His Name Was…

She pressed the silver pistol to the left side of his head, eyes narrowed slightly, smile stretched upon her lips. The kind of smile when you know you have nothing, but it doesn't matter anyway. The gun seemed to resonate with the same emotions on the one before him.

"Give me your money, kid."

Kid. Funny. He thought somberly as he stared at the long haired woman before him. She didn't know his name, and yet, she knew his name. Why had he been named 'Kid' anyway? A current absolution his father couldn't see past. He was Death. The kid. And he would always be death, the kid. No matter how old he got. He would be little master. He would be young death. He would be the 'kid'. "Money?"

"Don't play with me." She growled.

Her hair was perfectly straight, but the cigarette in her mouth was throwing off the symmetry of her face. He plucked it out.

She blinked. "Do you want to die?" Her voice was harsh, but the smile never blithely faded.

"Sometimes." He said simply. He could feel the soul of her pistol resonating next to him. He could feel a lot of things. And yet…nothing. What would it be like to fall into the pit of death? Would it have a taste?

"I'll kill you." She threatened.

"You can try." He knocked her far away from him before her finger even had a chance to apply pressure to the trigger. She plopped to the ground forcefully, kicking up dust and garbage. As the dust slowly settled her could discern her face split into a wide grin, cheeks smudged with dirt, pupils dilated. "You're pretty strong, kid."

"Hn."

He lost track of things for awhile then. It became a blur of bullets, punches, kicks, and swear words. It became a smear of a fight he wasn't all that interested in having. If anything, the way they fought was interesting, two girls shifting in and out from weapon to human. Blasts and hits, and the occasional splatter of blood. Just a fight that didn't matter. Not in the scheme of things.

The two girls collapsed onto the floor. Easily two feet away from each other. The shorter one, though badly beat, was laughing happily. The taller one, also badly beat, was smiling slightly. How odd they were.

He made his way slowly to the younger one. Her hair was out of place. It wasn't symmetrical. Leaning closer, he reached his hand for the stray hair, but instead felt the hand of the older one push his own away. "I won't let you hurt Patty."

"I wasn't going to." He said calmly. "Her hair was out of place." He frowned. Why did she care? Why did she care about the other one? He looked at the two girls, surprised at the likeness and difference. They were related in some way. The way her eyes stared him down in defiance. She would die for the girl.

Her brow furrowed. "Who are you?"

Death the kid.

Just a kid.

Little Master.

Little death.

"Death the kid."

The shorter one giggled. "Death the kid? Funny."

"You're not human are you?" The elder one asked.

"No." He paused. "I'm the son of shinigami."

"I see." Her eyes scanned him. "Are you going to kill us?"

Death.

Death the kid.

Just a kid.

Not a name. But death the kid.

"Why would I?"

"Isn't that what Gods do?" She closed her eyes. "Don't hurt Patty."

He looked behind the kneeling tall figure at the younger child. Patty. She was still smiling; she was sad obviously, but there was a smile there. Bliss. What induced bliss? What created such feelings of contentment? He wondered what they were going through. He wondered about human life in general.

Did it really matter if he was undergoing an identity crisis when people were suffering?

Kishin. Souls. Witches. All these issues plaguing the world. Tribulations. Errors. Pleas for aid.

Death the kid.

Just a kid.

"Oneesan?" Patty chimed in worry. "What—"

"It's nothing." She said gravely.

Just a kid.

Little god.

Just a kid.

"How can you be a god," Patty asked, "when you're a child?"

Child.

Kid.

Young.

God?

How could he be a god? What made a god anyway? What made him…what made anything…?

Death the kid.

"You are young aren't you?" The other one asked.

"So are you."

"We have to look after each other." Liz shifted closer to Patty seemingly subconsciously.

"Why?" He asked.

"We're sisters. We have to care for each other." Patty explained, she too shifting closer as if to protect the elder sister.

"But not everyone else? Instead you rob the others."

The older one stood. "We can't let them take advantage. We have to strike first."

"Strike first, hunh?"

Death the kid.

Just a kid.

"We can't act like children. We have to look out for each other."

"Is taking drugs looking after each other?"

Her cheeks flushed. "I…"

Just a kid.

Was he just a kid? Would he always be just a kid? He dug his hands in his pockets.

