. You’ve kept the madness at bay, you’ve locked it up your whole life. Hell, when you were created dad manipulated your soul to make sure the madness wouldn’t get out.”

“You’re- You’re lying!”

Asura raised an eyebrow. “Why? What do I stand to gain from lying? I’m trying to help you. The black blood may be gone, but it awakened the madness in you. That’s why you feel different now. That’s why you feel more powerful.”

Kid groaned. “This is a dream, you’re not real, why am I listening to you?”

Asura eyed the younger reaper cautiously. “Right… This isn’t real…”

“It’s not!” Kid fumed. As he pointed at Asura, he noticed his arm and reeled back.

Asura looked pointedly at the silvery claw in front of him. “Of course Kid, none of this is real…”

Kid groaned and rubbed his eyes. Another night, another nightmare. He was sick of constantly seeing the apocalyptic future when he closed his eyes, the strange black puddles, the metallic arm. He sighed and went to the bathroom.

As he washed his hands, he glanced at the mirror and yelped. His eyes, his eyes were red.

Kid blinked. Still red. He blinked harder. Still red. In a panic, he covered his eyes and shook his head, building the courage to check again.

Gold. They were gold again.

Kid leaned against the wall running his hands through his hair. Did I imagine that? Was that real? Am I… Kid thought back to what Asura had said. But, that wasn’t real… 

But I’m a reaper. If anyone can talk to the dead in a dream, I can.

“So…” Stein trailed off as he stared at the reaper. Damn, I need to get better at talking to kids if I’m going to be a dad soon. “Why did you want to talk?”

Kid wrung his hands. “I- I wanted to be sure that the black blood is gone. Are we sure I expelled all of it? It would only take one drop to create more and-”

“Crona didn’t sense any of the black blood in you when you were brought back,” Stein reminded him. “And I ran numerous tests. Why, did something happen?”

Kid avoided his eyes. “I… ever since the battle with the spear and my heart stopped, I’ve been having these nightmares. They’ve gotten worse though. I keep seeing this world full of destruction, destruction I caused. In the dream, I have red eyes, there’s black blood everywhere and… my arm is like a metal claw or something? Lately, I’ve been seeing Asura in the dreams too and he said… he said I have the madness and that the black blood might have awakened it.” The reaper let out a sigh of relief as the pressure on his chest lessened.

“I see…” Stein pondered. “These dreams, why do you think that they are of the future?”

“When I died I… I was told that I’d end the world if I came back.”

Stein nodded. “Well, the future isn’t set in stone. Maybe instead of worrying about if and when this future will come to pass, you focus on changing it. Accept that this future could be real. Put your energy into fighting the madness, not denying that it’s there.”

Kid nodded shakily.

“Remember Kid, I have the madness, I’ve fought it, I’ve almost lost myself to it, and I’ve overcome it and learned to live with it. But the person you should really talk to about this is your father.”

Kid sighed. “I know, I just… I can’t trust him yet. What he did… I can’t understand why he would…” He blinked back tears. “I’m not ready to confront him yet. But… can you promise me something?”

“What is is Kid?”

“If I do fall victim to the madness, if there is a risk that I’ll end the world, can you promise that you’ll make sure I’m killed? Not imprisoned, killed.”

“Only if you tell me why.”

Kid took a deep breath. “Asura was imprisoned. He escaped. Pandora, she loved him and she wished he had died. She tortured herself trying to save him. I don’t want Liz or anyone else I care about to suffer like that. If I’m gone… I’m gone.”

“You don’t want to end up like Asura,” Stein reasoned. “You shouldn’t worry, you're nothing like your brother.”

“Wh- What? How?” Kid sputtered.

Stein smirked. “I figured it out.”

Jack Karu walked up to the edge of the water, the waves crashing against the rocky shore, and peered around. “Hmm… If I were a secret entrance, where would I be?” The necromancer crouched down on top of a smooth rock, tracing his finger along the edges. “Gotcha.” The stone platform lowered into a black marble hall deep below sea level. The necromancer stared down the dimly lit corridors. He could sense kishin soldiers walking about, but no witches. Barely a challenge. He popped in some earbuds and started his music. This had just gone from a heist to a milk run.

The first kishin rounded the corner and spotted him. The man didn’t even have time to cry out before Jack had sent a flurry of bandages out from his arm, wrapping around the kishin’s body and tightening until he fell.

As Jack moved past the body, it rose like a demented puppet. The next soldier was ended quickly by the corpse of his former colleague. A third soldier tried to slice Jack, but he evaded with little effort, catching the soldier’s head and making quick work of snapping his neck. The more kishins he killed, the more bandaged bodies joined him.

With his puppet mummies distracting the remaining Riptide soldiers, Jack casually strolled up to the vault door. He eyed the lock and quickly checked his notes, nodding to himself before slipping more bandages in between the cracks, manipulating them until a click and a hiss signalled the door opening.

He smiled to himself and strolled inside.

Some of the goodies he had hoped for had been moved, but his main prize was here still. The Scepter of Pandora… He lifted the weapon and gazed down in wonder. “Those mad lads at the academy fixed you up good huh?” He turned it over in his hands, admiring the creation he hadn’t seen in person for centuries.

Jack gazed into the mirror that was also sitting in the vault. He crouched down in front of it and smiled at the strange, deformed bear creature gazing back. “Something tells me, you’d rather stay with Riptide, am I right? You can get a lot of good intel for the academy.”

Tezca Tlipoca gaped. “Who- Who are you? What’s going on?”

“Well, considering this place’s security is kaput, I’d say you’ll be getting a much more interesting change of scenery soon.” He stood to leave.

“W- Wait!” Tezca called. “Who are you? Who’s side are you on?”

“I’m Jack, and I’m on Jack’s side,” he chuckled, giving the weapon a grin and a wave as he left.

A kishin soldier approached him in the hall. Jack aimed the scepter and blasted him. His body slumped to the ground a drooling husk as his soul’s fragments hit the wall like a paint splatter. “This thing’s got some kick to it,” Jack mused, propping the scepter up on his shoulder and strolling back to the platform.

As the platform raised again, his bandages returned to him and the corpses fell again. The sun hit his face as his song ended and he sighed with contentment. He hesitated before walking away from the shore as a bird passed overhead. It was a swan.

He saluted it. “Love ya mom. Rest in peace. I’ve got this.”

Chapter Text

Zuchi Saebum pulled her deep blonde hair back and straightened her black military-style jacket, the gold tassels and braiding glinting harshly in the fluorescent light. She calmly walked over to the table against the wall where the silver trays of instruments lay. She pulled on the rubber gloves and picked up the scalpel, admiring the sharp point.

The man behind her struggled and whimpered, but the gag in his mouth and the bonds on his wrists and ankles prevented anything more. Zuchi paid no mind, instead carefully placing the needle of the record player down, sighing with delight as the music swelled and her work could begin. She turned towards the already bloody and disfigured man and removed his gag.

“P- Please…” he begged. “I- I don’t know anything, I swear!”

“Miss Saebum?” Kimoro knocked on the chamber door before entering. “Mistress Keto wants an update on your progress, ma’am.”

Zuchi looked at the quivering D.W.M.A. agent. “He appears to be telling the truth. He was just boasting when he claimed to know secrets about the academy.”

“Shall I have the next one sent in then?”

Zuchi shook her head. “I have more work to do with him.”

Kimoro nodded and backed out, closing the door behind her as the man on the table cried out.

“No! Please, I- I don’t know anything! I don’t know where B.R.E.W. is, I don’t know who does, please!”

Zuchi ignored him and stepped up to the table, lowering it down until it was level with the ground.

“Please! Please no! I’m no use to you, just kill me, please!”

Zuchi grinned and lowered her red goggles over her eyes. “Just because you don’t know what I need doesn’t mean I can’t learn from you. For instance-” she traced along his sternum with the scalpel. “How many cuts does it take to remove a human heart?”

The sounds of screams and blood plinking against the floor’s rusted drain joined the symphony of Rimsky-Korsakov’s, “Flight of the Bumblebee.”

“What did you need from us, Lord Death?”

Lord Death had been blasted at and nearly killed by his eldest, but his youngest son referring to him so coldly was definitely more painful. He felt Spirit’s sympathetic gaze as the Death Scythe noticed the way his boss’s shoulders slumped.

“Er, yes, I have an important mission for all of you.” He hated how he turned away from Kid to look at the rest of the group, but he wasn’t strong enough. “We need to learn more about Riptide. We are sending you on an intelligence gathering mission. Typically, such a mission would only require one group of partners, but with how dangerous this witch organization has been, we don’t want to send students after them in any capacity without substantial back-up.”

Spirit stepped forward. “We know that Riptide recruits kishins and witches, but we have recently learned that they will occasionally make use of human criminals as well. We need you to find former Riptide associates and see what information you can gain from them.”

Maka nodded in understanding. “Got it dad.”

Lord Death barely suppressed a flinch at the word he feared he’d never hear from Kid again.

“So this is Breaktown?” Tsubaki asked.

“Yeah,” Maka responded. “This city has one of the highest crime rates in the United States. We should be able to find who we’re looking for here.”

Patty looked up at the tall buildings and down the dark alleyways. “It reminds me of New York!” she giggled.

“Well we aren’t too far away from New York City really,” Liz commented.

“What the hell do we do now?” Soul scowled. “Just walk into a bar and ask, ‘Hey any criminals in here?’ We’re not even old enough to go into most of these places.”

Kid stopped walking suddenly.

“Kid? What is it?” Liz asked, confused. He’d been fairly quiet since they arrived.

“I… I know where we should go.” He looked away from his friends awkwardly. “There’s an underground gambling den not far from here. If we need to find unsavory characters, that’s the place to go.”

“Wh- How do you know that ?” Black Star gawked.

Kid avoided eye contact and started walking again. “Because I’ve been there before.”

Diablo’s Den looked exactly how he remembered it. The stairs in the alleyway led down to the door, flanked by two guards, their buff arms crossed. The graffiti around was slightly more faded than on his last visit, but still recognizable. Patrons walked in and out, nodding to the bouncers, each a danger in their own right. Yet, Kid wasn’t worried about any of them, he was much more worried about the confused looks on his friends’ faces.

“... This is the place?” Maka looked around meekly. “You sure?”

“Positive.” Kid avoided her gaze again. This wasn’t going to be pleasant.

“Well how do we- wait!” Liz joined the others in rushing after Kid.

“Good evening gentlemen,” Kid said calmly as he approached the door. The bouncers blinked, flabbergasted. “My friends and I would like to enter your establishment.”

The guards looked at each other in surprise. “Kono ko wa... dare ga da to omotte iru?” (This kid... who does he think he is?) one of them muttered.

Kid looked at him calmly. “Shinigami desu, kiwotsukete nakereba ikemasen.” (I am a death god, you should be careful) He turned to the other bouncer. “I’m looking for Elias Panzer, is he here?”

“Look, I don’t care who you are,” the other guard growled. “We’re not about to let some snot nosed brat into-”

“DO MY EYES DECEIVE ME?” a voice boomed and suddenly. A giant man with a shaved head and handlebar mustache burst through the door and stood in front of Kid. “Is that really you, Sensenmann?” (Grim Reaper) He beamed down at Kid, towering over him.

Kid gave him a small sheepish smirk, aware of the fact that everyone else was staring in disbelief. “Hello again, Elias.”

He lifted Kid up and bear hugged him. “It’s been too long!” If Kid wasn’t a reaper, his ribs would probably be cracked. He set the boy down and grinned. “Well come on in!” He pushed open the door to the den, the bouncers moving aside, still confused. Elias faltered as he registered the group of D.W.M.A. students. “Um…”

“They’re with me.”

Elias gave him a skeptical look. “They mess with any patrons, they’re out.”

“Fair.”

The big man nodded, satisfied, and led them inside.

Diablo’s Den was larger than the others had expected. There was a long bar along one wall and several tables were running a variety of games. Everyone in the place looked like they could snap someone’s neck with the effort of breaking a pencil. Many turned and glared as they entered. Maka saw someone spit in their direction, muttering, “D.W.M.A.”

Elias directed them to an empty table in the back. “I’ve got some things to take care of, but I’ll be back in a minute. Give me a holler if anyone gives you any trouble.” He left into a back room.

“Kid, what the hell?” Black Star threw his hands up. “You’ve been here before, you know the owner, what’s going on here?”

Kid sighed and dropped his head. “A few years back I… I ran away.”

“What?” Liz’s eyes widened. She, like the others, suddenly thought back to the photo album with a missing year of pictures. It all made sense now.

“I had a… fight with my dad and… I left Death City.”

“But how did you end up here?”

“I couldn’t use credit cards, not with the D.W.M.A. looking for me. I needed the cash.”

Soul raised an eyebrow. “So you went to a gambling den? And made friends with that guy?”

“Well…”

Kid’s stomach growled. He fished through his pockets, but his money was dwindling. “Dammit,” he muttered to himself. His stomach growled again as he passed a diner. He might have enough for one meal, but it would clean him out. He wasn’t about to pass out from hunger yet. He kept walking.

“Hey, you lost fair and square pal,” a voice grumbled from the alleyway. “Now get outta here.”

Kid turned to see a bouncer shoving an upset drunk man out of some sort of dingy club. “Diablo’s Den…” He’d heard about the criminal hangout when he entered town. It would be a great place to earn some money-

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” a guard glared at him. “No one under eighteen, scram.”

Kid sighed internally. Once again, his age was proving to be quite the barrier. “I’m here to play.”

“This isn’t an arcade, get outta here.”

“I’m serious, I’m here to gamble.”

The bouncer laughed and opened the door slightly. “Hey, Boss! Get a load of this!”

Elias Seger stepped out, his muscles bulging through his shirt. “Is there a problem?”

“This kid wants to play,” the guard chuckled.

As Elias and the bouncers laughed, Kid glared. “Let’s make a deal,” he blurted out.

The larger man turned and gazed down at him. “A deal?”

“If I can beat you in an arm wrestling match, you let me in and I get to play at the top table. If I lose, you never see me again.”

Elias gave a hearty laugh. “I like your spunk kid, so I’ll humor you.” He opened the door and stormed into the den. “Everyone! This little punk says that if he beats me in an arm wrestling contest, he should be allowed to play. What do you all think?” Cheers and laughter followed as everyone turned to watch.

Elias set his elbow on a table and looked at Kid expectantly. “Well?” he taunted.

Kid placed his elbow on the table and looked at the man’s hand. He grimaced. “Is there a way we can do both arms at once?”

The larger man laughed again. “Nervous or cocky?”

“Neither. I like things to be symmetrical.” His stomach growled again and he sighed. “I’ll- I’ll manage.”

They gripped hands and the bouncer counted down. “Three… two… one!”

Instantly Elias was on the floor. He gaped up at Kid. “Wh- How did you- Who are you?”

“I’m… Kid. Death the Kid.”

Elias stood, rubbing his arm and grinning with surprised glee. “Well then,” he turned to one of his employees. “Set the young man up at the table.”

“You seriously did that? At like, thirteen years old?”

Kid looked down at his hands. “Yeah…”

“Dude…”

“That’s badass!” Patty exclaimed. “You just waltzed in here and demanded that you be allowed to gamble? That’s so cool! Did you win?”

“I had cash when you and Liz mugged me didn’t I?”

“Wait,” Maka interjected. “You two actually met Kid by mugging him? I always thought that was a joke!”

“Alright,” Elias sat back down at the table. “Sorry about the delay. So, how have you been Sensenmann? Where’s that fancy neck piece of yours?”

Kid clenched his jaw. “I don’t wear it anymore.”

“Really? You were pretty attached to it the last time I saw you-”

“Yes well things have changed.”

Elias held up his hands in apology and backed away from the subject. “Anyway, what can I do for you and your friends here?”

“We need information about Riptide,” Kid said.

The mustached man shifted uncomfortably. “Riptide?”

“Keto’s organization. We heard that she sometimes hires out people for jobs, the kind of people who you’d get as clientele. Do you know anything?”

“Well, I…”

“Who’s worked for them? Where are they located? What are their plans?”

“Du fragst viele gefährliche fragen.” (You ask a lot of dangerous questions)

“Würdest du besser von mir denken?” (Would you think better of me?) Kid smirked.

Elias laughed and relaxed a little. “Listen, Keto is a dangerous witch, and very secretive. When she outsources, she is careful. An organization like Riptide requires tools, supplies. Who you need to talk to is Alice Stovepipe.” He gestured to a woman sitting at one of the game tables. “She runs an arms dealership, helping kishin and weapon mercenaries find work. If anyone has worked with Keto regularly enough to give you anything, it’s her.”

“Alright, thank you.”

“Any time, but you didn’t hear anything from me.” With that, Elias stood and left into the back room again.

The students looked over at Alice Stovepipe again. Her cold eyes stared without emotion, glancing at her opponents. She won the game, casually sweeping up the pot as the others stormed up.

“I’ve got this,” Kid stood up and walked up to the table, the others following and watching. “I’ll play you, one on one.”

Alice glanced up, her expression still neutral. “What’s your bet?”

“I need information on Keto. I hear you’re the person to talk to?”

Alice cocked her head. “If you win, I’ll tell you what I know. If you lose…” she glanced around at the others. “I’ll take the chain scythe.”

“WHAT?” Black Star roared. “Listen if you think you can just take MY girlfriend-slash-weapon you’ve got another thing coming!”

Tsubaki turned to Kid. “How good are you at this game?”

Maka gaped. “You can’t be serious-”

“Very good.”

The chain scythe faced Alice. “Alright. We’ll take that bet.”

“What are you doing?” Black Star’s face twitched.

Alice ignored him. “Three rounds. Best of two.”

“Deal.” Kid sat down at the table and turned to the dealer. “Ready. One round.”

The dealer dealt him three cards for his hand and one face down in front, doing the same for Alice. The two watched each other over their hands.

“What is this game?” Maka asked, confused.

“It’s called ‘Bones of Fate’, Kid taught it to us,” Liz responded. “You have three cards, each with their own point value. Numbers are their number value, face cards and aces are eleven. You’re trying to get as close to the number on the dice. After you see the twenty-sided die roll, you can choose to throw one card away and replace it with the face down card you were given. Then the dealer rolls the twelve-sided die. The player closest to the dice wins.”

