The Journey of Her Soul (Soul Eater fanfic) {VERY SLOW UPDATES}

Chapter 8~

I didn't feel like editing/cropping the photo, so y'all have a nice view of the Google Images URL. xD

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After class, Zextra followed her cousin and the seven others to a large board on the wall in one hallway.

"This is the job board," Tsubaki explained to the confused Zextra as the four Weapons hung back a little. They waited patiently for their Meisters to mull over the available jobs, trying to avoid the crush of people also looking for work.

"It lists the location and recent activity of most known kishin-humans on the continent," she continued, "But the majority of the jobs are in this area."

"What about other places in the world?" Zextra asked quietly, barely audible over the dull roar of conversation in the hallway, "Who takes care of everywhere else?"

"Well," Liz answered thoughtfully, "Kid's dad has a Death Scythe in charge of each continent. They report to him the kishin-like activity that needs to be dealt with, and Lord Death sends one of the more advanced Meister and Weapon pairs to take care of it."

"That's usually sis and me with Kid!" Patty told Zextra excitedly.

"Well, not always," Tsubaki said with a smile, "Lord Death has sent Maka and Soul several times, Black☆Star and I have gone a few times, and few of the other pairs were assigned occasionally."

Zextra's brow creased into a contemplative frown, and her gaze flickered across the floor. She was still thinking seriously like this when three pairs of shoes stopped in front of their group, and the Weapons greeted their Meisters. Questions about the available jobs were raised as the large group started walking down the hall again.

Still lost in thought, Zextra didn't move until she heard her name being shouted by a masculine voice. Her head snapped up as she looked around for the source, before she finally spotted Soul. He had walked back toward her as he tried to get her attention, and he waved teasingly when Zextra finally noticed that the others were walking away.

"Are you coming?" He asked her, grinning slyly, "We kinda need you for this anyway, so come on."

"Where are we going...?" Zextra asked slowly as she followed him and the others, apprehension clear on her face.

"First we're going to see if any of the Weapons without partners in the other class can pair well you," Kid said blatantly.

"I did say I could probably wield most weapons in the school," Zextra reminded them.

"The partnership isn't just about soul wavelengths," Maka explained patiently, "It's also about the compatibilities​ of their personalities and a bond of friendship. Trusting one another in battle can save your lives."

Soul turned around to face Zextra as he walked backwards. He unzipped his jacket and pulled his shirt up to his collarbone, revealing a long, pale scar from the right side of his stomach diagonally to his left pectoral. Zextra gasped at seeing the large, smooth mark left by a probably life-threatening injury.

Soul grinned at the shock on Zextra's face, putting his shirt and jacket back in place as he explained, "Back before Crona was a friend of ours, he was compelled by a witch to try to kill us. Maka was weakened and couldn't wield me, so I jumped in front of Ragnarok's blade to protect her."

Maka backhanded his head, causing him to spin around and look at her indignantly, his own hand holding the sore spot on his skull. "I still haven't forgiven you for that," Maka growled at her Weapon, "You could have died, especially when the madness of the black blood took effect."

"I'm sorry," Crona whimpered, looking ashamed of himself.

"It's not your fault Crona," Liz assured him calmly, "Medusa was influencing your thoughts, and making you hate us."

"And besides, I'm still alive," Soul agreed humoessly, and he received another smack from his Meister, who he grinned at.

Kid shoved open another large door, labeled 'NOT' by a nearby sign high on the wall. As she entered, Zextra was astounded to see that this room was nearly five times the size of their own classroom, and filled to the brim with students. Their lesson seemed to be just finishing, and hopeful eyes locked onto the group of EAT students.

Kid and the others made their way down to the teacher, pulling Zextra along as excited whispering broke out all around them.

"Hey, Sid," Lord Death's son greeted the blue-skinned adult seemingly in charge of the class. "Did my father notify you about today's enrollment?"

"No, I don't think he did," the man answered gruffly, "Why don't you introduce the new student to their class?"

Maka stepped forward with Zextra just behind her. "Actually, sir, Zextra has been placed in the EAT class with the eight of us," Maka corrected politely, while Zextra's cheeks turned pink at the center of attention.

"She's also Maka's cousin," Soul commented, earning him a glare from Zextra.

"Well then, back when I was alive, I would say it's a pleasure to meet you, Zextra," Sid recovered quickly, his jaw still locked in a grimace as he spoke, "And indeed it is, since I'm sure it was a surprise to many people that Spirit and Maka have a relative besides one another."

Zextra's brows furrowed in confusion. "Back when you were alive?"

"Sid is a zombie," Tsubaki explained gently, "He was killed while on his way to recruit Stein as a teacher." (2x check)

"Anyways, what can I help you kids with?"

"We wanted to meet any unpartnered Weapons that could potentially pair with Zextra," Kid stated monotonously.

"It's really not necessary, I like my dagger just fine..." The newest Meister protested softly.

"You generally fight with a dagger?" Sid asked curiously, receiving a wary nod. "My own Weapon is a combat knife. May I see your dagger?"

Zextra eyed him suspiciously for a second, then slowly drew her blade and handed it to the teacher hilt-first.

He studied it for several long moments, turning it this way and that, before finally saying aloud, "It's fairly similar to you, Mira, considering it's not a Demon Weapon like yourself. Have a look at it and see what you think."

Light flashed at his hip, and a woman with bandages bound around her face, chest, arms, and feet appeared at his side. She took Zextra's dagger from her Meister with her white-wrapped, smaller hands.

"The hilt is quite similar, I suppose," She agreed reluctantly, her voice barely muffled, "But the blade is smooth on both edges, not serrated on one side like myself, and it's a little longer."

Mira handed the dagger back to Zextra, her eyes hinting at a smile hidden beneath her facial wrappings. "I'm sure it's served you well thus far, especially if you're so fond of it."

Sid shouted for the attention of the NOT students, earning him several terrified looks. "Class is dismissed, but all Weapons without partners should remain."

About four-fifths of the class rose from their seats and hurried or shuffled from the room, and more then one cast curious or even longing glances back toward the group of EAT students. Those that stayed behind moved to the lowest rows of seats.

"Maka, why don't you practice your Soul Sight to look at their compatibility with your cousin? Kid, you can Soul Read as well, if you'd like," Sid suggested, his blank eyes scanning his remaining students.

"In all honestly, sir," Zextra told him quietly, "It'd be simpler to pick out the ones whose souls aren't compatible. I have a vastly varied soul length, so I could potentially wield several of these Weapons."

Maka and Kid nodded, and directed their Weapons to which unpaired students could be dismissed. When Zextra's least likely partners had left the room, seven boys and four girls were still left in their seats.

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Additional disclaimer: I have never watched Soul Eater NOT! and I do not know the actual students or staff of said class. The identities of the students are generally based upon other fictional characters.