Soul Eater - A Soul That Feels

Find Yourself

Torrent was waiting by the door when Giriko finally caught up to her fully. She was leaned against the wall, her arms crossed, and was examining the cracks in the floor. "Giriko, before you set foot into the Death Room, you need to know three very important things."

He took his hands out of his pockets and waited. "I'll listen."

"That's not it." She suddenly turned her head to him and her wavelength surrounded him. "Just because you've done horrid things, don't think we judge based upon that." Her eyes were colder than Arachne or Medusa's. "Firstly, remember that you are a weapon and can or will fight if the opportunity arises. Secondly, you will not speak Justin's name in that room, as it will cause you great harm. Thirdly..." She took her cold stare off him and looked at the door. Her wavelength withdrew to her body again. "Please, whatever you do, don't be someone else."

A drop of sweat dripped off his chin. "What?"

Torrent touched the door. "Death is a forgiving force. He forgives the sins people commit in the name of their makers. Your 'mother', per se, was the woman who created you. He holds a grudge against her, not you." She looked at Giriko with those steel eyes. "Please, just be whomever you are. Don't hide behind fear or anger or an ego. Death can see right through me every time. There's no telling how mad he might get if you hide, too."

She pushed the door open without knocking.

Giriko closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Who was he? He found his voice and stepped in, thanking To for holding the door open.

He followed her steady pace down the long stretch of road with the guillotines glimmering down at him. They passed through the final one and his eyes came upon Death.

The black form with the starkness of white on the mask. He was almost like a black mass or shadow that just happened across a white mask with three, sharp teeth, a nose-hole and two eye-holes. That completed a strange look for a man named "Death"...

Torrent was approaching, leaving Giriko in his awed state. She stood at the very edge of the podium who was standing upon. It was as if she was afraid to approach.

"To~o-cha~an!" He greeted her with such a hyped voice! "Are you sure you should be walking about, To-chan?"

She shook her head. "No. But I'm sure that I'm the one who has to answer for what's happened."

"Actually..."

Giriko was waiting for the "yes, you have to answer!" roar he would expect from Arachne.

"No."

Giriko gasped. "WHAT?"

To looked over her shoulder at him. "I told you."

Death suddenly lifted his hand and-

"whump"

His hand hit her on the head. Not hard, just enough to startle her. "Don't be like that! So, who's this and what's he want and where's he from and whats he made of and what do you think we should do with him?"

Giriko blinked. Death changed pace fast.

"Death, meet Giriko Sou-dono from Lowe Village." Torrent swept her arm out like Giriko was some kind of prized possession she was about to give away. "He's actually one of four Weapons to survive his first year of birth when Arachne made them. I think we should allow him a chance to be part of Shibusen. He might not seem like it, but he's actually a good person."

She gave Giriko her cold look, but he felt a warmth to her words. It was almost as if she were trying to apologize to him about something...

"Giriko-san?"

He felt a fear grip him and he pulled his heels together and tried to straighten up. "h-hai?"

Death sounded like he smiled at Giriko. "Come here a moment, please."

Torrent stepped aside and Giriko ascended the short staircase to his inevitable doom. He finally came to a halt near the center. "Y-yes, erm, sir?"

Death's hand shot out and part of his shadowy figure shot out with it. Giriko gasped before it swallowed him.

Torrent sighed and touched her forehead. "He seems jumpy. Should we eat him?"

Death's hand hit her harder this time.

She was holding her head when she retaliated with; "What the hell was that for?" before pulling her hood up to hid the hurt point. "Are you sure you can cleanse him?"

Death shrugged. "Don't know."

"What the hell's that supposed to mean?" Torrent yelled, grabbing his sides and shaking him back and forth. "I still have a promise to keep! I can't just up and leave Giriko to die before I finish my promise!"

Death suddenly laughed. "He's coming out on his own."

Torrent looked down.