“So it’s luck based?” Tsubaki paled.

Liz looked away guiltily. “There’s some strategy involved…”

“First roll,” the dealer announced, shaking a cup and dumping a twenty-sided dice with the number “15” displayed.

Kid looked down at his cards. A 10, 7, and a 9. I have 26 points now. The next roll would need to be an 11. Or I could throw a card…

Alice threw a two and picked up her face down card.

“What happens if they’re both equally close?” Maka asked.

“I don’t know, it never came up when we played.”

“Last roll,” the dealer rolled again. It was a six. “Show cards.” She did a quick once over, the math too fast for everyone but Maka, who was already relieved. “Twenty-six points vs twenty-seven. The reaper is closer to twenty-one. First round to Kid.” The dealer remembered him from the last time he was here.

“Novichkam vezet,” (Beginner’s luck) Alice eyed him closely.

“Ne sovsem,” (Not quite) Kid responded, smirking now.

The dealer gave them new cards and rolled again. “Sixteen.”

Kid threw a two and Alice threw a four.

“Last roll. One.” The cards went down again. “Twenty-eight vs twenty-five. Alice is closer to seventeen. Entering final round in a draw.”

The others gulped but Kid didn’t seem worried as he received his final hand. “First roll is a three.” Kid threw a jack, Alice threw an eight.

Dammit. The reaper stared down at the ten, three, and five in his hand. I throw an eleven and get a ten? And she probably threw her highest card when she saw the three, like I did. If her highest was an eight, she’s definitely closer to whatever the next roll will be. My only chance is if the dice lands on a twelve, then I’d only be three away.

“And the final roll, for the winner overall…” The die hitting the sides of the cup echoed through their thoughts. It hit the table with a loud thud. “Twelve. Show cards.”

Kid laid his cards down. Three away, but-

“Eighteen vs twelve. Both players are three away from fifthteen. Tie for the round. Dice roll to break.” She sounded bored, like despite the exciting tie, she knew how this would end. “Each player must roll an eight-sided. Highest roll wins.

Alice took the cup first, rolling a seven, which made Kid grimace.

Kid picked up the cup, covering the top tightly with his hand as he shook it. He dumped the die out onto the table.

“Perfect eight. Death the Kid wins.”

As the others cheered and relaxed, Alice calmly nodded in resigned defeat. “Let’s talk outside,” she said, and stood. They followed her out into the alley, where a cold rain now fell.

“You didn’t hear this from me-”

“Obviously,” Kid reassured her. “What do you know about Riptide?”

“They’re looking for something. Not just the witch tools, but the magic tools as well. They believe that BREW is the key to unlocking the full potential of Pandora’s weapons, and they will do anything to find out where the D.W.M.A. is keeping it. They’ve been hiring out weapons from me to aid in the search for academy operatives to supply them with information.”

“Academy operatives would not turn over information to Keto easily.”

“She has a witch to aid with that. Her name is Zuchi Saebum, she’s a sadistic torturer. Even if you spill your secrets, I’ve heard she’ll… play with you.”

“Do you know anything else?” Kid implored. “A location perhaps?”

Alice shook her head. “The only location I knew was shut down, completely destroyed. They used to keep their weapons in a bunker off the Pacific, but recently it was attacked so they moved.”

“Wait, attacked?” Tsubaki furrowed her face in confusion. “That wasn’t the D.W.M.A.”

“Whoever it was, apparently they got away with something important. Based on the state of the bodies, they think it was a necromancer.”

“A necromancer fighting Riptide? Strange…”

Alice shrugged. “It has to be Jack.”

“Who’s Jack?”

“Someone who’s a lot like you from what I understand,” Alice said thoughtfully. “A slippery bastard who cheats!” Her arm transformed into a bazooka and she fired at Kid, sending him flying back into the wall.

“Kid!” Liz cried. She grabbed Patty as Black Star and Maka readied their weapons.

Alice laughed and fired more blasts, tearing apart the walls of the alleway, rubble hitting the kids. “I train kishins and weapons every day! What do you expect? That you’ll win this fight?”

Kid groggily ripped himself from the wall, taking Patty from his girlfriend’s hands as she transformed herself.

“You’re children,” Alice taunted, dodging Kid with ease. One of her blasts hit near Black Star and he was sent flying into Maka.

Kid ran to his friends just as Alice raised her arm again. “Proshchay smert' s kosoy,” (Goodbye grim reaper) she chuckled.

The blast was deafening. Chunks of flesh flew through the air. Alice’s red soul floated above the ground as the tank barrel shrank back down from Elias Panzer’s chest. He flicked some blood off of his curled mustache. “Oof. Well that’s not very pleasant now is it?” He nodded to Kid as he turned back towards his gambling den, whistling.

“Well, we got some information,” Maka sighed as they waited for the D.W.M.A. helicopter to pick them up.

“I can’t believe that crazy lady accused you of cheating,” Patty said to her meister.

Kid looked down. “Well…”

“What? You cheated?”

“Do you think I’d risk Tsubaki’s life if I didn’t have a sure way to win?” Kid defended. “The dice are shaken in a dark cup without light. I simply… suggest that the darkness in the cup move the die a certain way. I learned how to maneuver the die in order for it to fall where you want it.”

“That’s why you’re so good!” Liz exclaimed. “Why did the owner even let you back in, much less save us, with stunts like that?”

“We had a deal. I’d give him most of my cut when I cheated, and he’d send me to play against anyone who’d won to much from him. I could make some money, and he could keep anyone from winning too big.”

“Hold up,” Soul turned to Kid. “While we were on this mission you understood and spoke Japanese, German, and Russian right? How long have you been able to do that?”

“Forever,” Kid shrugged nonchalantly. “Reapers can speak any human language. Death is relevant to all humans.

“Wait, any language?” Black Star challenged. “What about Spanish?”

“Si.”

“Greek?” Patty tried.

“Ναί.”

“Swahili?” Maka added.

“Ndio.”

“French?” Soul continued.

“J’ai dit chaque langue, non?” (I said every language didn’t I?) Kid raised an eyebrow at them.

“Well what about Latin?” Liz questioned. “No one actually speaks Latin anymore so-”

“Nemo Latinum nunc dicit, tamen dicebatur. Lingua mortua est, sed sum deus mortis.” (No one speaks Latin now, nevertheless it was spoken. It is a dead language, but I am a god of death).

The others stared at him for a moment.

“Well, if you know every human language, then reapers have a separate language, right?” Tsubaki argued.

Kid nodded. “Remember when I screamed at the chimera?”

“Wait, you were saying words during that?”

“Reaper language is pure soul communication. It’s soul wavelength translated into sound waves, physically impossible for a human to replicate.”

Kid immediately regretted his choice of words as Black Star started screaming to prove it, “isn’t impossible if you’re not a wimp!”

Jack Karu wiped the sweat from his brow as the furnace heated up the whole warehouse. Using the tongs, he removed the cup from the heat and carefully poured the contents into the mold. Once the molten material had set, he’d be able to sharpen it and the sword would be ready.

Jack couldn’t help but pat himself on the back a bit for this one. Afterall, it had been a great idea to grab that sand that the D.W.M.A. hadn’t thought twice about.

The black blood glass hissed as it cooled.

Chapter Text

Soul groaned as he stared at the paper. He had no idea what the answer to this question was. He hadn’t had the chance to create any kind of cheat sheet either, with this being a pop quiz, and once again he was next to Kid, who likely knew every answer but couldn’t get past his name. There was no way he’d get a good grade on this one.

The scythe sighed and picked a random bubble to fill in, before raising his eyebrows in grief at the next question, which was a written response. Shit. How do I guess this one?  

His thoughts were interrupted by a grunt from next to him. Kid was grimacing and squeezing his eyes shut, rubbing his forehead. As expected, the reaper’s paper was empty other than the words ‘Death the Kid,’ but it looked like Stein had taken pity on him and printed them ahead of time. Is Kid actually struggling with the questions too? Soul thought. Maybe I’m not an idiot, maybe this test is meant to be impossible or something. He went back to his test, but kept an eye on Kid’s paper.

Another grunt stopped him and Soul turned again. Kid’s paper was still empty and his pencil now lay abandoned next to it. The reaper was pushing on his eyes with the heels of his hands and it seemed like he was in pain.

“Hey, Kid, are you-”

“Soul. No talking,” Stein said calmly, but his eyes screamed, ‘Please, give me a reason to dissect you,’ so Soul slammed his mouth shut and turned back to his test.

Suddenly, Kid grabbed his pencil and started frantically scribbling on his paper. Soul looked up excitedly. Yes! He’s figured it out! The scythe snatched his pencil and glanced at his friend’s paper, but then gaped in disbelief.

The reaper was scrawling strange symbols over every inch of his paper, negating the neat lines provided for responses. He was even writing over the questions themselves, ignoring all existing ink on the page like he couldn’t see it. Apparently he couldn’t really see the paper anymore either, and he’d run out of room and transitioned to writing on the desk without a second thought.

The symbols were like nothing Soul had ever seen before, and he squinted in confusion. “Hey,” he whispered. “What are you doing?” There was no response. Kid stared blankly at the desk and continued scribbling. Soul waved a hand in front of his friend’s face. Kid didn’t even blink. “Uh… Are you-”

“Soul, what did I say-”

“Professor Stein, I think something’s wrong with Kid-”

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Kid jumped up and made his way to the front of the room quickly by stepping onto the desks. He sprinted past Stein, who watched him curiously, and picked up the chalk by the blackboard. Immediately the reaper was writing those strange symbols again, this time with the whole class gasping behind him.

“Kid?” Stein asked. Kid didn’t look away from his work. The blackboard was almost completely covered already. His eyes were moving rapidly.

“Kid?” Stein tried again. He reached out and touched the boy’s shoulder and Kid jolted back, the smoking chalk shattering on the floor. He covered his ears and dropped to his knees, grimacing in pain again.

“Kid!” Liz jumped up from her seat and ran to try to help her boyfriend. Soon her, Stein, and Patty were crouched around the boy, but none of them knew how to assist. Kid’s eyes screwed shut tighter and he cried out.

The windows shattered. Students screamed in surprise and leapt back, covering their heads.

Kid’s hands dropped to his side as his eyes rolled back and blood started running from his nose and ears. Liz caught his weight and looked at Stein helplessly. “Stein, what was that-”

The door to the classroom burst open and Lord Death uncharacteristically staggered in. The elder reaper looked woozy and was rubbing the side of his head. “Where’s-” He cut himself off when he saw Kid, unconscious on the floor. He rushed to his son and scooped the boy up.

“Sir, what’s going on?” Stein insisted. “What does all that-” he gestured to Kid’s writing, “mean?”

Lord Death gazed at the blackboard for a moment, his stance hardening. “I thought so…” he muttered, sounding worried and angry. He readjusted Kid in his arms. “Kid will need to rest, but he’ll be alright.”

“What happened?” Patty asked, worried.

Lord Death sighed, glancing at his son’s writing again. “The veil is weak.”

Jack straightened again, slowly uncovering his ears. “Oh thank Sanzu,” he breathed, relaxing. The horribly loud noises of screaming spirits had stopped. “Did you have something to do with that?” he said to the rotting corpse of Justin Law. Justin shook his head and pointed to the map on the warehouse wall, where a new dot had started glowing.

“Ah.” Jack wiped the blood from his nose and ears and stepped towards the map. “Another of my mother's creations is active, huh?”

He reached for the Scepter, but stopped. “This will be a good test for you two,” he grinned, picking up his new swords. The black glass blades gleamed. He knew the black blood sand was a reliable power source, but he still wasn’t sure about the other ingredient he’d added.

After all, the spear that killed Death the Kid had turned to dust. Would that dust really still have power?

“So what exactly is our mission?” Black Star scratched his head. The group had gathered in the Death Room, including Kid, who was back on his feet but looked pale.

“As I said, the veil is weak, the veil between this world and the next.” Lord Death reiterated. “I believe that the Piercer, one of Pandora’s creations, is responsible. It can weaken the barrier between the living and the dead. The readings Pandora gave us should provide you with enough information to find it and keep it out of Riptide’s hands. But be warned. The device has already created a rip in the veil. The Piercer can be used to close it, but escaped spirits will try to stop you, and they have no life to lose.”

“So why did Kid write all those weird symbols and pass out?” Soul asked.

“Those ‘weird symbols’,” Kid informed. “Are the language of reapers. And what I wrote will fill in the gaps we need to track down the Piercer. When the rip appeared in the veil, all the spirits of the dead started wailing and screaming, even if you all couldn’t hear them. That’s what broke the windows.”

“Yes,” Lord Death confirmed. “Now, this is a dangerous mission, but you all have proven yourself against worse odds.”

“Hell yeah! Kishin-defeating team back at it again!” Patty cheered.

As they left the Death Room, Lord Death awkwardly turned to Spirit, who gave him an encouraging nod. “Er… Wait! Kid?”

Kid turned and looked at his dad.

“... Be careful.”

Kid looked away and turned his back without saying anything.

Lord Death deflated slightly, but Spirit patted his back. “Just let him know you’re still here for him,” the Death Scythe said. “When they reject you, that’s all you can do.”

“So Lord Death’s sending the dream team out to find the Piercer?” Zuchi Saebum snickered.

“Well then,” Keto turned to face her loyal followers. She surveyed them. Free, Giriko, Eruka, the Mizune sisters, Kimoro, Mosquito, and Tiachi, the witch-weapon hybrid. “Why don’t we send a few of our own?”

“How much further?” Patty groaned. “It’s so freakin’ hot out here!”

Kid looked around and seemed to find a reason to turn slightly right. “Not much, I promise. I can feel it.”

“Hey so,” Maka started awkwardly. “How long are you going to stay mad at your dad?”

“You’re one to talk,” Kid scoffed. “When are you not mad at your dad?”

Maka’s face went slightly pink. “Yeah, well I’m haven’t disowned him so-”

“Look!” Tsubaki cut in, wanting to change the subject to something less volatile. “There’s the town.” Sure enough, a cluster of adobe structures had come into view. “You said the rip was somewhere in there, right Kid?”

The reaper nodded and the weapons took that as their cue to transform. The town was quiet. Tumbleweeds rolled through. Maka caught sight of a villager through a window and she knocked on the door.

“Hello?” she called.

A woman peaked through the now slightly ajar door, looking terrified. “Fantasmas…” She muttered.

Kid stepped up to the door. “Nosotros somos de la academia. Cuéntanos qué pasó.” 

The woman started speaking rapidly in Spanish and while the others were instantly lost, Kid nodded along with her words. “Es obra del diablo,” she finished with a shudder. The reaper offered her some words of reassurance as she closed her door again.

“She said the rip is that way,” he pointed towards the center of town. The others followed him, noticing glances from windows.

Black Star suddenly froze and stared dead ahead. “There.”

It was a tiny sliver, a shimmering crack in the air that shifted and moved gently in a breeze all its own. There wasn’t any activity around it other than faint ghostly moans arising from the shadowy edges. The white light peaking through the tiny crack felt cold and the heat left the air as the students approached.

“Holy Sanzu…” the reaper muttered as they approached. “I’ve never seen something like this before…”

“It’s so cold,” Maka gasped.

“Limbo is cold,” Kid responded without hesitation. At first the others contributed it to him being a reaper, but they looked away awkwardly when they remembered his heart stopping when they fought Tiachi. 

“Hey, I bet that’s the Piercer,” Black Star interjected, pointing at a tool that was laying under the rip. It resembled a naginata, with its curved blade and long pole hilt. It seemed unassuming.

Soul sighed. “We’re finally ahead of Riptide- oh come on!”

A tadpole bomb went off and the meisters leapt back to avoid the blast. As the smoke cleared, they gazed in shock at the group in front of them.

Free shifted to full wolf form. Giriko revved up his motor and his chains started turning. A witch with short, choppy hair adjusted her glasses. The Mizune sisters merged. Eruka readied a tadpole bomb. Tiachi raised her blade arms, grinning wickedly.

“T- Tiachi?” Kid gasped. It was disconcerting to see the witch who had killed him.

“Miss me?” she cackled.

“We- We killed you!” Maka insisted.

“Yes, well, I’m back,” Tiachi smiled. “And improved, thanks to Miss Saebum.” With her long curved blades, she reminded them of a praying mantis. “Lord Death seems to have decided you seven are the perfect team to send against Keto’s forces, so she created us, Brine, Riptide’s elite group.”

She lunged at the scythe meister and locked her arms with Soul’s blades. Maka was able to block one, but she couldn’t prevent a shallow slash across her stomach from Mizune’s beam whiskers.

Black Star tried to help, but Kimoro blocked his path.

“Hey, you fought my grandfather, Mosquito, didn’t you? He thinks I can’t handle you.”

“Well you can’t-” Black Star was suddenly sent flying by a wave of sound as the sonar witch blasted him. She beamed with pride.

Kid rushed towards the Piercer, but had to leap back to avoid a saw blade to the face. Free took advantage and clawed the reaper’s back.

In the chaos, Giriko slid across the ground on his chains and snatched up the Piercer, laying it on his shoulder. He started to glide away, but the blade snagged the rip and opened it wider.

The rip became a gaping hole, screams and shadows leaking out of it. Spirits flew out from it and manifested around them. Suddenly, the students were not only facing Brine, but also several ghosts of Arachnophobia agents.

Kid looked around frantically, but Giriko and the witch tool were long gone. An icicle stabbed into the boy’s shoulder and a ghost slammed him into a wall, holding him down and preventing any escape from the next slash from the wolfman and another tadpole bomb from Eruka.

Maka leapt back again as Tiachi slashed and laughed wildly. The scythe meister almost managed to get one hit in, but she had to slash away a ghost.

“Why can’t any good ghosts come out of that thing?” Black Star complained as he narrowly dodged both a Arachnophobia ghost and a sonar attack.

“Good people don’t typically become vengeful spirits!” Kid argued.

“I certainly will if I die here!” Black Star retorted.

A blast of sound joined in with a tadpole bomb, knocking Black Star and Tsubaki back and unconscious. Tiachi got a headshot on Maka and as she crumpled, Mizune took out Soul before he could even react. Another sonar blast hit Liz and Patty out of Kid’s hands and Free’s ice chunks pelted them until they fell.

Kid was alone, against far too many enemies for him to face alone. The ghosts lingered around his friends, keeping them all unconscious.

