A/N: HEEYEYEYEYYEYEYEYYEY EVERYONENENENEN! I HAVE A LOT OF ENERGY AT THE MOMENT! YOU PROBABLY CAN TELL FROM MY AWESOOMME TYPING SKILLS! I REALLY HOPE YOU GUYS LIKE THIS NEXT PART AND ITS REALLY LONG TWO SOOSOSOSOOSOSOS TYYEhjfwefh YEAHHHH!

PEACE OUT WEEBS! I LOVE YOU!

Mari woke up completely after slipping in and out of sleep. She sat up, the scars on her back stretching a little, little jolts of pain leaping down her back. She sighed and rubbed her eyes. She saw a not on the table next to the couch and picked it up.

Kidd's neat handwriting met her eyes, and she smiled at the way his Ms looked. She stopped for a second, thinking about the simple thing. He had probably written that one small letter so many times on the past eight years, and she had not been there to smile at the way that it had grown and changed.

She held her neck with one hand and read the note.

Mari. I had to leave before you woke up to send some of the invitations. I just wanted you to know, and also, Maka and Soul should be at the house while I'm gone. Tell them if you need anything.

~Kidd

She smiled and read the note again, just to look at his handwriting. She put it down and looked at the door as someone nock on it.

"Mari...? You awake?" Maka's voice said and Mari turned to see Maka peeking in. "Mari!" she said, her face lighting up.

Her hair had gotten a lot longer, no longer flat chested. She had a new scar on her arm that hadn't been there eight years ago. Then again, it had been eight years. Maka had told Mari that her and Soul had graduated and he had become a death scythe. Mari still couldn't believe it.

"Mari?" Maka said, waving a hand in front of Mari's face, causing her to jump.

"I-I'm sorry!" Mari said.

Maka laughed a little, hugging Mari. "I'm glad you're back, Mari." Maka let go of her and looked at the table, quickly reading Kidd's note. "Kidd had been a lot better ever since we found you. But still. He's a little... different." She leaned back, Mari turning to face her.

"How is he different?" Mari had noticed it, but she wanted to make sure she hadn't just been imagining it.

Maka looked at Mari for a second. "Well..." she said, her hands moving nervously. "He seems a little broken." She said.

Mari looked at the ground, nodding a little. Her lip wobbled a little as she thought about it. "It's all my fault..." she said.

Maka saw Mari shaking and grabbed her gently. "Mari, it's not. Nobody knew that Arachne would-" she stopped as Mari's breathing went ragged. She bit her lip. "Mari... I didn't mean to..." she pulled her into a hug, her arms wrapping around Mari.

Mari closed her eyes, images flashing. Arachne holding the Medusa snake, her laughing hysterically as she watched Mari's deformed body grow and change.

Mari finally calmed down and she stayed in Maka's arms. "Hey." Maka said. She propped Mari up. "Let's do something fun today... outside of the house."

"Kidd's gonna kill me... and you and Soul." Mari said, laughing a little, her hands shaking a bit.

Maka waved her hand. "I could so take him in a fight." She thought for a second. "Let's go kill some keshins! We can get you closer to becoming a death scythe!"

Mari's face was blank for a second, not having thought about becoming a death scythe for a while. "I'm not sure..." Mari said.

"Come on! Soul and I need the exercise anyway. We can kill some for you. I'll even send a message to Lord Death and tell him that you might use your magic." Maka said, standing and holding out her hand.

Mari nodded, taking Maka's hand. "I can't really stand much yet though." Mari said, biting her lip.

"No problem!" she said, her smiling intoxicating. She bent down and pulled Mari onto her back. Mari made a noise of protest as Maka started walking.

"I-I don't want to be a bother!" Mari said, grabbing onto Maka before she could fall.

Maka started walking down the stairs. "Mari, why would you be a bother? You weigh less than a feather!" Maka walked into the living room.

Soul looked up from the TV, his expression showing that he knew they were going to do something stupid. He stood and sighed. "I'll send a message to Lord Death about the magic and all." He grumbled, not about to hide the smile on his face.

They decided to walk through Death City a little, waiting for Maka to sense some sort of keshin. Mari had her boots on with her sweater and a big hat blocking out most of the sun. Soul was carrying her now and she had an ice cream.

