Hey everyone this is my first Soul Eater fanfic every since I literally just started and finished the anime in the past week. I've read the manga yet but I'm working on it... anyway I couldn't resist the plot bunnies that made there home in my head after the final episode so i decided to continue it with my own personal twists... I hope you all enjoy! This first chapter is mostly in line with the anime but I promise it will change. OKay enoguh talking on to the story
Disclaimer- Soul Eater and the characters in the show do not belong to me
Courage vs. Madness
Maka's POV
In unison Maka and Soul's eyes open, returning together from Soul's mind.
"We made it back" Maka says softly to her partner, sounding a bit shocked as she moved back from him into an upright position, arm still resting on his chest.
"Yeah thanks to you" Soul replies with smirk, sitting up. The two stand and look around the the red sphere the Kishan created.
"Where did Kid and Blackstar go?" The Scythe Meister of the group asks when suddenly she mouth falls open, eyes widening in shock. "Kid!" She exclaims seeing Lord Death's son hopefully just unconscious, draped over a pile of rubble, his weapons in human form and unmoving beside him.
"Blackstar!" Soul says moments later, the blue haired boy and his weapon also unmoving, the former half embedded into a stone block.
"There's no reason to be surprised, as expected I am the one still standing, and they are the one that fell before me like insects." Both Maka and Soul turn to the Kishin and glare as he continues talking. "You are fools if you expected any other outcome then this. Welcome to harsh reality children. There are no surprises here and no uncertainty. Also," Asura continues a demonic grin spreading across his face. "there is no fear" Without a word Maka and Soul extend their arms to each other, both glaring hatefully at Asura the entire time until their hands clasp, Soul's body morphing into his weapon form ,glowing blue, within Maka's hand. Maka lifts up her weapon, twirling it above her head, the scythe, Soul, still glowing blue until she stops, swinging it down in front of her, the red and black blade forming as the light fades.
"Kishan Asura, I hope you're ready, You're soul is mine!" Maka shouts determination shining in her green eyes.
"You're a persistent one aren't you? Returning to sanity after be devoured by the black blood." Asura says. "What's wrong, you're trembling" he remarks, Maka hands shaking as he had stated. "Are you afraid? Oh yes I think you're terrified." Asura smiles, Maka's trembling increasing. "Everything wrong in this world is rooted in fear. Frustration, failure, betrayal, anger, tragedy, and of course utter defeat." He says with a knowing smirk.
"Stop talking." Maka orders, hands still shaking.
"You don't have to hide it," Asura says laughing. "Poor girl, "
"Shut up!" Maka shouts, lifting her head a bit.
"Yelling won't get you anywhere, I'm not afraid of you. But you are very afraid of me indeed. Thanks to that I'll win this battle easily."
"Say whatever you want." Maka says, her hands tightening on Soul's handle, the trembling disappearing. "It won't change anything."
"She isn't shaking now." Soul remarks from within the scythe. "She's ready to face him" he finishes with a half smirk.
"I am going to fight you." The female Meister says, lifting her weapon to a striking position. "And I'll win" She says with determination, ignoring Asura's smirk of contempt.
"Let's do this" Soul says, face flashing across the red and black patterned blade.
"Let's go Soul Resonance!" Meister and Weapon shout together, synchronizing their soul wavelengths to farther their individual power. The blade of the Scythe extends, taking on the shape of Genie Hunter and Maka wastes no time in charging forward with a building yell.
"The Kishan hasn't made a move yet, find your chance and hit him hard!" Soul advises from within the scythe as Maka jumps up, preparing to strike. Before she gets close enough to attack one of Asura's long scarves lashes out at her and grabs the girl by the neck, whipping her down into the ground.
"You're so weak" Asura says distastefully as dust springs up around Maka, cracks forming all over the stone surrounding her. "My final opponent and you're nothing more than a pathetic little girl, what a shame" The Kishan says degradingly.
"Maka, get up now!" Soul shouts from within the scythe before Asura continues.
"Your little friends were so much stronger than you and look how they ended up" Asura says, gesturing to the knocked out DWMA students.
"Move Maka!" Soul orders causing Maka's fingers to twitch around the silver handle of her scythe before her fingers tighten around it.