Suddenly, they stopped. The spirits turned back towards the rip, which was crackling with energy and shifting wildly. Every ghost kneeled down, bowing at the figure now exiting the rip. Brine and the D.W.M.A. froze completely, shock and terror uniting them all.

The ghost, unlike the others, wasn’t merely a red glowing form. He was a thin man in a pinstriped blazer. Scarves encircled his neck, the ends floating around him. His black and white hair was long and nearly covered his eyes.

“A- Asura?”

Giriko zoomed across the desert, the sand stinging his face slightly. He raced past the cacti, past the tumbleweeds, past Justin Law, past-

The weapon skidded to a halt, sand spraying up in a cloud around him, and turned back to face the helmeted former Death Scythe. “Justin?”

Justin didn’t respond.

“Hey, I heard you betrayed Lord Death. I also heard you were dead.”

Still no response.

“Justin, I swear, if you have your headphones in right now-”

“He doesn’t,” Jack said cheerfully, stepping out from behind the guillotine.

“Who the hell are you?”

“Jack. Jack Karu, at your disservice.”

“Is that supposed to mean something to me?” Giriko raised an eyebrow.

Jack contemplated before nodding slightly. “Yeah, it probably should. It will anyway.”

“And why’s that?”

Jack rapped his knuckles on the side of Justin’s helmet. “Tell ‘m Jay.”

Justin Law responded in a deep voice that sounded nothing like his old one.

“We’re going to kill you.”

Asura glared at the other spirits and they quickly retreated, flying back into the rip and no new ones exited from it either. The kishin, the original kishin, the only true kishin, stepped forward and surveyed the scene. His eyes scanned around at the living around him. He lingered on Maka for a moment, but eventually settled on Kid.

Kid was shaking. He hated that he was, but he was. He was trembling. The last time he had faced Asura, he had seen himself as above him, a reaper versus a kishin, a god against a monster.

Now he knew. He knew that he was staring down another reaper, another god. He knew that the ghost in front of him wasn’t just a spirit of the dead, but the spirit of a death god. He eyed his weapons but they were still unconscious.

Asura stared down at Kid without speaking, without blinking. Their eyes were locked and-

Gold eyes… Gold eyes? Kid’s brow furrowed in confusion as he finally started taking in how different Asura was from the last time he’d seen him. The elder reaper’s eyes were gold and yellow, much like Kid and his, their, father. The eye designs on his forehead and hands were gone. He seemed calmer, more confident. He stared at Kid like he was staring into his soul, which he probably was. Finally, the Kishin looked away and turned to gaze at the Brine operatives.

“... Who the hell are all of you?” he asked. His voice was steady but there was an edge of irritation.

“A- Asura-” Tiachi stammered.

Asura looked back at Kid, this time focusing on his shoulder, from which some blood was still flowing. As he turned to look at the other students, Kid tensed with worry. Asura turned back to the other reaper at his sudden movement and nodded slightly to himself. “These are the students who killed me…”

Tiachi and Free grinned and Kimoro relaxed slightly.

A scarf shot out and sent the scythe-witch flying.

Asura turned and glared at the Riptide agents. “You all will pay for this.”

“Pay for what-” Mizune was unable to finish before they were grabbed by a scarf and tossed into a wall like a rag doll.

The Kishin fought Brine, mainly with his scarves, but occasionally with a swift kick. Tiachi tried slicing at the floating wrappings, but her blades went through without doing any damage. He was a ghost after all.

“I’m thinking we retreat!” Free called out.

Tiachi surveyed the scene. There was no way they could fight the Kishin, even a ghostly form of him, and Giriko was likely almost to headquarters with the witch tool anyway. She nodded to her team. “Retreat!” The Brine agents fled, with Asura watching them go.

The Kishin turned to look at Death the Kid.

“And now… you.”

Giriko blocked a guillotine blade from Justin’s corpse with his leg and blocked a sword attack from Jack with his arm. As he blocked the next blow from each, he realized he was using every limb to do so and none to stand and found himself falling flat on his ass.

As both mummy and necromancer went in for another blow, Giriko revved his chains and slid out of range, spraying both of his attackers with sand. “What the hell is your problem anyway?”

Jack shrugged. “It’s nothing personal, but you have something I want.” He gestured to the Piercer.

“Well you just made it personal!” Giriko swung his leg at the witch’s face, but he dodged with ease.

A pillory suddenly held the saw’s arms and Justin dragged him to his knees.

“You son of a-”

Jack stabbed his swords into the weapon and watched the light instantly leave his eyes. “Wow,” he commented as he pulled the blades out and Justin let the body fall. “These things do have quite the kick.” He picked the witch tool as Giriko’s body bubbled and melted into a pile of goo. “Ack. I’ll have to test them again or someone who hasn’t been passing their soul and murderous rage down to multiple bodies for hundreds of years.”

Justin turned and looked at his master. “Can we listen to music on the way home?” he asked.

Jack patted his shoulder. “Sure thing buddy, sure thing.”

Kid scrambled back until he felt himself hit a wall as Asura approached him.

“Relax,” Asura assured him, kneeling down and looking him in the eyes.

Asura reached out and put his hand on Kid’s injured shoulder. The boy grimaced in pain for a moment, but by the time the Kishin pulled away, the wound was gone. His other wounds were healed as well.

“Sorry, it won’t work for your friends, but they should wake up soon.”

Kid stood shakily as Asura did. “You… you saved us…”

“I saved you,” Asura eyed him meaningfully. “Brother.”

Kid felt a shiver run down his spine, but he held the elder reaper’s gaze. “Why?”

“Because when you die, the madness melts away. My mind hasn’t been this clear in a long time.”

“But…”

“You’re my brother Kid, and I’m sorry. I’m sorry to the world, to the people I cared about, to the people I hurt, but it’s too late for me now. It’s not too late for you. The rip will close behind me, and you need not worry about the Piercer. Keto doesn’t have it and it’s in good hands.”

“Wait!” Kid called out. “I- I have questions about-”

“Kid, this isn’t goodbye,” Asura said calmly. “You’re a reaper, you can commune with the dead any time you need to. I just won’t be as… physically helpful.”

As Asura turned to leave, he hesitated. “Hey, Kid? Tell Lord Death…” He sighed. “Tell dad I’m sorry.”

And as the others woke, Asura was gone.

“Can I talk to you?” Kid glanced at Spirit. “Alone?”

Lord Death hid a gulp of nervousness. “O- Of course Kiddo!”

Spirit gave his boss a thumbs up as he headed out the door.

“I uh… I met Asura again today.”

“Wh- What?” Lord Death started to panic about what that could mean.

“He came through the rip, he’s gone now though, he went back,” Kid rushed out. “But… he saved us. He saved me.”

Lord Death went ridged. “... Really?”

“He didn’t have the madness anymore. He was… at peace.”

“Oh? That’s good… That’s good…”

“He wanted me to tell you he was sorry.”

Lord Death slumped and sat down on the ground. Kid sat down across from him and waited patiently for his father to process.

The older reaper removed his mask, silent tears dripping off his face. “He’s… at peace now? That’s great. He never had to apologize, it’s not his fault, it’s my fault-”

“No, it’s not,” Kid interrupted. He sighed for a moment. “You didn’t know when you made him what would happen. My only question is… why would you have me after how he turned out?”

Lord Death sighed again. “I’m tired Kid. I’m so tired of watching over this realm, of being Lord Death. I wanted a successor, I wanted someone to replace me and keep the world safe so I could rest.”

“Then why not make a fully grown reaper, like you did with Asura?”

“I did make Asura full grown, yes. I ripped a piece of my soul off and grew him from it, just as I did you.”

“So I’m just a piece of you-”

“No Kid,” Lord Death insisted. “Not just a piece. I made you a baby so I could raise you. So I could teach you and keep you from becoming like Asura, but you’ve grown and become a wonderful young man. Far greater than just a fragment, far greater than me.”

Kid choked back a sob and tried to stay composed. “But weren’t you worried about me turning out like him?”

Lord Death nodded. “I was. I tried to stay detached, to not care about you so that if you turned out like him, I wouldn't hesitate. He and I never really had much of a father-son relationship, but he was my apprentice and I cared about him. I couldn’t bring myself to kill him. I decided when you were born to remain indifferent to you.”

“How long did that last?”

“Less than two seconds.” Lord Death chuckled to himself. “You looked at me with those big eyes and I was gone.”

“... I tried that too,” Kid admitted. “When I found out that Asura was my brother, that it was possible for me to become a kishin, I wanted to distance myself from you, to help you stop caring about me so… so if I went bad… you could kill me… but-”

“But I could never hurt you,” Lord Death finished firmly. “I would never stop loving you.”

Kid was having a harder time keeping tears from falling. “When I- I was told recently that I would end the world.”

Lord Death just nodded. “Okay.”

“Wh- What? But-”

“Kid, you are a good person. If you end the world, it deserves to be ended.”

Kid didn’t really agree with that logic, but it was becoming more and more clear to him that he couldn’t convince his dad otherwise. “... You kept Asura from me to protect me, so that I wouldn’t think I was a monster.”

“I wish I could say that’s the only reason, but that’s just part of it. The truth is, I was ashamed of how I failed him, but I was determined to not fail you.”

Kid could feel that he was crying now, but his father was too.

“I know I’m not the best dad in the world but-”

Kid rushed forward and hugged his father.

“You are to me.”

As the two wiped their faces and stood, Kid smiled to his dad and turned to leave.

“Oh and Kid?” The older reaper tossed Kid the silver skull. “You really should be the one holding onto your future mask.”

Zuchi Saebum stepped into Keto’s chamber. “Ma’am, our exploration of the ruins of Arachnophobia found the device you were looking for.

“Excellent,” Keto grinned. “Prepare it.”

As Zuchi exited, Keto picked up a picture of Arachne.

“Oh my little weaver, your children will avenge you soon.”

Chapter Text

“Are they ready?” Keto asked.

“Yes my lady.”

“And they will respond to my commands?”

Zuchi grinned. “They are your daughter’s creations, they will obey you.”

“And our other find?”

Zuchi turned to look at the girl lying unconscious on the table, currently hooked up to an IV that pumped a goo-like substance into her. “Hmm… Shouldn’t be too much longer.”

First there was darkness. He waited patiently, growing, preparing. His creator would call upon him when the time came. He would wait until she was ready. In the meantime, he would grow.

Next there was shaking. He felt panic. He couldn’t see, but the world quaked around him. The shaking continued and his own fearful trembling joined it.

Then there was a voice.

“Stop! Leave it alone! It has a soul!”

“Again!” Mifune demanded. Black Star lunged with Tsubaki, copying the technique of the samurai. Angela clapped and cheered from the sidelines. “Excellent! I believe you’ve mastered that move.”

Black Star nodded. “Obviously, a star like me can handle- er…” He stopped himself and instead bowed. “I mean, thanks for teaching me.”

Mifune bowed back. “You have always had talent, but you’ve improved even more in our time training.”

“Yeah, you’re so cool Black Star!” Angela beamed.

As the weapon and meister left the house, Tsubaki smiled at her boyfriend. “You have improved a lot Black Star.” And not just when it comes to fighting.

Rather than gloat, Black Star stood still in the doorway. “Um… Tsubaki? What the hell is this stuff?”

They gazed out the door into the foggy haze that had covered Death City.

Every surface in sight was covered in webs.

When the voice spoke, the shaking stopped. He continued to tremble, but he did start to relax. Suddenly the world seemed to shift. Someone had picked up his sac.

“It’s okay,” the voice said. “I won’t let anything happen to you. You can stay with me! I’ll keep you safe.”

He didn’t know why, but he believed it.

“Kid!” Liz screamed.

Kid sat up in bed so fast his back hurt. He scrambled to untangle himself from the mess of sheets, which had become wrapped around him as he tossed and turned through another nightmare, and took off down the hall. He slid across the floor and skidded to a halt in front of his girlfriend’s door, pulling it open.

“Liz what-”

“There’s a spider!”

Kid wanted to be a kind and considerate boyfriend at this moment, but he couldn’t stop the conversion of worry to annoyance. “... Where?” he sighed.

“On the window, outside.”

“Okay I’ll- wait, outside?” Kid pinched the bridge of his nose. “You’re scared of a spider that’s outside of your room?”

“It’s a big spider Kid!” the weapon shot back angrily.

“Okay okay, but what do you want me to do about it? It’s outside, where do you think I normally put the spiders you’re scared of.”

“Just- I don’t know! Make it go away!”

Kid sighed again, ignoring the glare it earned him, but walked over to the window anyway. Sure enough, there was a spider, and more notably, a spider web that covered every inch of the window. The spider itself was bigger than Kid’s hand.

“Strange…”

“Whoa Kid, Liz, check this out!” Patty called.

Liz was all too happy to leave the room a spider was peeping into and Kid followed. Patty stood in the front entryway. “You guys have gotta see this,” she insisted before throwing open the front door.

Liz nearly fainted. Every surface as far as they could see was covered with spider webs. Spiders the size of cats crawled over rooftops, contributing to more. “Oh my Death, oh no, oh no no no no-”

“We need to get to the academy,” Kid interrupted. “The only person who could command spiders like these would be Arachne, and with her dead, this must be the work of Keto.”

“Hell no I’m not going out in that death trap!”

“You can stay in weapon form the whole time, it’s okay.”

“But- but-”

Patty gave her sister a look. “Would you rather stay here by yourself while Kid and I go?”

Liz transformed.

The day he was born and the sac broke open, he was nervous. He crept out slowly, peeking around. He was in a box. There was a bowl in the corner and his old sac had been carefully placed in another. The box was racked with vibrations that rattled his exoskeleton as a giant approached and peered into it.

“Whoa! It hatched! I knew it was an egg of some sort!” the giant said with excitement.

He scurried around, looking for a place to hide and resorting to behind the water dish.

“Oh no no, it’s okay,” the giant cooed. “I’m not gonna hurt you, I promise.”

He wasn’t so sure. This creature was huge and he was so small.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” the giant said again, but this time it was different. It wasn’t with English words, but with a series of clicking noises and specific waves of vibrations. It was speaking to him like he’d speak to another spider. Slowly, he crawled back out.

“Wow… you’re so amazing! Just look at you, eight eyes, eight legs, you’re perfect, absolutely perfect! Let’s see, black legs, reddish brown abdomen, copper cephalothorax, you must be a western desert tarantula. Strange that there was only one of you in there. There’s usually more, and usually the mother spider defends the offspring until the first molt…”

The giant placed his hand in the tank slowly, not wanting to startle his new pet. “That’s okay, I don’t have a mom either. She’s not dead or anything, I just, don’t have one. But I do have a dad and he’s the best. I can be your dad! You’re just a baby after all, someone’s gonna have to take care of you.”

This wasn’t the plan. He was supposed to wait in isolation until he was called on. But the more the giant talked with the clicking and vibrations, the more he forgot about his original mission.

“You’re gonna need a name… I’ve got it! A perfect name for a perfect creature, Ocho!”

Ocho climbed onto his dad’s hand.

“We’re gonna be best friends!”

Maka panted after slicing through what felt like the thousandth web. She wiped sweat from her brow. “Man, these things are tough, I doubt a normal blade would be able to cut them.”

“Aren’t spider webs supposed to be stronger than steel?” Soul asked from weapon form.

“Yeah, most people are going to be trapped in their homes.”

“Take that spider butt juice!”

“Not Black Star I guess.”

The assassin landed in front of Maka, webbing sticking to his hair. “Hey Maka, do you have any idea what’s going on? What’s up with all the big spiders?”

Beelzebub landed next to them and Kid stepped off. “I think it’s Keto, it has to be.”

“Keto?”

“She did control the black blood in Crona,” Maka pondered. “Maybe she really can control everything her daughters could.”

The friends looked at the steps to the D.W.M.A., which were covered in webs and several wolf-sized wolf spiders.

“Just tell me when it’s over!” Liz cried in Kid’s hand.

“What do you think? Do you like it?”

Ocho scurried around the tank happily. The sand felt great against his bristles. The water dish was surrounded by fun rocks to climb on and he had a hollowed out log to sleep in on one side of the tank and a nice warm spot on the other. He responded to Dad with a series of happy pincher clicks and vibrations.

“Great!” Dad responded. “I got you some food. You have to learn how to hunt eventually, but you’re still young.”

Ocho happily munched on the pre-killed cricket.

“Dad, we got here as fast as we could,” Kid said as they finally made it inside the doors to the academy and found Lord Death waiting. Some of the other students and staff had managed to make it, but many were missing. “What happened?”

“When we woke up, Death City was covered in webs and those… huge ass spiders.” Spirit shuddered. Normally, cursing in front of students would have earned him a reaper chop, but “huge ass spiders” was really the best description.

“It has to be Keto, right?”

Lord Death nodded. “We’re pretty sure.”

Maka gripped Soul. “So what’s the plan?”

The entire building started trembling as something moved outside, something big.

“Well, I say we figure out what that was.”

“Good morning!”

Ocho scurried to the edge of the glass with happy clicks.

“Hey buddy,” Dad said. “Wow, look at that big beetle you took down all by yourself!”

Ocho shook his abdomen with pride.

Dad placed his hand in the tank, as he did every day, and Ocho climbed onto it and up onto Dad’s head. After Dad had poured himself cereal, the two settled in on the couch to watch cartoons.

The students and Lord Death rushed out of the academy and found themselves confronted with not only several Riptide agents, but also spiders the size of cars. Tiachi leapt down from a black widow the size of a tank.

“Yoo-hoo!” she grinned. “Hi there Lord Death, I’ve heard so much about you.”

“You…” he growled. This was the witch that almost killed his son.

Kid’s eyes narrowed. This was the witch that killed him.

She waved a scythe arm cheerfully. “Hate to disappoint, but I’m just here to supervise.” She stepped back and patted the black widow on the leg. “Hey Betsy, dinner time.”

The spiders rushed forward, their pinchers clicking with bloodlust.

Dad had been sad lately, but that wasn’t usual for him. Sometimes he had nightmares and would bring Ocho to his bed to calm down. Ocho liked to make complicated ground webs to cheer him up when he was down. He liked how symmetrically each strand was laid.

But today felt different. He seemed sad, yet also happy.

