Heat and Soul: A Soul Eater Love Story (xKid)

~Chapter Eighteen~

I actually get lunch during lunchtime. I carry my tray to the busy table where the gang likes to sit. Kid, Liz, Patty, and Tsubaki are already there. I walk up beside Kid.

"Mind if I sit with you guys today?"

Kid looks at me, unreadable yet again.

Liz answers me instead, "Sure, join on in!" and moves over so I can sit between her and Kid.

I feel like he wants to tell me something, but he won't do it here. He keeps glancing in my direction and shifting uncomfortably. I pretend not to notice, chatting with everyone else instead. I notice that Daemon isn't at the corner table we usually share. A quick glance around doesn't help me find him. I take out my phone and text him. It's not long before I get a reply:

            On the southwest balcony. Do you have a minute?

I finish my lunch quickly and head for the balcony. Daemon's leaning against the railing. He looks over when I walk up beside him.

"I had my father do some research..."

He hands me a rather old-looking picture of a woman, facing away from the photographer with her hair blowing in the breeze. I give him a questioning look.

"That's your grandmother on your mother's side. She's where the witch part of your soul comes from."

I study the photograph a bit harder. She has the same exact hair color as I do. She's wearing clothes that are a bit dated.

Daemon shrugs, "The picture's old, obviously, but she probably hasn't changed much, since she's a witch and all."

I continue staring at the picture, "She's smiling... You can't see much else of her face, but she has a beautiful smile."

"Yeah, apparently she's kind, for a witch. Thought you'd like to know..."

"Can I keep this...?" I ask.

He nods, so I tuck it into my bag. I hug him tightly in thanks as the warning bell rings. We go off to class together. Afternoon classes go quickly. I periodically glance at my bag where the photo is throughout the second half of the day. Maka, at least, notices. I'm not sure if anyone else does. Either way, I promise myself that I'll show everyone the picture someday.

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After school, I pick up the things I left at Kid's house and go back to my own place. Kid seems worried that I'll have another episode, but I feel fine. I call Auntie Io for the first time in a few days. She's a bit angry that I've waited so long to contact her again, but doesn't dwell on it.

"Have you found a way for me to get what I want?" she questions.

"Not yet... I haven't seen Shinigami in person myself yet, I don't even know if he's in the school every day or not. But I've borrowed some books from the school library on the history and building of Shibusen. I might find clues in them."

"Good. I guess that's a place to start."

"Um... Auntie Io? Do you think...? Well, after you've achieved your goal... can I keep attending school here?"

She hesitates, "I'd be fine with that, but if anyone finds out that you've been spying for me, they might not let you stay..."

"I guess you're right... It's just that... well, I've made some friends here... good, true friends. I never had friends like these in any of my normal schools except for Daemon and... Now that I have them, I don't want to lose them..."

"Fine," she sighs, "Just don't forget that you're there for a reason."

As soon as I hang up, my phone beeps with a text message from Kid:

            Patty and Liz want you to have a sleepover with them this weekend when they move back in with me.

I wonder for a moment why they didn't just ask me during school. I suppose they did have to ask Kid first, since it's his house... Instead of questioning it, I reply:

            Sounds great to me. As long as you can put up with all three of us at the same time, that is. :P

Something starts ringing, but it's not my phone. I follow the sound into the bathroom. The mirror above the sink is rippling. Shinigami appears in it.

"Hello, hello! Sorry to bother you outside of school hours, Ember, but I have a mission for you. There's been a big drought in a town nearby, but villagers who wander into the forest for water are attacked by animals. I suspect there may be a bad spirit involved and I'd like you and Daemon to check it out."

The idea of my first mission is exciting to say the least, "We'll be glad to help, Master Shinigami!"

He bounces happily, "Yes, yes! I thought you'd like to take your first mission! You don't need to worry about going to school tomorrow, just investigate and report back to me. You don't need to leave until morning; I doubt this will take long."

"But there's no way I can sleep tonight knowing that people are getting hurt! We'll leave as soon as possible! Thank you, Master Shinigami! We won't disappoint you!"

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Daemon and I trudge over unfamiliar territory late into the night.

"Ugh," I groan, "Why is it so far away...?"

Daemon rolls his eyes at me, "Stop whining. You're the one that insisted on leaving immediately."

"But it didn't look like such a long trip on the map..."

We stay the night in the town. I'm glad we packed some water. Shinigami wasn't kidding when he said there was a drought going on here. They've had to ration the little water they can get. Most of it goes to the women and children. Even still, several families have had to move away from the town. Being both still classified as a "child" as well as being female, the villagers offer me some water, but I refuse. I can't take their water, knowing how precious it is to them.

The next morning, I'm woken by someone yelling outside.

"It's happened again! Another attack!"

Daemon and I run out to see. One of the villagers is panicking in the center of the town, bleeding from several gouges along his arms and legs. I try to get him to calm down and tell everyone what happened.

"I don't know what it was," he pants, "It was huge and furry, like a wolf or something. But it's definitely smarter than any wolf we've ever seen. We went into the forest to see if we could reach the spring, but we were attacked halfway. My brother, Tom, he... He tried to hold it off so I could run, but it knew what we were doing and it chased after me. I managed to get away because Tom was throwing rocks at it, but..."

He collapses to the ground in tears. Daemon and I exchange a glance. By the size of those marks, this thing is indeed huge. We head straight for the forest. A few of the villagers try to convince us not to go.

Daemon pushes them back, "We have to figure out what's going on. We might be able to crack this case and get you your water supply back. Just trust us."

They let us go reluctantly.