"Huh?" Asura says shocked. Soul's form shifts into Genie Hunter as Maka begins to stumble up to her feet. "You're getting up? I think I prefer you on the ground." Mak doesn't answer getting one foot planting on the ground. "That position suits a little weakling like you but I can kill you standing too" He says mockingly, a taunting smirk on his face.
"Can you make it?" Soul asks concerned as Maka gets her other foot on the ground, straightening up.
"Of course I can, lets go!" Maka replies without hesitation, turning and charging, knowing that if the battle lasted too long she was sure to lose. She had to find an opening soon. She swings the glowing scythe forward twice, getting past Asura. She turns quickly on her heel and uses the blunt end of her weapon to strike. "Only one thing will work" Maka thinks Soul picking up her thoughts as she still struck out at Asura.
"She's right, we can only use one technique and that's..." Soul says aloud to himself as Maka swings in a downward arc, Genie Hunter leaving a deep gash in the stone where Asura was standing seconds before. The Kishin lands in a crouch, hunched over so his hands nearly touched the ground as Maka lifts the scythe slowly, eyes narrowing with determination.
"Genie Hunter" Maka finishes for Soul. Together they boost the resonance between their Souls, a blue aura surrounding them.
"Here she comes" Asura mutters softly to himself, his face now serious. Maka's voice rises, air beginning to swirl around her, blowing the strips of cloth covering the Kishan around behind him. The wind rouses the other Meisters and Weapons into reality once more, their bodies still immobilized from the heavy damage they took earlier, all their strength used to watch Maka and Soul.
"Now is our chance"
"This is it Maka, let's GOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Soul shouts, the blade of the scythe changing form once more, a shining rainbow color.
"What is that?" Death the Kid thinks to himself, him and the other students staring at it in shock. "I've never heard or seen anything like it!" Maka wastes no time and charges forward with her new technique. Asura straightens as Maka jumps up, swinging her blade down upon him.
"KISHAN HUNTER!" Maka shouts, her voice echoing within the small enclosed space as the blade comes in contact with Asura's shoulder, a mini shock wave resulting. Maka pushes down on her weapon, the rainbow blade slowly sinking into the Kishan's flesh.
"A move that targets evil" Asura says, completely unfazed. He looks up at Maka slowly, still speaking. "But let me ask you one thing... am I truly evil?" Maka gasps in response, surprised at such a thought. "If you think I am you're wrong. " He says placing his hand on the rainbow blade, dark energy sparking forth from his fingertips, traveling along the entire weapon, shattering the power.
"Maka!" The others shout mentally, Blackstar attempting to move from his embedded spot in the wall but failing as Maka is sent flying backwards, Soul flying from her hand, clattering to the ground along with his Meister.
"The Madness within me that frightens you so much isn't evil." Asura says as his wound mends itself, skin grafting together seamlessly. "It's normal, everyone in this world has a trace of insanity resting within them, even you. Madness makes no exceptions." The Kishin says, flexing his hand, a smile on his face. Maka sits up with a groan, her body lurching forward and she glares at him.
"Screw you" She says definitely, earning a grin from the twisted being.
"What a foul mouth, I'll have to punish you for that." He replies, opening his mouth, his old weapon partner sliding up from his throat. The weapon crackles with red energy and shoots a beam of red and black energy from it straight at Maka. The other students stare in horror, cursing their immobile bodies. Maka closes her eyes, bowing her head, knowing she couldn't dodge in time. A huge blast goes off, red smoke filling the air.
"Maka...no" Tsubaki thinks, weakly trying to move, her and everyone else watching in fear. "Th-there's no way..."
"A sweet gesture but how futile," Asura says as the smoke begins to clear. Within it Maka shakes, her eyes opening and widening in horror.
"Soul" she gasps out, looking up at the white haired boy that had shielded her from the blast, arms outstretched.
"Are you okay?" he asks before falling forward, Maka catching him as he hits the ground with a thump.
"Soul!" she says in despair as he collapses unconscious into her lap.
"No, how will she fight now?" Kid wonders, watching them, wishing he could just move like all the others were, not even a finger twitching at his command.