They went for a skateboard ride. Ocho loved the rides. He used to stay tucked safely inside Dad’s pocket, but now he was too big and Dad had to hold him. He was never worried about being dropped though. Dad was careful and Ocho was allowed and encouraged to dig his leg barbs in to hold on. They flew far out of Death City, out into the desert that surrounded it, before they landed.

“O- Okay Ocho,” Dad said shakily. “You’re- you’re a big boy now…” he sniffled.

Ocho spun in Dad’s hands and clicked at him. “What’s wrong?”

“You- you were supposed to be a wild spider. You’re not meant to be a pet forever. And you can’t live forever, like I can…” Ocho was lowered to the desert floor.

“I- I don’t want to say goodbye, but… you’ll love living in the wild. You can burrow in the sand, you can find a mate, and have little baby spiders, and-”

As he started crying, Ocho crawled up Dad’s leg and onto his face.

“Ah!” he giggled. “Ocho, no…” He laughed as he gently removed the spider. “You’re a wild animal, you belong out here, with your own kind, in your natural habitat.” He set Ocho down again, wiping his eyes.

“I’ll never forget you,” Dad smiled. He clicked his tongue eight times.

Ocho returned the noise before heading off into the sunset as Dad flew away.

Liz screamed as Kid blasted another spider.

“Seriously sis? Every time?”

“How are you two not scared?”

Patty shrugged. “Spiders are cool.”

“Normally, I’d object to hurting such a symmetrical creature,” Kid admitted, blasting another in the face. “But for ones created by Arachne I will make an exception.”

All around them, the D.W.M.A. fought off the arachnids, but their odds weren’t looking great. Kim was unconscious, having been injected with venom, and being fiercely defended by Jackie and Ox. Kilik was stuck to the side of the academy with a mass of webs, trying to use Fire and Thunder to break through the sticky substance. Maka was fighting Tiachi, who seemed to have singled her out. Lord Death was trying to join her, but the massive black widow kept lunging at the death god and keeping him back. It seemed to know it couldn’t kill him, but was determined to distract him. Black Star currently on top of one of the huge spiders.

“Burst the abdomen!” Kid called to him.

Black Star followed the advice and the creature went down. “There are so many of them!” he growled as he leapt to the next.

Then the ground began to shake. The street below ruptured and a huge tarantula climbed out from under. It was far larger than any of the previous spiders, it’s eight eyes scanning the faces of the terrified students. The pincers clicked menacingly, but it suddenly stopped in front of Kid, who was staring not with fear but shock.

“O- Ocho?”

The tarantula stared at him, not reacting. Black Star started a battle charge towards the creature.

“Wait wait wait!” Kid cried, leaving Liz in Patty’s hands and running to stand between his friend and the monster. “Don’t!”

The reaper turned to the tarantula. I really hope I’m right about this. He clicked his tongue eight times.

The spider shifted.

Kid clicked again, reaching his hand out slowly to it, letting his soul send calming waves this time.

Everyone froze, including the other spiders and the Riptide agents, and watched as the boy stood in front of the beast with fangs longer than his torso.

“Hey buddy, remember me?”

Liz shook in her weapon form and looked away with fear.

The spider clicked eight times.

Dad… It’s Dad! It’s Dad! It’s him, it’s really him! But…

Ocho had been created for one purpose, to lie dormant under Death City, to grow in secret, and then to attack when the time was right, when Lady Arachne commanded it. But Lady Arachne was dead, and she wasn’t a very good mom, not like Dad. Dad had taken care of him. He loved Dad.

Ocho started clicking and stomping his feet, the vibrations sending a chill down Kid’s spine as he interpreted what his former pet was saying.

From the hole, dozens and dozens more tarantulas leaked out and attacked the other spiders. They lunged and worked together to tear the limbs from the Riptide spiders. They stabbed their fangs into Riptide agents. Tiachi, sensing a loss very soon, and seeing that Ocho had killed the black widow distracting Lord Death, decided to run.

As the last of Arachne’s soldiers died, Ocho stayed and scurried over to Kid.

“Good job buddy!” Kid rubbed his head behind his eyes. He looked at the tarantulas around them. “Is this your family?”

“Yep!” Ocho clicked. “I raised them! I know dad spiders don’t normally do that, but you raised me.”

“I guess I did,” Kid responded.

Maka shuddered at the creepy clicking and humming noises Kid was making.

Kid looked around the web covered wreckage of Death City. “ Hey buddy, would you mind-”

Before he could even finish, Ocho and his children had started removing webs, dragging off carcasses, and repairing the damage to buildings and the road. One of them was even able to gently suck the venom out of Kim.

“... How are you friends with a giant spider?” Soul asked.

“He was my pet when I was younger,” Kid answered. “He wasn’t that big then, I didn’t know he was created by a witch or anything. I thought he was just a normal spider. Some kids were messing with his egg sac and I stopped them and took it home.”

“Why do I even ask…” Soul sighed. “Dude, even if you weren’t a reaper you’d be weird.”

“Spiders are perfectly symmetrical and have eight legs and eight eyes, they are perfect creatures.”

“Still gross.”

"But how did you... talk to it?" Maka asked.

"Reaper language uses soul frequency and spiders use vibrations a lot," he shrugged.

As the spiders finished, Ocho offered a parting series of clicks before following his children back out into the desert.

Liz finally left her weapon form. “Remind me to never go into the desert outside of the city ever again.”

“Liz, they’re not-”

Liz held up her hand and stopped her boyfriend. “If you say, ‘not that bad,’ I will hit you.”

“GAH!!!!” Keto screamed with rage. “How is it that every time it’s that same damn reaper boy ?” Tiachi wisely retreated to her room. “First he takes away my control of the black blood and Crona, now this?”

“My lady!” Zuchi ran into the room, grinning with excitement.

“What!” Keto growled. She took a deep breath and smoothed her hair down again. “What?”

Zuchi, completely unfazed, continued. “It’s done!” She led Keto down the hall to her experiment. The girl was standing up now, pulling on a pair of long gloves.

“How do you feel?” Keto asked.

Giriko grinned. “Ready to murder the fuck outa those academy bastards.”

Jack yawned and stretched as his alarm went off. It was nine o’clock and the sun was setting, the perfect time to wake up. He got dressed, made sure his hair was organized chaos, and ate about twenty pancakes with a bottle of brandy.

After sliding down the ladder, he snapped his fingers and awoke Justin Law. “J-dog!” he said as he grabbed his satchel. “Ready to go?”

“What music do you want today?” the mummy asked.

“Hmm… Let’s go with some Saint Motel,” the necromancer responded.

Justin started the song on the Mp3 player and they headed out.

“Joma joma dabaras. Joma joma dabaras,” the witches chanted.

“As Grand Witch, I now declare this Witch mass as over-”

“Hold that thought,” Jack interjected. All the witches around him gasped and turned to glare at him for his boldness. The Grand Witch herself watched him silently.

“What are you doing here?” another witch snarled.

Jack put a hand on his chest in mock offense. “I’m a witch too ya know. Besides, I bring good tidings. Jay?”

Justin Law opened a satchel and enchanted envelopes flew from it and into the hands of everyone in attendance. The necromancer gave them a lopsided grin, saluted the Grand Witch, and strolled out.

Kim and Jackie exchanged worried glances as they read the invitation.

Kimoro rushed down the hall and into Keto’s throne room. “Ma’am, I-”

Keto held her hand up and silenced the girl. “You received one as well then?”

The bat witch looked around the room to see the other Riptide agents, including Brine members, all holding their invitations, each one having been delivered to the underwater base in a bottle.

“What is this about?” Mosquito questioned as he read through it.

Keto’s eyes narrowed. “Jack Karu is playing games.”

“You get the feeling that we shouldn’t do this? Like there’s a little voice in your head like, ‘no, stop,’ but it’s not super strong but it’s enough to make your brainstem itch?”

Justin shook his stapled-on head slowly. “I don’t feel much. And you removed my brainstem when you removed my brain.”

“Ah, right. Well then, here we go.” The jackal witch slowly lowered his foot past the city line. Letting out a big breath, he continued walking. “Feeling like you’re home?”

“No. I don’t feel mu-”

“Yeah, right, sorry.”

They arrived and were instantly surrounded. Weapons had either already transformed or were ready to. Lord Death himself stood in front of the D.W.M.A.

“What’s up? I’m Jack.”

Chapter Text

“Witch!” Maka cried. “There’s a witch in Death City!”

“What?” Kilik gasped. “Here?”

Stein stopped writing and nodded. “I sense it too.”

Soon every member of the E.A.T. class, and many other academy students and staff were rushing out the front door, gearing up for a fight.

“The witch is headed straight for us,” Maka warned.

The meisters tightened their grips on their weapons. A witch just walking into Death City with no soul protection on was unheard of. Lord Death himself was standing there. They could hear footsteps on the stairs to the academy. 

The witch approached and he was not at all what they expected. Maka had never seen a male witch with a soul this powerful, but he was definitely the one she was sensing. Next to him stood someone none of them expected to see again. Justin Law had a visor covering his face, but what she could see was shrunken and hollow, wrapped in bandages like a mummy.

“What’s up? I’m Jack.” The witch extended a hand and every meister shifted closer. “Sheesh, tough crowd,” he said, pulling his hand back. “Is it the mummy? ‘Cause he’s cool, aren’t you Justin?”

Justin nodded and they could hear metal creaking and groaning as his neck moved. “Yes, I’m cool.” His voice was deeper, almost otherworldly.

Jack grinned. “See? He’s not the old traitorous Justin. This is the new and improved version. But he does remember everything.”

Justin’s corpse nodded again.

“You all can stand down, ya know,” Jack addressed his audience. “I’m not here to fight.”

“Who are you?” Lord Death asked.

“Like I said, your lordship, I’m Jack, Jack Karu to be exact. Yes, I am a witch, but let’s not dwell on our differences shall we? We come in peace, don’t we?” He leaned his elbow against Justin, who nodded squeakily again.

Kid stared at the corpse of the man he killed while under the influence of the black blood. He chopped his head off. He had felt him die. There was no way he wasn’t dead. He looked at Jack. “You’re a necromancer.”

“Ding ding ding! Give the boy a medal,” Jack raised a finger in the air in triumph. “Now, enough about me, let’s talk about all of you, Lord Death, and more importantly what you want.” Jack grinned. “The witch tools.”

“What do you know about them?” Spirit challenged.

“The witch tools were created to defeat the kishin, they are incredibly powerful, and you are trying to beat Keto to the punch and collect them all,” Jack responded smugly. “And since the death of… Pandora…” He faltered, his confidence dropping away for a second, but he cleared his throat and continued. “You have come into possession of her works, so you have undoubtedly read about the most powerful witch tool… the box. Pandora’s box.”

“Pandora’s box’s location was not in her writings,” Stein mused.

“Yeah, but she said what makes it special right? You can’t kill, or steal, or lie and cheat your way into using the box. The only one who can open it is someone to whom it was given willingly. And that’s why you need me.”

He’s smart, Kid thought. His confidence and casualness has kept us from attacking. Now he has our attention and is making himself too important to kill. He’s planned every second of this meeting.

“Why do we need you and your creepy mummy?” Black Star raised Tsubaki menacingly.

“Because Pandora gave her box to me, so if you want it, I’ll have to give it to you.”

“What?” Maka gasped. “Why would she give it to you?”

“That’s beside the point, now to get to said point, here.” Jack handed Lord Death an envelope, which the reaper took. “You’re welcome to read through the invitation, but I’ll summarize it for your little fan club here. Basically, I have a witch tool that I’m looking to give away, and there are many interested parties, so how do I decide who gets it? Simple. I’m hosting a race!”

“A… race?” Soul and many other weapons had transformed back as Lord Death waved for them to stand down. “Why… a race?”

“Because! It’ll be fun!” Jack grinned. “It’s simple. Enter the race, win, and you get the box as your prize!”

“You expect us to believe that you’d just give away the most powerful witch tool?” Spirit said skeptically. “Why?”

“Like I said,” his grin grew into something more twisted and his copper eyes gleamed. “It’s fun.”

Kid shifted uncomfortably. There was something about this guy that felt… familiar…

“Now,” Jack clapped his hands together. “The race can be entered with any vehicle or mount, magic or not. Cars, motorcycles, horses-”

“Skateboards?” Lord Death interjected. Kid’s eyes widened and he turned towards his father in surprise.

“Skateboards, perfect!” Jack responded. “The details are in your invitation. Don’t be late and oh! I almost forgot.” Jack’s demeanor shifted. He stood in a more threatening way, the bandages around his forearms lifting slightly from his skin. Justin raised up straighter and stared down at the students. “You have to follow the rules.” His tone wasn’t playful anymore. It wasn’t sinister either. It was serious and menacing. His fists clenched. “No. Fighting. The other contestants. I’ve invited many people to this event…” Kid noticed that his eyes drifted to Kim and Jackie for a moment. “And I want you all to play nice, okay?”

Lord Death and Jack stared each other down in silence. “We can handle that,” the reaper responded finally.

Jack’s eyes lit up and he relaxed again. Justin similarly slouched once more. “Excellent! Then I’ll see you there! I understand you can’t leave Death City, old man, but don’t worry, I’ll provide a mirror. Wouldn’t want you to miss the action!” He turned to leave.

Black Star growled. “If you think we’re just gonna let you leave then-” 

 “Anyway, see ya Saturday!” The jackal witch snapped his fingers and him and Justin were suddenly wrapped completely in a sphere of bandages, which compressed and disappeared with a loud pop.

This ‘Jack’ guy… he was able to get these messages to all of us. But the headquarters are supposed to be safe, secure! And he’s the same guy that killed all the people at the vault and stole witch tools. He’s dangerous and he could show up at any time, any moment-

“Hi Eruka!”

The frog witch yelped, nearly knocking over her bowl. “Kimoro!” she glared.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” she responded, taking a seat next to Eruka with her own food. “So, you've been thinking about the race? You gonna enter?”

“What? What would I enter with?”

Kimoro swallowed a spoonful. “Tadpole Jackson.”

“Against countless witches and D.W.M.A. and who knows who else? No way!” Eruka shook her head.

“Oh come on, you’d be great! And if you get the box and give it to Keto, she’d be so grateful, you’d be set for life!”

“Keto’s letting anyone enter the race,” Eruka mused. “How is she gonna ensure that whoever wins will turn it over to her?”

“Are you kidding? Everyone here would die for Keto in a heartbeat.” She gestured to the other Riptide members in the cafeteria. “Many of them grew up in the organization. Their parents served Keto, and now they do too.”

“Is that how you joined? Your parents?”

Kimoro went silent for a moment. “My grandfather served Arachne, but my parents… They wanted a quieter life, to protect me, but…” She sniffled. “The D.W.M.A… they… they killed them, even though they weren’t hurting anybody. Even though they never killed anyone… They-” Kimoro clenched her fists. “Anyway, Keto found me and took me in after that. She practically raised me. I grew up in this place.”

“I wish I would have met Keto like that, and not with creepy body controlling snakes.”

“Well you were never in any danger,” Kimoro defended. “Keto would never hurt other witches. We’re her family. She cares about us, unlike Lord Death and his soldiers.”

“What do you mean?”

“They’re like pawns to him,” Kimoro snorted derisively. “He’s Death, you think he cares if anyone dies? I bet he doesn’t even care about his own son. He’ll probably send him into danger the second there’s power on the line.”

“Sir, you can’t seriously think we should play along with this,” Spirit said skeptically. Most of the students and staff had reluctantly gone home. The remaining were gathered in the Death Room.

“We don’t have a choice,” Lord Death sighed. “We can’t risk someone else winning that box, especially not Keto.”

“Do you think he would have invited her?” Sid asked.

Spirit snorted. “With how much he enjoyed making us squirrely? Pitting the D.W.M.A. against Riptide would be real ‘fun’ for him.” Lord Death nodded in agreement.

“You said skateboards…” Kid trailed off and turned to his dad. “You want me to enter on behalf of the D.W.M.A., don’t you?”

“You’re the best candidate.”

“Are you sure?”

Lord Death nodded firmly. “Positive. But we need to figure out just what you’ll be up against. Who else did Jack invite?”

“We may have a way to figure that out sir,” Azusa said. “Kim Diehl is a witch, she-”

“Isn’t a threat to the academy,” Kid interjected. “But she might know something, we should talk to her, calmly. ”

“Of course,” the Death Scythe agreed.

Kim entered the Death Room with Jackie. Oh Death, they know don’t they? They saw that Jack looked at us differently and they know-

“Ah, Kim,” Lord Death said cheerfully. “Don’t worry, you’re not in any trouble. We’ve known about your status as a witch for some time.”

Kim’s eyes widened. “But-”

Lord Death waved her concerns away. “We’re letting little Angela stay in Death City aren’t we? You are more than welcome to remain a meister here. Now, to the matter at hand. Do you know if-”

“It’s me!” Ox cried, bursting into the room. “I’m the secret witch at the academy! I framed Kim and-”

“Ox!” a blushing Kim cried as Jackie snickered. “They know! They said I’m not in trouble and I can stay!”

“... Oh. Right. Sorry to interrupt I’ll… I’ll just be going then.” The meister awkwardly slid away.

“Uh… Anyways,” Lord Death continued. “Do you know if any witches were also invited to the race?”

Kim reached into her bag and pulled out an envelope. “All of them.”

“Master?” Justin approached his necromancer.

“What’s up Jay?” Jack groaned, leaning back in his chair and stretching.

“It’s time.”

“Already? Wow, okay.” Jack stood up and straightened his vest. “Well let’s not keep our guests waiting.”

The sun beat down and Liz wiped her brow. The track was huge and surrounded by viewing stands. She could see spikes, undead monsters, moving platforms, flamethrowers-

“Liz.”

“Huh? What?”

“Relax,” Kid smiled at her. “I’ll be fine.”

The weapon gave him a nervous smile. She started looking around at the other people nearby. There were witches, weapons, kishins, even some that were just regular people, desperate for power. They were all dangerous.

“I don’t like all these witches and kishins being so close,” Soul commented. It had been decided that Kid should not go alone, so not only had his friends volunteered, but Sid, Nygus, and Spirit were also in attendance.

“I don’t either, but-”

“But don’t get your panties in a twist,” Tiachi interjected. “We’re all following the rules. No killing each other. But, on a racetrack like this…” She grinned. “Accidents happen.”