"What are you just standing there for?" The taller one asked in annoyance. "Are you going to do something or not?"

A god didn't have to make his own weapons, a god could use the ones forged by others. A god could rule if he wanted to. A god didn't have to do anything, but watch and command. A god could do more – if he wanted. His father fought the most dangerous threats – or he used to back when there were some. A god was born into an easy path. All one had to do was train some.

If he wanted.

Death the kid…Just a kid.

"Just go." He murmured turning his back to them. "I don't have time for you."

"C'mon, Patty."

"Liz…" The girl whined. "What about him?"

He walked forward kicking a pebble across the landscape.

"What about him?" Liz questioned.

"He looks lonely."

Lonely. A lonely kid. An identity crisis. What right did he have? How was he a god…? Was he a god? Did it matter?

"Hey, god." Patty sang.

"Patty." Liz hissed in warning.

He ignored her.

"God?" She tried again. He felt her hand on his shoulder. He edged away sharply turning to look her straight in the eye. She was grinning brightly, eyes twinkling. "I'm Patty!"

He blinked.

"Can I call you Kid?" She asked happily. "Death the Kid just sounds so…labely."

Liz sighed. "What she means is Death the Kid sounds more like what you are right now, instead of a name. I'm Liz by the way."

Kid? "I…"

Death the Kid.

Just a kid.

Little god.

More than that.

Less than that.

Kid.

Just Kid.

His name…Kid. Kid.

"What's a god do anyway?" Patty asked happily.

"I…"

"What do you do?" she continued.

He hesitated. "Not much."

"Selfish isn't it?" Liz teased. "Some god."

Whatever happened to their fear? "Kid, hunh?" He looked them over calmly.

"Don't gods have weapons?" Liz asked warily.

"I don't want to use them."

"Why?" Patty asked.

Death the kid. "I don't want to be like everyone else." Like my father. I'm not my father.

"You don't have to be, I guess." Liz smiled. "Kid, just because you're called Death the Kid, doesn't mean you're a mini version of death."

Death the kid. "My name is Kid." He said out loud. "Kid."

The two girls stared at him in confusion, but smiles wide. How could they be so happy when…?

We have to look out for each other.

"Would you two…" He paused. "How would you two feel if I asked you to be my weapons?"

Patty and Liz blinked simultaneously. "What?"

Such beautiful symmetry.

The epitome of aesthetics.

Liz faltered. "W-w-why?"

"Sure!" Patty sang.

"Patty!" Liz complained.

"It'll be fun." Patty reasoned.

"You can't—" Liz began before being promptly cut off by Patty again. "Can you use both of us at the same time?" Patty asked enthusiastically. "I've never been fired alongside with Liz!" She tapped a finger thoughtfully on the side of her head. "We're usually wielding each other."

"I did have the intention of wielding you both simultaneously." Kid said thoughtfully.

"What fun!"

Liz's eyebrow seemed to be twitching. "We have not agreed."

"Yes we have." Patty smiled.

"No, we haven't."

"Yes. We have."

"No. We haven't."

He looked at Liz, the boss of the two of them he figured, "You won't have to live on the streets anymore. You can live at my house. Use the money. It'll make things easier for you." He paused. "Only if you want, though."

Liz looked at the smiling younger girl. "You would do that?"

Kid. His name was Kid.

Not Death the kid. Kid. "Yes."

"Why?"

"The two of you makes for perfect symmetry. And…" He looked between the both of them. "I want to be different. I don't want to be Death the Kid." He hesitated. "I'd like to be Kid."

Liz smiled. "Alright. Kid. We accept."

"You're going to have to change your clothes."

She scowled. "What?"

"You two aren't symmetrical right now."

Liz huffed. "What is it with you and that word?"

Patty grinned. "Kid. Kid. Kid. Kid." She looked at her sister. "We should wear matching hats."

"No." Liz said.

"Yes!" Kid agreed contentedly.

"Oh, brother." Liz grumbled.

Kid.

Not Death the kid. Kid.

His name was Kid.

A/N: I started watching this anime two days ago, and fell so madly in love with it that I started reading the manga. I finished all the chapters they had up to this point today. . It's just amazing. Hope this does Soul Eater justice!