Maka was walking next to Soul and she looked over at him. "I can take Mari if you want." She said.

"Sure." He said, his ice cream dripping all over his hand. He set Mari down gently.

Mari cheeks were hot from the head, her skin a little pink. Her legs were shaking as Maka picked her up. Mari slumped a little on Maka and the other girl looked up at her.

"You okay, Mari?" Soul asked.

"We can go back, if you want..." Maka said.

"No, no. I'm okay." Mari said, smiling. "Just a little hot."

"Okay. We'll go find a keshin in the shade." Maka said. They started walking to the edge of Death City, the woods right outside of the great walls full of keshins. The walked into them and Mari sighed as the shade hit her face.

"Kidd's gonna so kill us..." Soul said, watching the path for keshins. The trees weren't that thick, perfect for fighting, but it was clear that the keshins had done that so they could have room to kill any humans.

"I'm starting to think that too..." Maka said.

There was a hiss in a dark shadow across from them and an odd looking person walked out of the trees. It had long claws and glowing red eyes.

"Maka!" Soul said. "Why do you always wait until it's right in front of us!?" he backed up and his form started glowing as he began to turn into a scythe.

"Can I put you here?" Maka asked. Mari nodded and Maka set Mari down at the base of a tree. "How's that?" Maka asked.

"Good." Mari said, watching the keshin get closer to them.

"Maka!" Soul said and fully transformed into a scythe. His colors were different now, Mari noticed as Maka caught him. They were white, gold and blue now, no longer red and black.

The keshin was killed in one blow and Mari clapped a little. "Maka!" Soul said and Maka turned and brought down another keshin by Mari. "Kidd is gonna kill us... we're so dead... dead..." Soul said as a bunch of keshin began to bear down on the three. Mari held her hands above her head as Maka killed all of them.

"Mari, they're all gone." Maka said, bending down next to Mari, holding Soul. Mari opened her eyes and her mouth dropped open as she saw all the keshin eggs. "How many keshin eggs have you already eaten?" Maka asked, Soul turning back to human form and reaching to pick Mari up.

"Thirty... I think?" Mari said.

"Oh! If we keep going, we could turn you into a death scythe today~" Maka said, smiling.

Mari laughed a little. "Y-yeah..."

There was a crack behind Maka and Soul and they turned to slowly as a giant keshin bore down on them. "How...?!" Maka said, reaching for Soul, but he wasn't in weapon form.

Mari lifted her hands, her lips opening as the thing opened it's mouth, showing large teeth. Something flashed black and her witch magic flared. Maka and Soul were pushed back as something dark and shadowy appeared in front of them.

It had the form of a small child, except it's skin looked like it was made of shadow, and when it turned, it had piercing red eyes, and bright white teeth showed.

"Mari..." it said in a crackling voice.

Mari, Maka, Soul and the keshin were confused.

"That's... a demon!" Maka said. She looked at Mari. "Did you...?"

"I don't know!" Mari said, scared.

The child... thing, moved and the three turned back to it.

The keshin let out a nervous laugh. "She's a witch. It's her "animal", just like the other witches." It said in a terrible voice. "I won't mess with you." It said, turning, beginning to run away.

The small child stepped forward, little dark wings growing from it's back. It looked back at Mari. "I'll kill it for you, mommy." It said. It moved with incredible speed and was suddenly in front of the keshin which had run a little ways. It's little demonic hand flashed and they were on the other side of the keshin.

"What...?" Soul asked, watching.

The little child smiled as the keshin exploded with blood, it's pulsing heart in the child's hand. The keshin started to glow black and it's body turned into a red keshin egg.

The child started walking towards Mari, holding the keshin's heart in it's hand. "Look what I have." It said, it's glowing eyes wide open. It left burnt footsteps behind it, in front of Mari.

"Don't touch her." Maka said.

Mari reached out a little, her black eyes shaking with fear and amazement. She touched the little child's head, her fingers feeling something soft. It smiled with it's long white teeth.

"Mari... don't. It's soul is black... it isn't right." Maka said.

Mari stared into the little demon's eyes. "Like mine?" she asked, making the little child smile.

"I have to go, mommy." It said, patting Mari's cheek gently. "Just use your magic and I or someone else will come..." It's red eyes faded to dark crimson and it's body shivered and turned to dust, dissipating.