“Now Tiachi,” Mosquito quipped. “Play nice.”

Tiachi shot Maka a grin and the two, along with many other Riptide agents, headed off.

“Okay, I really don’t like not being allowed to hit them,” Black Star grumbled.

“Just think of it this way,” Patty added. “If we hit them, then they win the ‘no hitting challenge’ and that would make us losers.”

“HELL NO! LISTEN UP KISHINS AND WITCHES I AIN’T GONNA HIT A SINGLE ONE OF YOU SO THERE HAHAHAHA!!!” The others sighed.

“So where do we- ah!” Liz yelped and jumped behind her boyfriend. “Mummy!”

A mummy that looked a lot like the ones they’d fought in the Pyramid of Anubis had walked up to them. Except this one was wearing a tux. It giggled and covered it’s mouth as Liz panicked.

“Liz, uh…” Kid glanced at his trembling girlfriend. “I don’t think it’s here to hurt us.”

“Not at all!” the mummy responded in a high pitched, squeaky voice. “I’m just here to show you to your seats. Right this way.” The mummy waved its hand towards the stands. “You’re in our VIP section!”

Liz whimpered a bit, but finally followed the mummy usher with the others.

The VIP section was right by the track. True to Jack’s word, there was a mirror, in which Lord Death had appeared as Spirit took a seat next to it. The others soon joined, but Kid was stopped by the mummy.

“Time for you to get to the track!” it said cheerfully. Kid nodded to everyone and followed it.

“Who do you think the other VIP seats are for?” Maka asked.

“One would be mine, my dear,” Keto smiled.

“You,” Black Star growled.

Keto gave him a nod of recognition before turning to the mirror. “Ah, we haven’t had the pleasure Lord Death.”

“You’ve been quite the thorn in our side,” Lord Death responded. The others could hear tension through his cheerful demeanor.

“Well the feeling is mutual,” she smiled. She took her seat as the sonar witch they’d fought before sat down next to her, glaring daggers at the academy group. “Kimoro, be a dear and give me some shade would you?” The younger witch looked away and pulled out a parasol.

“Oh, how’s Crona doing?”

Maka had to be held down by both her father and Soul. “Maka don’t-”

The scythe meister stopped, but not because of them. Another witch had arrived. She was short and had a black cloak and robe held together with safety pins. Her pointed hat had the appearance of a jagged mouth and eyes. Her face was mostly obscured, but they could make out some gray hair and a bandage across her eye with ‘½’ on it.

“Maba,” Keto said respectfully as the Grand Witch took her seat along with her fox witch companion.

“The Grand Witch…” Black Star muttered. “How are we not attacking her?”

“Keto!” a kishin cried as it spied her. “I’ve waited for years for my revenge!”

“And… you are?” the Gorgon responded.

“GAHH!! He transformed his arm into a blade and rushed towards her.

The blast sent a wave of energy across the crowd. The kishin turned to dust right before their eyes. The soul floated for a moment before shattering too, the pieces landing in the dust pile with a thud.

“Whoa this thing’s got range!” Jack smiled in a box above the starting line. His voice had been magically enhanced to be louder, but it had a distorted, radio announcer quality to it. “Gotta be honest.” He leaned on the railing, twirling his scepter. “Was kinda hoping that someone would try to break the rules, just so I could show off what happens when you do.”

Spirit gasped. “Sir, is that-”

“Pandora’s Scepter,” Lord Death confirmed. “Improved.”

“Now that we have that taken care of, let’s get started!” Jack cried and the crowd cheered. Most of the spectators were like Jack in that they just wanted to watch the show. “Now, the rules for our audience are simple, no killing, maiming, sabotaging, or getting involved in the race in any way. As for our contestants… Try not to get too much blood everywhere would you? Now take your marks!”

Liz grabbed Patty’s hand and the friends exchanged nervous glances as Kid lined up at the starting line. He was joined not only by witches and kishins, but also Riptide agents including Tiachi on a motorcycle custom made for her scythe hands, Eruka on Tadpole Jackson, Mosquito in a sleek black car, and-

“What? Blair, what are you doing here!” Maka cried.

Blair turned from her perch on her pumpkin carriage. “I got an invitation to this fun race thing.” She waved at them and her numerous drooling fans in the stands, including Spirit. Sid gave him a head chop for Lord Death, who couldn’t reach through the mirror.

“O-kay,” Jack clapped. “Racers, on your marks… get set… go!”

There was a cloud of dust as engines roared and magical mounts shot forward. The race had begun and contestants were rushing towards the first set of obstacles.

All except Kid.

The reaper was frozen at the starting line, his eyebrow twitching.

“Oh no,” Liz groaned.

“It’s- it’s-” Kid stuttered.

Soul smacked his own face. “You’ve gotta be kidding me.”

“It’s not symmetrical! I have to start in the exact center of the line, hold on.” Kid pulled on a roll of measuring tape and started calculating the middle.

Keto tilted her head. “That’s… an interesting tactic.”

The only academy member not groaning or panicking was Lord Death. “He’ll win.”

Keto raised an eyebrow. “Awfully confident aren’t you?”

“He’s awfully good.”

“And done!” Kid smiled triumphantly as he placed Beelzebub in the exact middle of the line. “Perfect.”

“Kid?” Liz called. “Maybe start the race?”

“Oh, right, okay.” The reaper placed his feet on the skateboard and took off.

The first obstacle was jagged spikes sticking out of the walls and floor, but Kid maneuvered around them and the wreckage of past failures with ease. The flamethrowers went off, but he bent backward and went under like the flames were a limbo bar. He skated up a wall and kicked off, landing on the hood of Mosquito’s car, which he had already caught up to.

“You brat!” Mosquito cried as Kid pushed off again, using the momentum to clear a pit of ravenous undead hyenas. Kid used the back of Blair’s pumpkin as a ramp to flip into the air and do a spin.

“Wow, Kid is really good,” Soul commented.

“Of course he is,” Lord Death declared. “He’s been skateboarding since he was four. It’s all about balance.”

Keto used a fan on her face, keeping a mask of indifference.

Maba however, leaned forward in her seat, mumbling and whispering to herself, her eyes glued on the reaper.

Kid did a kick flip off of a mechanical monster’s jaw and skated down the back of a skeletal one.

“Why is he using Beelzebub like a normal skateboard?” Patty wondered out loud. “Why isn’t he just flying past everything?”

Lord Death was beaming. “Because he’s having fun.”

Kid grinned at a distressed Eruka as he passed her, skating on the wall and avoiding a tripwire that had just halted her tadpole. He dodged the bombs she threw his way with hardly a second thought.

“Ha! That’s my boy!” Lord Death cheered from the mirror. “In your faces!” Keto sighed at the immaturity while Maba chuckled to herself.

Kid had caught up to Tiachi, who had been using her scythe blades to sabotage other racer’s vehicles. She cackled at him and sliced at his arm. Kid grimaced as she drew blood, skating to the side to avoid her. She served her bike to match, lunging out and swiping again. He slid out of the way and fell behind her.

“Ha!” She laughed, but her triumph was short-lived as Kid, who had grabbed a hold of the back of her bike, had used it to flip over her. She gasped as he winked down and landed in front of her. The distraction made her hit the approaching thorny metal vines.

Sid didn’t like the way Maba watched Kid. She acted like this was what she had come for, to see the next grim reaper in action. He and Nygus exchanged suspicious looks.

“Yeah! Go Kid!” Patty cheered with the others. He was almost there!

The finish line was in sight. Kid was fast approaching with no one in sight but-

But-

In a cloud of dust, Kid skidded to a halt just shy of the finish.

“Oh Death no…” Spirit begged.

Kid started pulling the measuring tape out of his pocket again as his friends yelled at him, this time including his father as Tiachi had recovered and was on her way.

“Kid now is not the time for this!” the elder reaper insisted, but he was ignored. Tiachi was closing in.

Beelzebub transformed into a monstrous demon form, grabbed Kid’s collar with his teeth, and yanked him off his feet and over the line.

“And we have a winner!” Jack cried. “Congratulations Death the Kid!”

“Oh take that!” Black Star and Patty taunted as Keto fumed silently. 

She composed herself and stood with Kimoro. “Well done Lord Death,” she commented. The sea witch stared at the boy currently lecturing his demon dog on the importance of symmetry as the creature shifted back to a skateboard. “He’s certainly… unique.” Keto and Kimoro left to retrieve the losing Riptide agents. Maba looked at Lord Death for a moment, then nodded, more to herself than anyone else, and left as well.

“Kid you did it!” Liz cried as Kid walked up to their seats, pulling him over the railing and hugging him.

“Why’d you doubt me?” Kid puzzled. She laughed and kissed him.

“Bravo! Well done!” Jack clapped. “Everyone loves an underdog story, and that whole ‘starting from dead last’? Brilliant. Loved it. Now all you have to do is come with me, alone, and claim your prize!”

They all tensed. Lord Death shook his head. “Absolutely not. That wasn’t part of the deal.”

Jack toyed with the scepter. “I could give the prize to the runner up, if you’re refusing that is.” Kid shook his head and stepped closer to the necromancer.

“Kid-” Lord Death started.

“We can’t let Tiachi give the box to Keto, Dad,” he reminded him. “It’ll be fine, I’ll see you guys back home.”

Jack placed a hand on his heart and bowed. “You have my word, no harm will come to him.”

Lord Death’s eyes narrowed. “How can I be sure of that?”

Jack scrunched up his face in thought for a moment, before letting it fall into something more serious and somber. “I swear on my mother and father’s graves, I will not harm him.” He grinned again as he turned to Kid, extending a hand. “What do you say?”

Kid grabbed his hand and the two disappeared in a sphere of bandages.

“Ah, here we are,” Jack said as he picked the box off of a shelf. Kid looked around at the warehouse, a bit perturbed by the fact that the corpse of Justin Law was sweeping. “Now, are you sure you want it?”

Kid nodded. “I’m sure.”

“Because you can’t just turn around and give it to Lord Death. There’s a forty-two full moon cool down on gifting.”

“What?” Kid sighed. “I don’t have to use it though.”

“No… but you’ll want to,” Jack remarked. “It’s pretty tempting.”

“What’s in the box?”

Jack’s laughter sounded like barking. “What’s in the box isn’t the witch tool, the box is the witch tool. Opening it, well, it basically opens you. Your true power, your untapped potential, your darkness, it’s all let out. The box releases your inner demons.”

Kid gulped as he stared down at the unassuming wooden box. “Is that why you’re getting rid of it?”

“What? Oh no, I just don’t need it. You think I keep anything held back and locked away in this noggin?” He knocked on his head. “I don’t need to open the box, I’ve accepted my inner demons, they work for me now.”

Kid shuffled nervously.

Jack’s eyes gleamed copper. “You know you want it. Take it. Place your hand on the box and I’ll give it to you. You’ll need it someday anyway. What if the academy is under attack? What if Liz is in danger?”

“How do you know about-”

“What if she gets hurt, or someone tries to kill her again?” Jack pressed.

Kid slapped his hand down on the box.

Jack positioned one hand on the bottom and a ring appeared around the weapon. “I relinquish my ownership of the box to Death the Kid,” the necromancer said. “I have deemed him worthy of your gift and I hereby pass ownership to him.” The ring faded and Kid took the box. “Now, stand on the mat by the door and you’ll be transported to right outside of Death City.”

Kid turned to leave but stopped as he caught sight of something shiny on a workbench. “How’d you get that?”

Jack followed his gaze. “Fought Giriko and won,” he said with a shrug.

It’s in good hands… Kid turned back to the witch again. “Who are you?”

Jack quirked an eyebrow. “A necromancer?”

“This race wasn’t about the box, and it wasn’t about having fun. Why’d you do it?”

The jackal shrugged. “Well you had fun, didn’t you? Maybe I just wanted to do something nice for you.”

Kid narrowed his eyes. “Why?”

Jack’s smile softened. “You’ll find out eventually. Now enough with the twenty-questions and get going! I’ve got other things to do today you know.”

After Kid had left, Jack grabbed the Piercer from the table and gently pushed strands of the veil aside. A ghostly image of Asura appeared in front of him.

“Hey dad,” the half witch, half reaper beamed. “Guess who I got to meet?”

Keto crushed the invitation in her hand. “It’s always Death the Kid…”

“Having a rough day, my lady?”

“Now is not the time Miss Saebum,” the sea witch growled.

“Give me control of Brine.”

Keto turned and looked at the other witch for the first time. “What?”

“Give me control of Brine, your elite force. Let me command them. Tell them to follow me. I assure you I will take care of the reaper boy and his friends. I know you have plans for him, so I’ll keep him alive, but I assure you, once I’m done…” She grinned. “He won’t be a threat anymore.”

Keto thought it over for a moment before smiling herself. “Very well. You have my permission to play. Oh, and Zuchi?”

“Yes, my lady?”

“He can’t stand things not being symmetrical.”

Chapter Text

Lord Death walked through the halls of the academy’s lower levels. He rarely came down here himself, but this was an important task. This was something he needed to do alone.

He finally arrived at the Vault, the doors swinging open slowly as he approached. The reaper looked around the room filled with various dangerous objects. He stopped as he caught an old box out of the corner of his eye. He used to keep it at Gallows Mansion, but after Kid was born he shoved it in an unassuming cardboard box and stored it here. He blew the dust off and peeked inside.

“There you are!”

The students sighed with relief as Monday finally drew to a close and began gathering up their things.

“Oh, one more thing before you go,” Stein turned to the students again. “Lord Death has cancelled classes on the eighth.”

“What? Why?” Maka asked. Soul smacked his forehead as his girlfriend questioned why they were getting a day off.

“He didn’t say,” Stein added as he left the room, rolling out on his chair.

“Why are we getting the eighth off?” Tsubaki wondered.

“Who cares! It’s a day off!” Black Star cheered, many other students agreeing with him.

“But it is weird,” Kim pointed out. “Kid? Do you know anything?”

Kid shook his head. “My dad didn’t mention anything to me. Maybe he’s formulating a plan to take on Keto that day, maybe he just thought we deserve a rest day, maybe because it’s my birthday, maybe-”

“Whoa whoa whoa!” Patty interjected. “It’s your birthday ?”

“October eighth? Yeah, it’s my birthday.”

“What?” Liz cried in a panic. “Your birthday is this week ?”

“How did you not know this?” Maka gave Liz, and Patty, an incredulous look.

“He never told us!” Liz defended. She whirled back to glare at her boyfriend. “Why didn’t you tell us?”

“It’s not a big deal.” Kid held his hands in front of him as if to block attacks from his friends. “I wasn’t really born so I don’t really celebrate my birthday.”

“What do you mean you ‘weren’t really born’?” Kim said cautiously.

“Well…” Kid scratched the back of his neck, looking away from them. “I was more… made. I don’t have a mom. My dad created me out of a fragment of his soul. He did that on October eighth but… it’s not really a birth per se.”

“Still, you have to have celebrated a birthday at some point,” Soul insisted.

“I did a few times when I was younger,” Kid admitted. “I wanted to-” feel normal . “See what all the fuss was about. But after my eighth birthday, I knew it would never get any better and that should be the last one.”

“Does your dad normally celebrate your birthday?” Patty asked.

“When he’s available.” The others looked away awkwardly and the reaper inwardly cringed at the pity.

Not wanting to be subjected to anymore questioning, Kid stretched and stood up with his things. “Well we should probably be heading home. Liz? Patty?”

“As they were leaving, Liz turned to her boyfriend. “One more thing. How old will you be? In human years.”

Kid gave her an amused grin. “I’ll be sixteen, in human and reaper years.”

Black Star leaned towards Maka. “We’re gonna give him a birthday party right?”

Maka nodded. “Lord Death gave us the day off for a reason.”

Kid knew they were planning something for his birthday. Everyone was acting too weird for them not to be. He would walk past his friends whispering to each other and when they saw him, they would immediately stop. Everyone had been incredibly suspicious and giggly all week. Except Liz.

His girlfriend was instead incredibly panicked. Every time she looked at him, he could see gears whirring so fast that smoke came out her ears. Occasionally a frustrated cry would rip through the mansion from the eldest Thompson. He knew she was trying to think of what to get him for his birthday. Every now and then she would complain about having ‘no notice’ and saying he ‘should have told them’. He’d tried apologizing, but that made her feel guilty for making him feel guilty. He’d tried hinting that he didn’t need anything more than her company and support, but that made her cry about what a great boyfriend he was and how awful she was being in comparison. At this point, he was actually looking forward to his birthday, if it being over meant everything would calm down again.

On the morning itself, the second he stepped out of his room to start the day, Patty popped up in front of him.

“Good morning Kid!”

“Holy Sanzu!” Kid took a moment to breathe. “Patty, don’t do that.”

“Sorry.” She didn’t sound sorry. “Whatcha doing?”

“... Going to eat breakfast?”

“Good good.” She stepped to the side, but kept staring at him.

“... Did you need something?”

“Who me?” Patty tilted her head. “Nah. I’m good.”

“... Right.” Kid walked past her towards the kitchen and she followed closely behind. He made himself a bowl of cereal, pouring one for Patty of a much more sugary breakfast than his. As the two munched, Patty continued staring at her meister.

“Uh…” Kid shifted in his seat. “So… where’s Liz at?”

“She’s busy,” Patty rushed out, before shoveling a ridiculous amount of cereal into her mouth. Now, if Kid wanted an answer to anything, he’d be sprayed with mushy sugar clumps. He rolled his eyes and finished his breakfast.

“You all done now?” Patty asked eagerly. “We should do something! We should go out to the skatepark, Beelzebub could use the exercise.”

“He doesn’t really need-” The reaper was cut off as his weapon pushed him out the door.

“Okay, I just got a text from Patty, they’re almost back!” Liz called out. Maka rushed to straighten the banner Black Star hung up while Tsubaki and Soul finished up the final touches on the cake. 

Patty burst through the door. “Guys! I messed up Kid’s hair, we have a few minutes but it’s go time!”

“Argh! Patty!” Kid growled as he rushed through the door. “What are you-” He looked around, confused.

“Surprise!” The lights turned on and everyone jumped out from hiding. It would have had more of an impact if Kid’s reaper eyes hadn’t seen them all crouching on his floor a few seconds ago.

