Claire

"Brew"

Kira's POV

I crossed my arms over my chest. It'd been five weeks since Ryuu and I became Partners, and he's come a long way. He's very determined to learn and become as good as I am, and, if he keeps it up, he'll be there before the month is over.

When I imagined myself five weeks ago, it was not on a boat headed to some remote island where it's cold as hell. Well, hell is the opposite of cold, but whatever. I was glad Ryuu and Death had forced me to bring a jacket. I would be numb by now if I hadn't.

Sid was at the front of the boat explaining the plan. There were a few others here I didn't know, but I'd been introduced to. Like Crona, Ragnorok, Kim, Jacqueline, Ox, Harvar, Kilik, Pot of Fire and Pot of Thunder. They all seemed kind and just as determined to get "Brew" Tempest as Ryuu, Maka, Death, Black Star, Soul, Liz, Patty, Tsubaki, and I were. That was reassuring.

"Hey. What's up with you? You've been quiet for a while." Ryuu said. I bit my lip; there was something wrong with me. "He's gonna be there, that's my problem." I replied.

Giriko. Ever since I last saw him, I'd been having nightmares that I returned to Arachnophobia and worked for them again, but willingly this time. I hadn't been able to sleep in weeks, and I'd always wake up sweating, as if it were a nightmare that the Kishin himself was hiding under my bed.

My eyes flashed to dad. He'd been off for a while now, especially since the Kishin was released. Death said he talked to him about the Tools Lord Death was collecting, and he seemed a bit strange. We really haven't talked, aside from Soul Resonance lessons. At first, I figured it was the lessons and they were just stressing him out, but the lessons are over, and he's still acting isolated and strange. I mean, there's a possibility that he's been stressed about this, the attack, but I know he'd have told me something by now.

Ryuu sighed beside me, squeezing my arm in a comforting gesture. "It's okay. I won't let him convince you to go back there." I almost shook my head, but I nodded instead. That wasn't my real problem. It was beyond that. "I'll probably end up avoiding him anyway."

I glanced at Justin for about the five-hundredth time now. I'd caught him staring at me a few times, a look of pure confusion written across his face. I knew he couldn't hear me, so I didn't even try to tell him to stop staring, although he could read lips. I was just so curious; why was he staring?

Death clutched my hand. "It's gonna be okay, love." He reassured. I smiled softly, squeezing his hand back. He needed this reassurance just as much as I did. This fight could mean the end of the DWMA, or the continuation of it. Maka was standing close to Crona, talking to him as if he were a child. "I've seen the boy fight," I whispered in Death's ear, "but he never seems to have to nerve to kill something. It doesn't make any sense." Death smirked. "Yes, Crona has that air about him. He finally gets Ragnorok under control and boom, here he is, stuck with a bunch of people, forced on them. He's not used to it just yet, but Soul, Maka, Black Star, Tsubaki, Liz, Patty, and I have all been trying to make him comfortable here. So, don't force yourself on him." He paused. "Actually, that's what we did. I don't think it'll be a bad thing if you did."

I smiled at him, then at Crona. I would befriend him after this mission was completed.

"Let's go!" Sid announced. Ryuu grunted. "Kira," He called. I nodded, taking on my Weapon form. "Let's do this, Ryuu!" I cheered. He smiled and followed the others off the boat.

I remembered our directions very clearly. We were to go with Ms. Marie and my dad to protect them and slow down Arachnophobians -- an easy thing to call them. I could feel Ryuu's energy and tension, and I almost snapped at him to calm down before realizing I was just as tense and energized. Sid and the others immediately started a battle with a group of soldiers. "Get out of here! Go with Stein and Marie!" He ordered as we all stopped to make sure they didn't need any help. Ryuu hesitated though, as if he wasn't sure he wanted to leave them.