"What...?" Maka asked.

Mari was starring, confused, at the spot where the child had stood. The keshin's heart had disappeared. Mari looked up at Soul and Maka. "Wh-what just happened...?" she asked, her hands shaking a little.

"We should go soon." Maka said. "There's keshins everywhere..."

"Get the souls." Soul said. "I'll get Mari." He picked Mari up on his back as Maka started collecting the souls in one spot near Mari and Soul.

"Eat them, Mari. It'll make it easier." Maka said.

Mari's face flushed a little. "I-I take all of them! You killed most of them! I killed... one... and it was with my magic!" She said.

Maka shrugged. "Soul can't eat them. He's already a death scythe. They'll just go to waist." She lifted the first one and held it to Mari.

When all the souls were gone, they began walking out of the forest. "How many souls now, Mari?" Soul asked.

Mari didn't feel very great after eating all the souls. "Fifty... seven... I think." She said, her head lolling onto Soul's shoulder.

Maka looked worried. "Let's get you back to the house." She said.

"I'm okay." Mari said. She waved her hand in the air, trying to convince them.

"Yep." Soul said. "Kidd's gonna kill us for sure now." Mari laughed a little and Soul and Maka looked at her. "Are you okay, Mari?" Soul asked. Mari nodded, still laughing. "Why are you laughing then?" they paused as Mari tried to catch her breath, her ribs aching.

"It's just... I'm not even sure!" she started laughing again.

Soul and Maka smiled at each other. It was the first time that they had seen Mari laughing in a long, long time. "Let's keep going." Maka said, starting to laugh too.

When they got back to Death City, Mari tried to stop them. "Let's go get more ice cream!" she said, sounding like a little kid.

"Mari, it's almost dark though. Kidd's probably worried." Maka said.

Soul looked up at Mari, grinning. "Ice cream it is." He said, starting to run down one street.

"SOUL!" Maka said. She started running after them, telling them to slow down, but Mari couldn't even hear her anymore.

Soul slowed as they found the ice cream parlor. He carried her in, smiling at the nice woman behind the counter. "Back again?" she asked and Mari and Soul nodded. "Where's Ms. Maka?" she asked, scooping out the same ice cream as before.

"Can... can we get another one for Kidd?" Mari asked Soul.

He nodded. "Can we get a vanilla ice cream in a cup for her boyfriend?" he asked.

Mari blushed. "Soul!"

The woman laughed and scooped out the ice cream. "Anything else?" she asked.

The door burst open and they all turned to see a huffing Maka. "One..." she said, trying to catch her breath. "Cookies... and... cream..." she looked up. "How do you run so fast... With Mari?!" Maka asked, straightening.

The woman handed Soul the ice creams and smiled at the three. "You academy students are always funny." She said.

Maka blushed. "We... we actually graduated." She said.

"Oh?" the woman said, leaning on the counter.

"I'm a death scythe." Soul said.

"Well." The woman said, her eyes twinkling. "I graduated as a meister a few years ago." She said.

"Really?" Maka asked.

"Yes." The woman said. "How about you, Mari?" she asked.

Mari blushed a little. "I actually don't go to the academy anymore."

"Oh. I see." The woman said.

"I'm a weapon though. And I'm working on becoming a death scythe." Mari said, looking into the woman's deep brown eyes.

"Well, your soul isn't normal. And you must have been the one using magic earlier." She said.

Mari flinched. "Ye-yeah." She looked guilty.

The woman smiled and put a finger to her lips. "I won't tell."

"Now." Maka said, turning to pay. "We need to take Mari back. Or else Kidd will-"

"I'll what?" Kidd's voice said and the three turned, the woman beginning to laugh. Kidd stood in the doorway, his eyes blazing. "You were saying?"

"Hello, Kidd." The woman said.

Kidd smiled at her. "Hello Cassandra, how are you?" he asked.

"Good. Thank you." She said.

"You two know each other?" Maka asked.

Kidd turned back to her, glaring at Soul too. "Yes. She helped take care of me when I was little." He crossed his arms again. "Now. Tell me why you are out of the house."

"We may or may not have gone to hunt keshins." Mari said. "But we got you symmetrical ice cream." Mari smiled a little.