Kid gazed at the huge crowd of academy students and staff, his friends grinning back at him. He remembered the birthday he had after he left home, sitting alone in a dingy motel room. His face broke into a disbelieving soft smile.

“Happy birthday Kid!” Black Star said. “Today is your day man! Now, I’m a big enough star to step out of the spotlight for a day for you, but don’t let it go to your head!”

Kid laughed and Liz smiled, committing the sound to memory.

“Okay, now, this one is from Blair,” Maka warned as she handed Kid the present. “We don’t know what she got.” Most of the guests had left, but Maka, Soul, Black Star, Tsubaki, Crona, and Liz and Patty of course, remained.

Kid opened the present, surprised to find a book. This isn’t exactly Blair’s style- oh . As he read the title, his whole face went beet red.

“What is it Kid?” Patty goaded. She reached for the book but Kid held it out of reach, his face still flushed.

“It’s nothing!” Kid rushed out. “Uh… tell Blair thanks.” He tucked, “How to Please Women,” under the other presents.

“Okay, my turn!” Patty handed her meister a wrapped box. Inside was a “symmetry kit” as she deemed it, with rulers, levels, and other tools to make sure everything in the mansion was as it should be.

“Thank you so much Patty,” Kid smiled.

Liz nervously handed Kid a small box. “Okay,” she stressed as he opened it. “It’s not the best I know, but I couldn’t think of anything and I saw it and-”

Kid held up the black, skull-shaped locket. It opened into three sections. One side had a picture of Kid and his dad. Kid was very young, so Liz must have gotten it from the scrapbook. The other side was a picture of him with his friends. The middle had a picture of him, Liz, and Patty.

“I know it’s not really symmetrical because I put different picture on each side, but-”

“Liz,” Kid stopped her. “It’s perfect.” He beamed at her and she blushed.

“You’re still opening presents, right?” Lord Death popped in the doorway holding a box. “I’ve got one for ya Kiddo.”

Everyone watched intently as Kid opened the last present. A gift from the Grim Reaper himself would certainly be something amazing.

Kid pulled out an old, rusty key. The others were disappointed at first, but then they noticed the shocked expression on the birthday boy’s face.

“Are- Are you serious?”

Lord Death nodded. “You’re old enough. You won’t need the key anymore after you use it once.”

“What’s it for?” Ragnarok demanded.

“It’s- It’s for the Sanctuary… Right?” Lord Death nodded in response to his son. “It’s- the one room in the house I’ve never been in… where reapers go to meditate and connect with their ancestors… I- Are you sure I’m ready for that?”

Lord Death shrugged. “Only you can answer that Kid, but I want you to be able to use it as soon as you are.” He ruffled his son’s hair. “Happy birthday Kiddo.”

Kid woke up with a start. As the adrenaline from the nightmare wore off and exhaustion set in, he groaned. He couldn’t remember the last time he had a full night’s sleep.

Pandora’s box was on the nightstand.

A voice in the back of his mind told him that opening it would end the nightmares. Opening it would take all his problems away. He wouldn’t be afraid anymore. He wouldn’t hurt anymore. Everything would be okay.

Pandora’s box felt heavy in his hands. He couldn’t remember picking it up.

Kid quickly threw it into his closet and slammed the door.

Chapter Text

Kid pulled the cloak tighter around his face to block the sand. It whirled around him, scraping harshly against his body. He fought the wind and trudged along, scaling the dunes, reaching the highest peak for miles. The landscape was cast in shadow. Starlight and moonlight were distant memories in his mind, as was their warmth. Frost glazed the ground, the shards of ice equipping the sand with a painful weapon against his comfort. He reached the top of the hill just as the wind stopped completely. He’d wondered when the wind would stop.

The walls had crumpled. He could see remnants poking out of the dust. A crunch sound sliced through the silence. Kid looked down at his foot and saw a piece of broken mirror. He was looking around what was left of the Death Room when something caught his eye.

There was a weed, hardly more than a blade of grass, sticking up from the ground. Kid bent down and touched the leaves with his silver, clawed hand. He smiled to himself.

He crushed the plant until there was no chance of recovery.

Kid woke up sweating, again. Reapers weren’t supposed to sweat. He must have picked it up like a habit while being raised among humans. He was shaking too. He didn’t know if other reapers did that. He didn’t even know if other reapers had nightmares.

He went to the bathroom and splashed water on his face. The dark circles under his eyes were starting to become more noticeable. Someone would comment on them sooner or later. He rubbed his face and groaned, walking back to his bed. He opened his closet, picked up the box, and-

Kid’s blood ran cold. He’d picked up Pandora’s box without even thinking. He was tired and he’d moved automatically, like a zombie, to grab it.

His heart was pounding, but it sounded like it was coming from inside the box. Part of him wanted to chuck it across the room, but he worried that breaking it would be the same as opening it.

He’d gotten too close. He needed some obstacles.

Kid wrapped the box in a sheet, placed it inside of a trunk, pushed it into the closet, and covered it with other boxes. The more steps he had to think rationally, the better.

The key from his father was still on his dresser. He looked away from it, ashamed. He was hardly worthy of a reaper legacy with temptation like this.

“Kid?”

The reaper frantically snapped back to the present and looked over at Maka. “Sorry, what was that?”

Maka gave him a concerned look. “I was just asking if you had any theories.”

Kid considered the information they’d been given before the mission. They had almost arrived at the town of Blackwood. The citizens had reached out to the academy for help, reporting angry spirits causing chaos at night. “It could be a legitimate haunting,” Kid mused. “Then again, it could be kishins.”

“Or angry ghost kishins,” Black Star suggested.

“Or just some kids pulling pranks,” Soul pointed out.

“True,” Kid nodded. “We’ll know more when we talk to the townsfolk.”

“Oh thank heavens you’re here!” A woman with dark hair rushed towards them, shaking each of the students’ hands. “I’m Ina Mooney, I contacted Lord Death. We are so grateful to have you here, the town has been plagued with spirits every night for weeks.”

“We will do everything we can,” Maka assured her. “What can you tell us about the spirit attacks?” They followed Ina into town as she explained.

“It’s been horrible. No one has died, thank goodness, but many citizens have reported seeing horrifying monsters at night. The next day, they suffer terrible luck. Warren Shaffer saw one of the ghosts and the next day he fell and broke both his legs.”

“That could just be a coincidence,” Soul argued.

“That’s what I thought at first,” Ina agreed. “But then Phyllis Morgan saw them and the next day her home’s roof collapsed. These strange occurrences, along with the vandalism, the strange sounds at night-”

“What kind of sounds?” Liz asked nervously. She wasn’t exactly a fan of ghosts.

“Horrible things,” Ina shuddered. “Growling, whispers in a strange language, shrieking...”

“Y-Yeah that doesn’t sound good,” the elder Thompson gulped.

“Psst, hey Kid,” Patty whispered. “Are ya getting any weird ‘reaper vibes’ or anything?”

Kid looked around uneasily. “This place feels… off to me. I can’t describe it, it just feels… wrong.”

“Many of the townsfolk are still in complete denial,” Ina continued. “But some of us have come together to try and figure out what’s going on. We voted to contact Lord Death.”

“Does your group have any theories about what could be causing this?” Tsubaki asked.

“Well, Dr-”

“I know what’s causing it!” A man in a sweater vest came running towards the group, panting. His gray hair was disheveled but he chose to straighten his bow tie rather than attempt to fix it.

Ina sighed. “Patrick-”

“Dr. Patrick Matthews,” the older man ignored her. “At your service. These spirits must be connected to the ruins I’ve been studying.”

“Ruins?” Tsubaki questioned. Ina groaned.

“Yes! The ruins just outside of town. They’ve been here for thousands of years, and I’ve spent my whole life examining them, learning from them, and-”

“And if this were connected to the ruins,” Ina interjected. “Then why are the spirits only just now appearing? They would probably have been stirred up when you first started camping out there.”

“Well, we can’t rule it out,” Maka gave Ina an apologetic look. “It’s worth looking into, if you don’t have any other ideas?”

Ina sighed again. “I suppose you’re right… Well, Pat you can take them there. I’ll talk to more witnesses.” She gave Dr. Matthews one more exasperated look before heading off.

“Yes yes, let’s head off! Oh, what are your names again?”

Liz already didn’t like the idea of creepy ruins, but she really didn’t appreciate that they had to walk through creepy woods to get there. She could see where the town got its name at least. The dark and twisty trees looked like clawed hands, reaching to grab her. The mist rolling across the ground wasn’t helping things.

“Here we are!” Dr. Matthews beamed as they approached an ancient-looking stone temple covered with strange markings. Inside there were card tables covered with papers and books.

“Who made these ruins?”

“This temple is old and the markings are not any known language,” Dr. Matthews responded as he turned on various lights and lanterns. “They do appear to follow grammar rules similar to Latin however. I don’t think these ruins were made by humans.”

“Then who?”

“I think this temple was made by reapers, like Lord Death. But isn’t that fascinating? Grim reapers, Shinigamis, are often worshiped as gods by humans. But this temple isn’t man-made, the stone is all one carved piece, not individual rocks. But if the temple was made by reapers, then who is it for? Who do the gods pray to?”

“Sanzu.”

Everyone turned towards Kid, who was staring at the walls, reading the symbols.

“Sanzu?” Patty questioned.

“That’s who reapers pray to,” Kid responded, distractedly. “Sanzu is the one who created reapers. He’s death itself, the spirit of the river that leads to the afterlife. The writing around this area tells the legend of Sanzu. This temple was built by reapers.”

“You- you know what these runes say?” Dr. Matthews was shaking with excitement.

“They tell the reaper legend of creation. Sanzu was in love with Life,” Kid started, tracing his eyes along the walls. “Their love created the universe, but it separated them. Life created gifts to send to her love, living souls that could create stories to tell Sanzu. He created reapers to retrieve them and to maintain balance in the world. Life created animals, plants, things like that. Sanzu created reapers, and fungi too actually, although they don’t seem to reference that here.”

“How- how do you know all this?” Dr. Matthews gawked. “You can read all this, and you know things that aren’t even mentioned here? Do all of you academy students learn such things?”

Kid finally turned away from the writings and took in his audience, his face heating up a bit. “Uh… no, I- My dad taught me the story and-”

“Of course!” Dr. Matthews exclaimed. “You’re Lord Death’s son! You’re a reaper! I- I have so many questions. I’ve been studying your people, your culture, my whole life, but to meet an actual reaper!”

Liz gave him a weird look. “Most people are surprised to hear that Lord Death has a son.”

“Yes, but I’ve seen the tree!” He pointed down a hallway. “There are carvings in the next room of what looks like a family tree. That means that there are more than just one reaper.” Dr. Matthews led them towards it. 

Kid felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. This doctor probably knows more about reaper culture than I do. The only two reapers I’ve met are my father and brother.

“So reapers pray to Sanzu… do you?” Tsubaki asked, snapping Kid out of his thoughts.

“I… Yeah, I do.”

“Do you believe in him?” Black Star pondered.

“Yeah. I’ve met him. When my heart stopped.”

The others instantly grew quiet.

“See?” Dr. Matthews shined his flashlight at the wall as he turned on more lights.

The wall was massive and covered with names, connected to each other, leading down to only a handful at the bottom. Kid’s shoulders dropped with the sudden weight. There were so many names, so many reapers that he’d never met, that he’d barely even heard of…

“Wow, I didn’t know that there were so many reapers,” Tsubaki gasped.

“There used to be more,” Kid mumbled. “Before the war…” He walked towards the wall, reading the names to himself. “Some reapers wanted to conquer humanity. They lost faith in Sanzu and tried to wipe them all out. When a reaper takes a human soul, they gain power. They killed humans in droves, trying to become more powerful. Humans, in desperation, sought out magic to protect themselves, becoming the first witches. They killed reapers indiscriminately. Those who worshipped Sanzu still had to fight their own kind and witches. The civil war that followed nearly destroyed the entire species. In the end, to stop the violence, the reapers left to the shinigami realm and seal it off from this one.”

Kid placed his hand on the wall. There were so many names…

“Two stayed behind, true believers of Sanzu, so that order and balance could be maintained. If no one ever dies, the world would be filled with constant pain. A reaper had to stay. The older reaper taught his son everything he knew as a priest of Sanzu, then he died… leaving the son alone.”

“Lord Death…” Maka said quietly.

Kid heart sank further as he continued scanning the names. “So many reapers died in the war… The rest… locked away forever. A whole people, a whole culture… reduced to one family.” The boy placed his forehead on the wall, breathing heavily to keep from crying. He sniffled and stepped back. “Temples to Sanzu usually have memorials to fallen reapers along with them, but this is a family tree of the priests of Sanzu. My family.”

Liz put her hand on his shoulder and he reached up and squeezed it. He nodded to her.

Dr. Matthews had sobered from his usual excitement. “I’m so sorry for your loss. If there’s anything I can do-”

“Gah!” Kid suddenly cried out in pain and dropped to his knees.

“Kid? Kid what’s wrong?” Liz kneeled down next to him.

“I- I don’t know I just-” A horrible screeching noise filled his ears and he cried out again. “Something’s wrong, something’s very- We need to get to town, now!” He stood and bolted out of the temple, the others following close behind.

Ina gasped and staggered back as the giant skeletal monster loomed over her. With it’s clawed hand it reached towards her.

“Hiyah!” Black Star slashed through the spirit and it dissipated. Maka did the same to another. Kid fired at a few more. The spirits had overrun the town. They screeched and howled, breaking buildings and cracking the streets.

The students continued attacking until every spirit was gone.

“What the hell was that?” a man shouted. “What’s going on.”

“The spirits we’ve been telling you about,” Ina scowled. “Believe us now?”

“It’s your fault!” another woman shouted, pointing at Dr. Matthews. “You’re meddling in that tomb must have woken something up!”

“But this didn’t start at the same time as that!” he argued back.

“We should have torn that decrepit old place down long ago!” another citizen shouted.

“...”

“...”

“...”

“Wh- what?” Kid whispered. There was a ringing in his ears. He could see them all shouting at each other. He could see Maka and Black Star telling them to stop. He could see Liz and Patty looking at him with concern. But he-

He couldn’t hear them anymore.

“I… I can’t hear anything, why can’t I hear anything?” he wondered out loud. He could hear that. He could hear his own voice, but nothing else. “Liz, I can’t hear anything.”

She looked at him confused. What? She mouthed.

“I can’t hear.”

“ What are you saying?” At least, he was pretty sure that was her response based on her mouth movements. Could she not hear him either?

“Idaou onnet,” Kid said again and Liz shook her head.

“Kid, I don’t understand, what are you saying?”

“Idaou onnet,” Kid said again, more frantically. His breathing picked up and he leaned against a wall, panic setting in. “Idaou onnet!”

“ You can’t understand me.” Kid slumped, shaking. What language am I speaking? It just sounds like English to me, but if Liz can’t understand it, it must not be.

“Hey, hey it’s okay,” Liz tried to reassure him, but he didn’t react. “Hey-” she jumped as he jolted when her hand touched him.

Okay. Relax. Plan B. “Oeg,” Kid pointed to himself, “onn,” he shook his head, “Idaou,” he pointed at his ears.

“You can’t hear?” Kid gave her an exasperated look. Liz repeated herself again, slower so he could read her lips. He nodded.

“Why?”

Kid shrugged his shoulders and threw his hands up, clearly frustrated.

Dr. Matthews scratched his chin. “He reacted while we were at the ruins initially. Perhaps we should return him there?”

“That sounds like a good idea,” Maka agreed and Liz nodded too.

Kid stood up slowly and grabbed his girlfriend’s arm like it was tethering him to Earth.

They were almost to the ruins when Kid cried out and fell to the ground. Cries erupted from the town. Kid waved his hands frantically, gesturing for his friends to investigate.

Dr. Matthews turned to Maka and Black Star. “You should go.”

Patty nodded. “We’ll hang back with Kid.”

The scythe meister and the assassin rushed back, weapons at the ready.

“Um… guys?” Liz shook as she gazed around the trees that groaned and creaked in the wind. The spirits of huge skeletal monsters loomed around them closing in. “P- Patty?”

“I’m on meister duty for scary ghost skeletons,” she responded, aiming her freshly transformed sister at the spirits. Dr. Matthews looked around in wonder before kneeling next to Kid.

“ Monsters!” the creatures shrieked, rattling the boy’s head.

“ Wait…” Kid gasped. He still couldn’t hear anything, except-

“ Monsters! They’re monsters! ” the creature shrieked again.

“ W- Who? ” Kid scrambled to his feet. “ Who are the monsters? ”

“ Humans! ” another one cried. “ The humans are destroyers! They destroy!”

“ But they didn’t destroy the temple- ”

“ They desecrate our graves! ”

“ What graves, what- ” Kid froze, listening to the trees creaking. Black trees with no leaves left, despite the fact that it wasn’t winter yet. Trees that looked eerily familiar to the ones he’d seen before, at Sanzu’s riverbed. “ The trees. They cut down some of the trees. ”

“-warning you!” Patty’s words cut back into Kid’s hearing, along with the rest of the sound.

“W- wait! Wait!” Kid rushed to his feet, standing between his partner and the spirits. “Don’t, I know what’s wrong.” He turned to the spirits. “They destroyed your graves, you’re angry, I understand, but let me talk to them. I’ll tell them to leave the trees alone. They won’t bother you’re resting place anymore. You can rest.”

“ Rest… We rest… ” The spirits dissolved away as Liz transformed back.

“We need to get to town.”

Maka sliced through another spirit, but it reformed and swatted her into a wall. Black Star was similarly tossed next to her.

“Stop! Ensidtei!” Kid screamed, sprinting to the center of town and holding his hands up to the spirits. “Enough!”

Kid turned to look at the frightened people. “It’s the trees. You cut down some of the trees, didn’t you?”

“We- we’ve been trying to expand the town.” Ina defended.

“ Grave robbers! Destroyers! ”

“They didn’t know!” Kid cried.

“ Liars! Humans drove the others away.”

“Stop this, they won’t touch the forest again, right?”

“Y- Yes!” Dr. Matthews said. “Y- you have my word, I will not let any more of my kind desecrate your holy place.”

“ Humans lie… ”

“Trust them. Trust me, please.”

