A Pure Soul

Chapter 1
My first day working at the academy. How exciting! I’d heard so many things about it and I could hardly believe I’d gotten the job. Lord Death said my ability to remember everything I’ve read or heard was invaluable. Me! Invaluable! I smiled to myself, feeling honored. Only meisters, wepons, and teachers were allowed inside the academy but I wasn’t in any of those categories.

Nearing the top of the stairs, I could hear gunfire. Unmistakably Death the Kid’s pistols. I had met him once, as part of the interview process. Lord Death had been much too busy to see me in person that day. Kid had been very nice to me, and had said he’d watch out for me at the academy.

I stopped, not daring to cross the middle of the fight. I wouldn’t want to interrupt, and I also wouldn’t want to be caught in the crossfire. I recognized the other two, Soul and Black*Star. Both were two very skilled students. I wonder why they challenged Kid.

“Soul, distraction.” I barely heard Black*Star say. I wouldn’t assume any of them so easily distracted. Being only an onlooker, and in no way a threat to anyone, I didn’t really understand what was happening. A second later, Soul had transformed and was whirring towards me. As paralyzed as I was, his trajectory would narrowly miss me. I had no time to think. A hand took mine, snatching me out of the way. Kid. He had his back to me.

“And now it’s time, to see the power of a grim reaper.” Kid said. A whir of things happened. I could see Kid’s soul expanding, a display of his power in its self. His pistols transformed into canons while Black*Star and Soul continued to shout at him. This couldn’t be necessary could it?

“Execution mode ready. Prepare to die.” Kid said. Die? I teetered on my feet. He wouldn’t really kill them. Kid fired, hitting both of them in a huge explosion. Kid’s weapons returned to pistol after he turned to me. “Are you hurt?”

“No, I’m fine. Thank you.” I replied, smiling. He leaned forward.

“You’re bleeding.” Kid said. My hand flew to my face. I was. Soul must’ve barely hit me.

“Oh, I am. Nothing to worry about. It’s only a scratch.” I assured him. He didn’t answer. He fell back, spitting up blood. Liz and Patti turned back into their human forms.

“Hey Kiyoko.” Liz greeted me.

“Good afternoon, Liz, Patti.” I said. Professor Stein rolled over in his chair, smoking a cigarette.

“What happened to him?” Stein asked.

“Not much, it’s just a little cut.” Liz answered. That’s what it was. I could see it now. Through the battle, Kid had been too occupied to notice such a tiny discrepancy.

“What got cut?”

“I think I might have an idea of what it was. I’m pretty sure it happened during Soul’s last attack on Kid. I think Kid got a little hair cut off from his bangs. After the explosion happened and everything died down, Kid finally noticed that the one side of his bangs was shorter than the other. The symmetry was off.” Maka explained.

I tried to suppress my giggle. Oh, Kid. I knelt beside him and dug through my bag. I pulled out my pencil case. Unzipping it, I took out a pair of scissors and a ruler. A three centimeter difference. It took only a moment to fix his hair.

“All better.” I said. Kid was still out of it. Liz carried him on her back. Lord Death made a surprise appearance to take Kid home. I took this opportunity to head inside.

“Hey, hold on.” It was Soul who’d followed me. I turned him. He seemed fairly unharmed from the fight.

“Yes?” I asked. I couldn’t figure out a reason he could need to speak to me. He didn’t even know who I was.

“Sorry about the cut. I wasn’t aiming to hurt you.” Soul apologized. I smiled at him. These people were so kind here.

“It’s alright. No harm done.” I replied. “You wouldn’t happen to know the way to the library?”

“Follow me,” Soul walked beside me in silence for a moment. He wanted to ask me something. I could see it in his soul. “So what’s your name? And how do you know Kid?”

“I’m Kiyoko. I met Kid during my interview. I’m the help for the library.” I replied. Soul locked his hands behind his head, thinking. I’d confused him. He stopped outside of the open library door. “Thank you for showing me here.”

“No problem. I’ll see you around?” Soul asked. I nodded.

With that, Soul left. The library was completely empty. On the counter was a note with my name on it, asking me to begin reading certain books, and to organize groups of others. Stacks of books were all around and on many other levels as well. This would be good place for me.

Lord Death had given me a specific mission to accomplish. Here, I could carry it out efficiently and without much interference from the students. Only a handful of people knew who I was and I was told it was safer this way. My soul was important, though I couldn’t see how. I’m not special, or talented. I could feel a bond though, between me and this place. This was home for me now. Me and my pure soul.