"Mari..." Kidd said, stopping himself. He slapped his face. "How many times... Will I tell you..."

"We took care of her." Soul said.

Kidd looked up at him, his eyes angry. "So it was you! You two convinced her, didn't you!"

Maka held up her hands. "Well... she's that much closer to becoming a death scythe! She had fifty-seven souls!"

Kidd opened his mouth, and then stopped. "Okay." He said. He took his ice cream and turned to the door. "But now we need to go home."

Mari sighed. "But, but, but..." Mari said.

Kidd walked over and picked her off Soul's back. "Thanks for today, Maka, Soul. I'll repay you sometime."

"Don't worry about it. We are friends with Mari, you know." Maka said, smiling. Soul laughed a little and waved.

Kidd carried Mari out on his back. "Thank you... for the ice cream." He said. Was he... blushing?

Mari kissed his cheek. "You're welcome." She said. They walked in silence for a moment. "I forgot to ask..." Mari said.

"What?" Kidd said.

She blushed a little. "When... when did you plan the wedding...?" she asked. It was July, and she had been home for three weeks. "You never told me."

Kidd blushed a little. "August eighth." He said.

"WHAT?!" Mari said. "That's in almost less than a month!"

Kidd flinched. "Y-yes... I know... but... but it had to be on August eighth!" he said.

"Why?" Mari sighed.

"Because... August eighth... it 8/8..." he said. Mari started laughing. Kidd looked up at her, his face flushed. "Wh-what is it?" he asked.

"It's just..." Mari said, laughing. She tried to catch her breath as her ribs began to ache. "You're... you're just so cute." She said.

Kidd sighed. "That's why I was making cards. I sent them today."

Mari paused. "Just... just how many people are coming...? There was a lot of cards." She said.

Kidd looked at the ground. "Just... just the academy and some close family friends-"

"WHAT!?" Mari said. She almost fell off Kidd's back. "That's a lot of people!" She said.

Kidd looked up at her. "Is that a bad thing?" he asked.

Mari sighed and calmed down. "Well... no but..."

Kidd laughed a little. "Someone doesn't like people anymore!" Kidd started laughing a little.

Mari put a hand to her face, trying to collect her thoughts. "It's not that..." she said, rubbing her forehead. "It's just-"

"They don't hate you, you know." Kidd said, looking up as he saw the Gallows Mansion. "After a few years of you being gone, everyone realized that you weren't that bad. Except..." Kidd said. He put one hand on the large iron gates of the house.

"What is it, Kidd?" Mari said, a little relieved, but still a little uncomfortable about the whole idea of that many people being at her wedding. She was still trying to believe that she was still getting to marry Kidd.

"The people who hurt you... all of them are gone." He said.

Mari's blood went cold. "What happened to them?" she asked.

He pushed open the gates and stepped in. "All of them had bad souls, and they turned into keshins." He said.

Mari looked at the ground. She didn't say anything as Kidd brought her into the house. He carried her up the stairs and brought her to her bedroom. He set her down and she looked up at him.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

He smiled down at her. "I have work." He said.

She huffed. "Since when do you have work." She said.

He chuckled. "Well," he said, running a hand through her bangs, newly cut so they weren't in her eyes. "Since I'm twenty-four." He said.

Mari blushed a little. "That's right." She said.

He leaned down and lightly kissed her, causing her to blush a little. The light flush faded as she realized she didn't have to be embarrassed. "I need to go now." He said through the kiss.

He began to straighten, his warm lips leaving hers. She moved up, catching his neck with her arms. "Mari-" he said right before he fell onto the bed.

Mari snuggled into Kidd's chest, her eyes closed. "Just stay for a little bit." She said. "If you're here, maybe I'll be able to fall asleep." She mumbled.

Kidd smiled a little and put his arms around her. "Fine. But just for a few minutes. There's lots of things that I need to do... for our wedding." He said.

Mari nodded and smiled a little. "Okay." She said, snuggling closer. She slipped off a moment later, sounds whirring in the back of her mind, one standing out above the rest; a man's voice, one that was very familiar.

'I'm Ashura.' He said, right as Mari fell asleep. 'And my soul has returned back to your mind, my dear.'