The spirit looked into Kid’s eyes. It’s eyes glowed gold. “I… Trust… You…” the voice boomed. It struggled to speak in English. The ghost leaned down and looked into Kid’s eyes. “You… Look… Like… My… Boy…”

Kid’s breath hitched as his great grandfather faded away.

“Oh!” Dr. Matthews startled. “I thought you had left already.”

“Sorry,” Kid turned to him. “I just wanted one more look first.”

“Oh no no no, you’re a reaper, this is your place. I’ll give you some time.”

“Thank you.” Kid turned back to the wall as Dr. Matthews stepped out.

He followed the names until he found his father. He wasn’t listed as ‘Lord Death’, he was listed by his reaper name. Kid hadn’t seen it much, but he still recognized it from when his father had taught it to him. Below that he could see ‘Asura’ and below that-

Below that-

“No, no that’s- that’s impossible!” Kid staggered back in disbelief as ‘Jack Karu’ stared back at him. “He- he can’t be…” But it fit. If Jack really was Asura’s son, it would make sense that Asura trusted him with the Piercer. It would make sense that he was so powerful for a witch. It all made sense, yet the room felt like it was spinning. “Asura has a son…”

He was so distracted that he didn’t spare a glance at his name on the tree.

If he had, he would have noticed that it didn’t say, “Death the Kid.”

Chapter Text

“You sure you’re gonna be okay?” Eito asked.

The other bartender waved him off. “Closing won’t take long, just head home already.”

“Okay okay,” Eito laughed. “Thanks man, I appreciate it.” He left the bar and started walking back to his house.

It was chilly so he drew his jacket tighter around him. Eito pulled a lighter out of his pocket and a cigarette. The lighter’s flame flickered in the wind, preventing him from getting a good light.

“Dammit,” he sighed, stuffing the lighter and the cigarette back into his pocket. The wind picked up again and he buttoned his jacket. There was a rustling behind him. He turned. Nothing. “Huh.”

Eito felt uneasy. The fall leaves rustled and the branches rattled. He was letting it all get to his head. Walking home late at night, alone, he must have been watching too many crime dramas for it to get to him like this. The wind howled again and he picked up the pace, chuckling to himself at his unease.

The rustling returned. “Who’s there?” Eito asked the open air, immediately feeling foolish. There was no reply, of course.

He was on edge. He tried to light the cigarette again, but the breeze seemed to pick up as soon as he pulled the lighter out. A shadow passed overhead.

Eito jerked his head up, barely missing whatever it was. “Just a bat, or something,” he muttered to himself, shaking his head. He continued walking, cutting between the buildings, desperate to get out of the night.

The shadow passed over again, this time descending upon him. Eito fell to the ground, his vision black. He struggled and kicked out, but his feet hit nothing. Something was over his face, but try as he might, he couldn’t remove it.

He gasped for air that never came.

“So have the nightmares become more frequent?”

“It can’t get much more frequent than every night, can it?” Kid snorted humorlessly.

“More than once a night?”

Kid shook his head. “After I wake up, I don’t go back to sleep.”

“Wait, what time is it right now?”

“...”

“Kid,” Asura said sternly.

“... It’s three in the morning.”

“Kid, you need rest-”

“I can’t!” Kid sighed. “I can’t sleep, not- not with the nightmares.”

Asura rolled his eyes. “Okay, fine. Let’s focus on what we know.”

“Sanzu said I’d be the one to destroy the world, in the nightmares I have destroyed the world, or something has, there are no other living people in the nightmare, and my arm is a metal claw of some sort.” Kid got more and more frustrated and worried with each word.

“And have any of those things happened?”

“... No.”

“Exactly.” Asura crossed his arms. “You need to relax.”

“... The box tempted me again.”

“I… know you’re not going to like this but… why don’t you just open it?”

“No!” Kid snapped. 

“Kid, you’re going to eventually, we both know that, why not just get it over with?”

The younger reaper glared. “I am never going to open it!”

“... What if Liz was in danger again?”

Kid’s eyes narrowed. “We’re done here.”

“Kid! Kid!” Asura called after his brother, but the boy was already running up the steps away from the Sanctuary, and the former Kishin’s spirit faded away again.

“Whoa! Kid, you look terrible.”

“Thanks, Black Star, you look great too.”

“No, I mean-”

“Okie dokie!” Lord Death clapped his gloved hands. “Let’s get started! Now, we’ve been pouring over Pandora’s notes, looking for as much information about the witch tools as possible. There are two that haven’t surfaced yet, the Blizzard and the Shadow. Now, the Blizzard was created based on Brew’s design. It’s highly unstable, but nowhere near as powerful as the demon tool. Pandora coded it’s location in her works, Stein is working on it now. The Shadow on the other hand is a bit trickier. Most of the pages on the weapon were removed. By Pandora, or someone else, we don’t know, but we don’t know much about it. What is left tells us that the weapon kills silently. Recently, the town of Shizuka has reported strange killings. Bodies have been found in the morning, with no one remembering hearing anything the night prior. The bodies have no markings of any kind. I’m sending you seven to investigate. As always, be careful. We don’t know exactly what you’re getting into.”

“We’ve gone in blind before,” Soul pointed out. “We can handle it.”

Lord Death nodded. “We’ll send you out first thing tomorrow. Give the academy a call if you need help, or when you’re ready to come back, and we’ll send a copter to you.”

As they turned to leave, the elder reaper stopped his son. “Is everything all right Kid?”

You have a grandson. “Yeah, of course. Just a little tired is all.”

Lord Death gave him a suspicious look. “You sure?”

Your son might be following in his brother’s footsteps. You might be raising another kishin. “I’m fine. I promise.”

“Here’s where the most recent body was found,” Kaya Satow said, pointing them towards the alley between two homes. “Just like the previous three, no one in either home reported any noise. The coroner put the time of death at three in the morning.”

“Witching hour,” Maka commented.

Satow nodded. “Same as the other victims. The scuff marks on the stone indicate a struggle, yet he wasn’t able to scream and alert the neighbors that anything was happening.”

“Is there anything you can think of that has changed, anything that may have activated the witch tool?” Tsubaki asked.

Satow shook her head. “These kinds of deaths have been happening in our village for centuries. There have never been so many so close together though. I used to hear stories about a creature that came in the night. It was like the boogeyman, something to keep kids in line. Every now and then though, there’d be a sudden, unexplained death in the night.”

“And no one’s ever called the D.W.M.A. before now?” Black Star questioned.

“Like I said, it was just a ghost story. No one really believed it. A strange death every century or so can be written off. One every night? Less so.”

“We should regroup,” Soul said. “Maybe the others have some insight.”

“Interesting,” Kid leaned over the body while Liz gagged and backed into the wall.

“Exactly,” Dr. Aguni agreed. “The cause of death seems to be lack of oxygen, but-”

“No markings around the face or throat,” Kid finished.

“Suffocation, without signs of suffocation.”

“And the other victims?”

Dr. Aguni unzipped the other bodies on the other tables. “See for yourself. All died by suffocation. All free of any marks.”

Kid glanced at each body, pausing near a young woman. “Doctor, do you have a pair of tweezers I can use?” Dr. Aguni handed the reaper the tweezers and Kid plucked a nose hair from the corpse.

“Oh that is so gross,” Liz shook her head. The smell of the coroner’s office wasn’t helping.

Kid held the hair up to the light. “There are white specks in the nose hair.”

Dr. Aguni squinted at it. “I’ll check the others.” He took the tweezers from Kid and placed the sample in a test tube. “I’ll also run these samples. I know we’re looking for something magical but-” he shrugged. “Couldn’t hurt.”

“So, what are we thinking?” Liz asked. “Is this the witch tool?”

“Seems like it,” Maka said. “The murder sites were surrounded by houses. A magical weapon that kills silently would explain why no one heard anything that close.”

“And the bodies didn’t have the marks that strangled people normally do,” Patty chimed in.”

“It’s hard to say for sure, with how little we know about the Shadow,” Tsubaki said. “There wasn’t much information left in Pandora’s books.”

“But what else could this be?” Black Star said. “Right Kid? … Kid?”

“Wh- Huh?” Kid snapped his head up. “Right, yeah, the test results will give us more.”

“Are you okay?” Liz asked.

“Fine. Yeah I’m fine just… thinking.”

“Are you all settling in all right?” The innkeeper knocked on the doorway to the common area between their rooms. “I’m Tamiko, if any of you kids need anything, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

“Thank you very much ma’am,” Maka nodded to her as she left again. “So, what’s our plan?”

“Achoo!”

The students froze. Kid stood from the couch and pulled the long curtains on the window back. Standing there, looking guilty, was a little girl, no older than nine.

“Why hello there,” Kid raised an eyebrow at her.

“Sorry, I know I shouldn’t eavesdrop, but we don’t normally get visitors like you guys,” she rushed out.

“What’s your name?” Liz smiled at her as she slowly crept out.

“Yuka,” she answered. “My mom runs the inn.”

“Well Yuka, maybe you should go back to your mom now.” Tsubaki smiled at the girl as she ran out of the room.

“We should get some rest,” Kid said. “Hopefully tomorrow we can get some more information. At least the curfew should keep the townspeople safe for awhile.”

“Yeah, and you definitely need some rest,” Patty cut in.

“What? I’m fine.”

“The dark circles under your eyes say otherwise dude,” Soul prodded.

“Look, we could all use some rest, so let’s get some.” Liz knew Kid wouldn’t admit anything was wrong while being cornered.

Each of the three rooms had two small beds. Kid volunteered to take the couch in the common area, pointing out that “reapers are more flexible” and that he wouldn’t be as uncomfortable as they would. Reluctantly, Liz agreed.

Kid sat down on the couch, with absolutely no intention of sleeping.

“Guys, wake up,” Kid knocked on the doors of his friends and they stepped outside rubbing sleep from their eyes.

Satow looked at them all sadly. “There was another one.

“Her husband found her this morning,” Satow led them into the house’s kitchen. 

Dr. Aguni was crouched down in front of the body. “No markings, same as the others.” He swabbed the inside of the nose. “More of those white particles, and some in the mouth as well. These are larger than the previous victims, less degraded. Hopefully the tests will come back with something.”

“This time it was inside,” Maka puzzled.

“Well, with the curfew, this thing didn’t really have a choice,” Black Star pointed out.

“The window is open,” Soul pointed out, walking over to it. “Just a crack, but I’m assuming that something called ‘The Shadow’ wouldn’t need much room.”

“Is the husband here?” Kid asked. “I’d like to talk to him.”

“He’s in the living room. Right this way.”

A distraught man held his face in his hands, tear tracts staining his face.

“Mr. Hoashi? Hello, I’m Kid, I’m from the D.W.M.A. We’re here to help.”

“You all weren’t much help to Sui,” he sniffled.

“I’m very sorry for your loss Mr. Hoashi,” the reaper said, sitting down. “But we want to make sure we catch whatever did this.”

The husband looked up. “Whatever… So is a monster then?”

“We believe so. Now, Mr. Hoashi, do you know why your wife was in the kitchen last night?”

“She- Sometimes, when she can’t sleep, she goes downstairs to make some tea.”

“Do you know why she couldn’t sleep tonight?”

“I- no I slept through it, I- oh God…”

Satow placed a hand on his shoulder. “There’s nothing you could have done. But we will catch what did this.”

“Well?” Maka asked as Kid walked back into the kitchen.

“Something’s not right about this. The other witch tools are just that, tools, controlled by someone. The chimera didn’t have a master, but it ran wild because of it, killing anything. Whatever this is… it’s hunting.”

“So it’s more powerful?”

“It’s intelligent.”

Satow rushed into the room. “I just got off the phone, there’s two more bodies in the park.”

“And apparently, it’s getting bolder.”

“Just like the others,” Black Star shook his head. “This thing is really kicking the crap out of us.”

“Look,” Soul pointed to the dirt around the bodies. “Drag marks.”

“That explains why they were out past curfew,” Kid muttered. “They were brought here.” He looked at the tall old tree the bodies were next to. “Satow, does this tree hold significance to the town?”

She nodded. “It’s been here for years. It’s become a symbol of the town.”

Maka’s eyes narrowed. “This feels like a message, against the curfew maybe.”

“Maybe we’re not just looking for a witch tool then,” Tsubaki pondered. “Maybe someone’s taken control.”

“The lab results came back,” Satow said. “Apparently, traces of cotton fibers were present in all the victims’ noses.”

Kid caught a glimpse of someone behind the park slide and headed over. “Hey, I thought you weren’t supposed to eavesdrop,” he smiled, kneeling in front of Yuka, positioning himself so that grisly scene was blocked from her view. “Do you like this park?”

Yuka nodded. “I like the big tree. Sometimes, in the spring, there are flowers around it, and it looks really pretty.”

“Wow, that sounds great,” Kid smiled at her. He shifted his shoulders as they carted away the bodies behind him.

“Is the monster gonna get me?” she asked, looking scared.

Kid gestured to the others. “See my friends over there? We’re going to find this monster and stop it.”

“How?”

Kid pointed at his friends. “That boy, with the blue hair? He’s a master assassin. The girl next to him? She can turn into a bunch of really cool weapons. The white haired boy? He can become a scythe, and the girl with the long coat uses him to fight monsters much scarier than the one we’re looking for. The other two? They’re the toughest girls I know. They grew up on the streets of a big city and they can both turn into guns.”

“What about you?”

“I’m the Grim Reaper’s son.” Kid smiled at her wide eyes.

“Wow! The Grim Reaper’s son? That must make you really strong!”

Kid nodded, a far off look in his eyes. “Yeah… It does.” He led her back towards her mother and then walked back to his friends. “Hey, I’m going to check the woods for any clues.”

Liz gave him a strange look. “Do you want use to come with y-”

“No, no I’ll be fine.” He rushed off before she could argue.

Jack Karu wasn’t expecting a call from his uncle, mainly because he didn’t know his uncle had a way to call him, but sure enough, the image of Death the Kid was standing in front of him.

“Oh? Is this how you call Lord Death? You’ve got to teach me-”

“I know you’re Asura’s son,” Kid interrupted.

Jack shrugged. “... And?”

Kid was taken aback by the nonchalant attitude, but then chastised himself for being surprised by such casualness from the witch. “And that would make you Pandora’s son as well.”

“Ah. Yes, yes it would.”

“Then…” Kid sighed. “Then I need your help.”

“You trust me ?” He raised an eyebrow.

Asura said the Piercer was in good hands, after he saved me and my friends… “Yeah. I do.”

“Well then,” Jack leaned back against the table, crossing his legs. “What do you need, uncle Kid? Uncle sounds weird. Is it the age difference you think? I feel more like a fun cousin.”

“What do you know about the Shadow?”

“What do you need to know about it?”

“How do we defeat it?”

“Defeat it?” Jack’s brow furrowed. “It doesn’t exist.”

“What are you talking about, the pages-”

“The pages in my mother’s books? They were for plans to make the Shadow sure, but she never went through with them. It was the witch tool that made her realize that her creations were becoming too dangerous, even compared to the goal of killing the kishin. She tore the blueprints out, burned them, then started construction on the tomb and the sealing spell for the other weapons.”

“Then… What is killing people in this town?” Kid wondered aloud, more to himself than Jack.

The necromancer scratched his head. “Ya know, when she was trying to create the Shadow, she based it on a monster she was observing. These monsters actually.” He held up his arms and his bandages unraveled slightly, floating in the air. “My father’s bandages obeyed him because they were made of his own skin. I was not interested in being flayed, so I use these little guys instead.”

Kid examined the wrappings. Each arm had its own long strand, each strand had small slits on the end, resembling eyes. And they appeared to be made of- “Cotton.”

“These guys are young, but if you’re dealing with an ancient one that wasn’t tamed, you’re in for a nasty situation.”

Kid’s eyes went wide. “I- I need to go and- Jack,” he paused. “Thanks.”

Jack saluted him. “Any time dad-bro, any time.”

“Guys!” Kid panted as he caught up with his friends on the edge of town. The sun had gone down, they had to find this thing now. “I know what the creature is! It’s not a witch tool.”

“What? Then what is it?” Maka asked.

“It’s an ittan-momen.”

“A what?” Patty asked.

“An ittan-momen. It’s a type of yokai, supernatural monsters. It draws energy from killing, which it does by covering the victim’s mouth and nose until they can’t breathe. Pandora wanted to model a witch tool after it, it’s that dangerous.”

“Oh no,” Tsubaki gasped.

“We need to find this thing and kill it now.”

“Ittan-momen look like a piece of cloth flying through the air right?” Black Star asked.

“Yeah, why?”

The assassin pointed up at the sky.

Logically, a piece of fabric shouldn’t be threatening, but the speed at which it descended onto Maka’s face indicated an intelligence. She tried to scream, and to breathe, but couldn’t do either. She managed to swipe with Soul and the cotton lifted from her. Soul transformed and held her as she gasped for air.

A small amount of blood dripped from the sheet as it flew towards the town with incredible speed. Kid fired, but the shots didn’t do much damage.

“Dammit!” he growled. “Come on, we’ve got to stop it.” Black Star followed and Maka did too, once she’d caught her breath.

The town was eerily quiet as they searched, every shadow making them jump. The wind had picked up and there wasn’t much moonlight to see by.

Black Star was suddenly yanked back off his feet, the ittan-momen wrapped around his neck. Kid and Maka couldn’t risk attacking, they’d hit Black Star. Tsubaki’s blades managed to weaken its grip, and the assassin dropped to the ground panting.

It wrapped around Kid next, but the reaper was ready. He didn’t need as much oxygen as humans, he could focus better than they could. His eyes adjusted to the dark view beneath the yokai. It was still dim, but better than nothing.

The ones that Jack uses had eyes. Find the eyes. Come on Kid, find the eyes.

Two small slits were slightly lighter in the darkness. Although they didn’t go all the way through and provide him with much light, they were enough. He managed to force Liz and Patty into position, shooting each eye with precision. The ittan-momen relaxed like regular fabric and he frantically pushed it off of him.

The cotton fabric crumpled into dust.

“We did it!” Black Star kicked the dust pile. “Take that!”

“NO!”

They turned to the sound of the scream. Townspeople had left their houses, following the sounds to the park.

Tamiko was on the ground, sobbing and screaming. And in her arms…

“Oh Death…” Soul’s face fell.

“We- We were too late,” Maka whispered.

The students were frozen as the woman cried out for her dead daughter.

Kid took a deep breath. “I need you all to do something.”

“W- What?” Tsubaki said shakily through tears

“Stay here.” The reaper started approaching the woman. “Tamiko, I-”

“You!” she screamed. “You did this! You took my baby from me!” She stood up and ran over to him. “You’re a reaper!” she roared. “You did this! You killed her!” She beat her fists against his chest repeatedly, sobbing. “Bring her back! Bring her back you monster!” She crumpled to the ground at his feet, howling in pain.

Kid’s face didn’t move. He didn’t even flinch. He stepped over the broken mother at his feet and walked towards Yuka’s body.

Her soul floated above it. It was small and pale blue. Kid scooped it up into his hands. There were many eyes on him now, but he ignored them. He blew gently on the soul, it flickered and dissolved into tiny sparkling specs floating up into the sky. As it passed on, a surge of energy passed through him.

He closed his eyes and aimed his hand at the tree, straining with effort. Flower buds began forming, and soon the buds were full blooms. More flowers sprouted from the ground around the tree, growing tall and proud despite the chilly weather.

Kid’s eyes snapped open when he finished. He staggered back a bit, his nose bleeding slightly. He wiped it with his hand before turning back towards his audience.

He ignored all other eyes on him and locked onto Tamiko. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Go to Hell!” she spat at him, crawling back to her daughter’s body, cradling it in her arms.

Kid stepped over her again, ignoring all the stares and walked straight towards his friends, then past them. “Let’s go,” he muttered.

They were outside of town before anyone spoke again. Kid’s face was still stone.

“Let’s wait here and call the academy,” Maka said, her voice hoarse with emotion.

“Kid… Are you okay?” Liz asked.

“... No.” Kid’s face fell apart and he leaned into his girlfriend. His chest heaved with sobs as she held him. “She was afraid, she died afraid, choking for air, she died…” The cold, professional façade was gone and the boy cried until he was out of tears.

“Kid, I didn’t expect to see you so-”

“A girl died today. An ittan-momen killed her.”

Asura straightened.

“Would you have been able to save her?”

“... Most likely. Not that I would have wanted to after I changed.”

“Then I want you to teach me everything you know, about the box, about getting more powerful, everything.”

Asura narrowed his eyes. “You know that you’re asking the Kishin how to get stronger, right? I’m not exactly an expert on doing that the ‘good’ way.”

“I’m not asking for the ‘good’ way.”

“I don’t understand,” Kimoro looked at Zuchi Saebum with confusion. “If we’ve found the Blizzard, the final witch tool of Pandora, then why aren’t we going after it right now?”

The wasp witch chuckled as she pulled the newly forged chains from the furnace. Some simple inscriptions and they would be ready to shackle weapons, and reapers.

“You catch more flies with honey than vinegar, dear.”

Chapter Text

Franken Stein’s Monster

Another loud bang jolted through Patchwork Lab and Crona jumped. All day they had been hearing strange noises from the basement. They’d tried their best to ignore them, but-

“What the hell was that?” Ragnarok demanded.

“I don’t know,” Crona said. “I- I’m sure it’s nothing.”

“Nothing? These weird noises have been going off for hours and you think it’s nothing?”

“Well I’m sure it’s fine.”

“Fine? Nah, we’ve gotta check it out.”

“C- Check it out?”

Ragnarok knocked on Crona’s head lightly. “You deaf? Yeah, let’s check it out.”

“But the basement is where Stein works, and we’re not supposed to-”

The pair stopped talking quickly as the mad scientist himself stepped out from behind the basement door. “Oh, hello you two,” he said, with a slightly maniacal grin. “Have you seen my bone saw?”

“Um…” Crona looked around nervously. “No. Sorry.”

Stein scratched his head. “Now where did I put- aha!” he exclaimed as he grabbed the saw from a shelf. “There it is!” He left for the basement again.

“... Well that wasn’t suspicious at all.”

“It’s probably just a harmless experiment.”

“Harmless? When is anything that lunatic makes harmless? We HAVE to investigate!”

“Ragnarok no!” Crona insisted. “We are guests here, we can’t just go around throwing out accusations and sneaking around!”

“But if we report some crazy monster creation to Lord Death, we’ll probably get rewarded big time! With cash, or-”

“I said no-”

“Ah!” Stein coming back made both weapon and meister freeze. “I almost forgot.” He proceeded to head down the hall and then returned dragging a suspiciously human shaped sack. He lugged it over his shoulder and slammed the door to the basement again.

“...”

“Okay, maybe we should take a look.”

“Finally! You see reason.”

“But we need to wait for him to leave.”

The two waited in the living room until Stein left for more, “supplies” before finally opening the basement door.

“M- Maybe we shouldn’t-”

“Come on Crona! Don’t chicken out now!”

“Okay okay!” They took a deep breath and descended down into the dingy basement.

Crona wrapped their arms around themself, shivering at the cold. The lightbulb fizzled out with a pop, plunging the pair into darkness. The faint light from the open door at the top of the stairs was just enough to keep them from tripping on anything.

“Psst, Crona!” Ragnarok hissed. “Look!”

There was a bucket of a dark liquid on the ground next to the body-shaped bag. The bone saw was next to a table, on which Crona and Ragnarok could make out the faint outline of some sort of figure lying down. It was missing an arm and the legs weren’t attached. The pair could just make out the glistening reflection of dead eyes.

The front door opened upstairs and Stein returned home.

“Shit!” Ragnarok may have vocalized it, but his meister shared the sentiment, scrambling back up the stairs. It was a futile effort, as they nearly collided with the mad doctor, narrowly course-correcting to hide behind Marie instead.

“My goodness, what has gotten into you two?” The Death Scythe chuckled.

“Screwhead here is cutting up people in the basement now do something about it!” Ragnarok trembled, peeking through Crona’s hair.

Marie gave her boyfriend a “you-better-not-have” look.

“What?” Stein laughed. “No, hold on, I’ll show you.” He led the group down into the basement, changing out the lightbulb and illuminating the previously horrifying room.

There were long pieces of wood next to the saw. The bucket was filled with blue paint. The body-shaped bag, upon Stein opening it, was revealed to be filled with fabric and stuffing. This was most likely to aid with the partially constructed rather large teddy bear on the workbench. Other bears, all with the patchwork signature of Dr. Stein.

“I’ve been… preparing for the baby. We don’t have a crib yet, and I figured he would need some little test subjects-”

“Aww, Stein!” Marie cooed, throwing her arms around him.

Ragnarok’s and Crona’s faces shaded blue with embarrassment. “Sorry about sneaking around,” Crona said meekly.

“Y-Yeah, but, you shouldn’t have been acting all sneaky and stuff!” Ragnarok shook his fist insistently.

“Well, it was supposed to be a surprise.”

Ragnarok deflated, sulking down into Crona’s hair again. “... Sorry,” he mumbled.

Stein and Marie smiled at them. “Well, I was going to wait, but I suppose you can have them now.” The scientist pulled two of the teddy bears out and handed one to each Ragnarok and Crona. “I figured you two might want one too.”

Crona’s eyes lit up as he took their bear, while Ragnarok scoffed. “A stuffed bear? I’m the demon sword, this is stupid!”

Stein raised an eyebrow. “Well, if you don’t want it-”

Ragnarok held the bear tightly against his chest. “No! His name is Skofnung and he’s mine, back off.”

Marie put her hands on her waist. “Alright, you two have a Halloween party to get ready for, don’t you?”

As Crona and Ragnarok headed back upstairs, Marie held her stomach and smiled at Stein. “See? You’ll be a great dad.”

Double Double Toil and Trouble

“Psst! Eruka,” a voice whispered.

The frog witch turned around in confusion, looking for the source, but didn’t see anyone. “Hello?”

“Um… Up here.” Eruka raised her eyes to see a brown bat hanging from the ceiling. “It’s me, Kimoro.”

“Kimoro?” Eruka puzzled. “I didn’t know you could transform yet.”

“I, uh, I can’t, actually,” the sonar witch responded nervously. “And on a related note, I need your help.”

“Wait, what’s going on?”

“I tried to transform into a bat, which I did, but now I can’t change back!” Kimoro squeaked. “Please, you have to help me. If Zuchi Saebum sees me like this, if Keto sees me like this, they’ll never trust me with anything again! I’ll get kicked out of Brine, I’ll be the laughing stock of Riptide, please please please!”

“Okay, I’ll do what I can,” Eruka cut her off. “Come on, let’s head back to our room.”

Kimoro hid under Eruka’s hat and the frog witch hoped that the smiles she gave Riptide soldiers weren’t too suspicious. Thankfully, the room wasn’t far.

“Okay, so how did you transform in the first place?”

“Well, I used a potion to-”

“A potion?” Eruka cried, throwing her hands up. “Kimoro, you can’t use a potion to transform. Potions are for making other people transform!”

“I know that now!” the bat growled. “Look, I get where I went wrong, but can we skip the reprimanding and go straight to the antidote making?”

“Okay fine,” Eruka sighed. She pulled the Riptide-standard witch cauldron out from under her bed while Kimoro flew around gathering up ingredients that she had left out when attempting the transformation in the first place.

“Looks like we’re out of one thing, wolfsbane.”

“Don’t worry,” Eruka declared. “We can substitute that. You can use werewolf fur in place of wolfsbane.”

“What!” Kimoro shrieked. “We can’t tell Free about this! That big dolt will blab to everyone! Even if he doesn’t mean to.”

“We don’t have to tell him.” Eruka checked the clock. “It’s still early, he tends to sleep during the day. Now’s our chance.” 

She joined her roommate as an animal, morphing into a frog, and the two made their way through the air ducts of Riptide’s base. Being completely submerged underwater, it was important to have a good ventilation system.

Sure enough, peeking through the vent slots the two witches could see Free curled up in a massive dog bed. Each loud, long snore led to a muttering of, “wolf wolves wolf wolves,” with each exhale.

“Are you sure about this?” Kimoro whispered.

“Yeah, just go pull out some hair.”

“Me? Why not you?”

“You got yourself into this mess.”

Kimoro glared. “You coward,” she muttered.

Eruka huffed, pushing open the grate and hoping down into the room. The second she landed, she regretted it, gulping nervously. Free looked even bigger than normal when she was in frog form. Luckily, she didn’t have to pluck out any hair as there were plenty of sheddings on the floor by her.

As she gathered up some hair, Free suddenly yawned and started to roll over, which was a problem as she was directly under the spot he was rolling to.

Eruka’s eyes widened and she let out a surprised croak, but Kimoro swooped down just in time, scooping up the frog and flying them both back into the vent.

“Phew, that was close,” Eruka panted.

“Sorry I got you into this mess,” the younger witch mumbled, lowering her head.

“Hey, don’t worry about it, let’s just get you back to normal.” As they hoped and flew back to their room Eruka smiled at Kimoro. “Next time you want to try transforming, let me teach you the basics first.”

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Death the Kid

“This was a mistake,” Soul groaned. The big Halloween party was hours away, and he, Tsubaki, and Kid had been tasked with decorating and cooking while the others gathered supplies. Luckily Gallows Mansion had been decorated for the spooky season as soon as October started, which had given Kid plenty of time to perfect the symmetry, but pumpkins couldn’t be carved until the day of or the desert heat would rot them into the pavement. Soul and Tsubaki had already carved a few pumpkins and moved on to baking treats that would later be decorated with the supplies the others grabbed. Kid on the other hand… He was still on his first pumpkin.

“It needs to be perfect. If I just…” the reaper mumbled to himself. He was still trying to create a plan for the pumpkin on the paper taped to it.

“Why did we give Kid this task?” Tsubaki sighed.

“At least he’s distracted from insisting that everything else be symmetrical,” Soul pointed out. The two blades shared an exasperated look at their friend’s antics. At least Liz had helped him with his costume earlier and they hadn’t had to deal with that nightmare. They couldn’t even imagine what a pain he had been while putting on all that facepaint.

“FEAR NOT! I, THE GREAT BLACK STAR, HAVE RETURNED WITH THE CHOCOLATE CHIPS!!” The assassin burst into the room, snapping Kid out of his concentration momentarily, but one glare later the reaper was back at it.

“Thanks Black Star,” Tsubaki smiled at her boyfriend, giving him a cheek peck. After days of complaining about having to dress as someone “lesser” than him, he’d decided to dress in a more masculine version of Tsubaki’s usual outfit, declaring that she was the only person “worthy” of being portrayed by him. Tsubaki, in turn, was dressed in an outfit inspired by Black Star’s usual.

“Kid, seriously?” Black Star complained. “You can dress up as anything, and you go with a skeleton with a top hat?”

“I can hide the lines in my hair this way,” the reaper responded over his shoulder. “And besides, it’s a human skeleton so it’s different enough.”

“Wait,” Soul turned away from his baking. “Are reaper skeletons different-”

“Oh I like your demon costume Soul!” Angela Leon piped as she entered the kitchen behind Black Star, plopping another bag of ingredients on the counter. “The black bat wings are really cool.”

“I picked up some help on the way here,” the assassin explained.

“Wow, Angela your costume is very pretty,” Tsubaki cooed, bending down to address the young witch.

“I’m a princess!” she declared. “And of course, I have a guard dragon to protect me from any stupid knights.” Mifune, dressed in a dragon costume, nodded in acknowledgement to the teens.

“The others are still getting the last few things,” Black Star said as he helped unload the bags. “How have you guys been?”

“Well Kid’s still working on the same damn pumpkin he was when you left so-”

“It has to be symmetrical!” Kid shouted, pointing his ruler at Soul.

“Why?” Angela sat herself down next to the reaper.

“Because symmetry is important to maintaining balance in the universe. Without symmetry, everything would fall out of balance and-”

“But why does the pumpkin have to be, uh, symmetrical?” Angela asked.

Kid’s eyebrow twitched, but he reminded himself he was talking to a child. “Because… symmetry is the most important-”

“But it’s Halloween,” Angela interrupted again. “You’re supposed to make a scary pumpkin, and if symmetry is a good thing, then that’s not very scary, is it?”

“I- uh…” The others watched in shock as Kid’s brain short circuited. “That’s uh… that’s a pretty good point actually.”

The reaper’s friends’ jaws dropped.

“Okay then,” Kid turned back to the pumpkin with renewed conviction. Asymmetrical it is. I’ll just… make it asymmetrical… To show how scary asymmetry is…” It still took him a few more minutes to build up the willpower to make a single cut.

“Can I decorate a pumpkin too?” Angela begged. She was quickly supplied with the gourd and the necessary tools to carve one, with Mifune supervising whenever she used the shaper instruments.

Despite it taking all day to start carving, it only took ten minutes for Kid to produce a terrifying jack-o'-lantern with jagged teeth and malicious looking eyes, all of which were crooked and definitely not symmetrical. Angela proudly displayed her pumpkin, which had crazy round eyes and a tongue sticking out, next to his.

“Can we do another one?” the witch asked.

Kid set her up with another pumpkin and sat down to carve another one himself.

Zombies Love a Girl With Brains

“I don’t know about this…” Sid said nervously.

“Oh come on,” Spirit insisted. “It’s a great idea! I still can’t believe you haven’t gone out to bars on Halloween before!”

“Okay well, look, I took in Black Star before I could legally drink so I was a bit busy during the prime “bar hopping” years,” the zombie defended. “Then I got busy with D.W.M.A. business, then I died, and I can’t even get drunk anymore anyway.”

“It’s not about getting drunk!” Spirit argued. “It’s about all those cute girls in sexy costumes!”

“Yeah, this was a horrible idea.”

“Hey, every time I’ve asked you about dating, you’ve said that no one wants to date a zombie, but it’s Halloween! Everyone will think you just have a really good costume.”

“Yeah, and I’m sure that lying about that won’t backfire at all.”

“Come on Sid, just give it a shot?”

Sid gave a long, defeated sigh. “... Fine.”

“Excellent! ChupaCabra's here we come!”

“Hey wait! That’s not a bar, that’s a cabaret club!”

“It has a bar in it,” Spirit maintained, dragging the meister by the arm down the street towards the club.

“Mr. Death Scythe!” Risa greeted them, dressed in a butterfly costume. “It’s been so long! I haven’t seen you in a few days!” Sid didn’t think that counted as “so long”, but he supposed that Spirit was usually a more frequent customer.

“It’s good to be back!” Spirit grinned at her.

“Ooh! Who’s your friend?” Arisa wrapped herself around Sid’s arm. She had donned a firefly inspired costume for the holiday. “Your costume is so great.”

“Uh… I’m Sid.”

“He’s a high ranking meister at the academy,” Spirit boasted on his behalf. “Lord Death really trusts him.”

“Uh…. yeah…” Sid awkwardly sat down on the edge of the booth, blushing heavily as the girls fawned over him.

“I see the renovations you had planned have been finished,” Spirit commented as he looked around.

“Yeah the old owner’s organization uh… went under, so we’re in charge now,” Risa said as she poured drinks.

Spirit was incredibly drunk not long after and Sid was left to deal with his awkwardness and embarrassment alone, and was getting increasingly worse at deflecting questions that would reveal his true undead nature.

Another man entered the club and Sid sighed with relief as the girls started addressing the new customer.

“Hi there cutie! Great mummy costume!” Arisa grinned at the man, whose face was obscured in bandages. Sid couldn’t place it, but there was something about him that was familiar.

“Just stopping in for a quick drink madam,” he responded, giving her a small polite bow before turning to the bartender. “Can I get a glass of the strongest alcohol you have my good sir?”

“Trying to build up courage for something?” Sid asked him, hoping that making small talk with the stranger would distract him from his current situation.

“Yeah, but it’s not going to help,” the man admitted, downing the whole glass in a gulp. “I have a ridiculously high tolerance.” He waved at Sid and then walked out again.

“Hahaha, that guy is crazy, he’s missing all the fun!” a drunk Spirit giggled.

Why is he familiar to me? Sid, taking advantage of how distracted the Death Scythe was, slipped out of the club, attempting to follow the man, but when he turned the corner, he was gone.

“Weird…”

“I thought I’d have to save you,” Nygus’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts. “I only just heard that Spirit was dragging you here.”

“He’s drunk enough, he won’t notice I’m gone.”