"They all sacrificed themselves for you but in the end is that truly a kindness? They've only moved the responsibility onto your shoulders, they've left you the fear of failure" Asura says, staring at her hunched over Soul
"Just shut the hell up" Maka replies, anger barely concealed within her voice.
"But that isn't all is it? There's the fear of death too."
"I thought told you to shut the hell up!" Maka says as she gently lay Soul's head on the ground and stood, jumping forward.
"The fear of loneliness, we can't forget that" The Kishan continues, facial expression not wavering in the slightest. "And also," He says, a stripe of clothing launching forward and uppercutting Maka in the jaw, another meeting her as she rose, hitting her head and sending her back to the ground. "The fear of pain" he says calmly as she hits the ground. Hard. "A primitive fear alright but a cruel one none the less" He says, the cloth curling back to his side, formed into fists. "Besides," he continues, face twisting into a smile once more "its effective enough for someone like you, a weak little human" he says condescendingly as Maka lay in pain in a small crater formed from the impact of her fall.
"Come on Maka, get up already!" Blackstar shouts at her mentally, just managing to curl his fingers into a fist.
"Yes" Maka says weakly catching Asura by surprise as she struggles to her feet. "I am a weak human but this pain, I've felt worse than this before, much, much worse than this! This pain in nothing!" She exclaims standing up straight "
"Let's see how much pain you can handle then. You can dodge this but if you do you're friend will die" Asura says, summoning forth his weapon again, a red beam shooting forth once more. Maka doesn't move, outstretching her arms like Soul had done fore her.
"Just block it out Maka, forget the pain." The girl thinks to herself, blocking out the feelings of her body, going into her mind as the blast hits. Smoke billows up once more but soon clears, Maka falling back, eyes shut.
"No it can't be" Kid thinks, his fingers just barely clenching, eyes narrowed as he peered at her. "Maka..."
"That should finish it" Asura says satisfied, turning away from her. A loud Shiiiiiiing sounds out causing the Kishin to look back at his 'defeated' opponent. Maka stands there once more. " Back up on your feet again huh? Well that won't last long" he says, a fist forming from the cloth and racing back to punch her. It is deflected by an invisible force. Asura looks back, shock clear on his face, his calm expression finally compromised. "What the? Impossible! What magic is this?" He says, turning to face her once more."What did you do?!" he shouts, sending all the cloth racing toward her. It is deflected without a problem and Maka charges once more, head bowed. Two blades form, pointed forward at the Kishin.
"Wait Maka's a weapon as well? How dare she try and steal my spotlight!" Blackstar thinks, once again attempting, and failing, to move himself forward.
"I see so that's what it is!" Asura says, thrusting his hand forward to form a red shield that blocks Maka's glowing blue blades. "This girl is a weapon! No it's something else, shes a Meister alright but she also has weapon blood" The Kishin states, summoning his weapon forward once more and sending consecutive red orbs attacks at Maka, more red clouds coming up. "Why did the weapon not awaken until now?" Without waiting for the smoke to clear Maka charges again, a blade formed on each forearm and she attacks with precision. Asura dodges the first two attacks but is hit by the third as Mak lands in front of him,swinging her leg up, a blade forming and slashing his chest. Black blood bursts forth and Asura glares at her trying to understand this new development and her lack of fear, her friends doing the same. A curved blade grows from female Meister's back, wrapping behind Asura to trap him. Two long blades sprout from her shoulder blades aimed at Asura who uses the curved blade to backbend up and out of the way getting his first look at her face. Her green eyes were wide open but empty, no emotions. "Oh now I get it, shes remaining unconscious so she won't feel fear, she summons the weapons without knowing it" Asura muses as the weapons fade off of Maka as she unconsciously prepares her next assault, blades forming on her forearms once more. Asura smirks confidently, unfazed as Maka jumps up above him, sending a red blast at her which she deflects. However it gave the Keishin the advantage he needed, he appears behind her "Come here girl" He says causing her to face him, his hand clasping around her neck. He proceeds to slam her into the ground once more, pinning her there with one arm.
"Come on Maka, get up you can do it" Tsubaki silently cheers, eyes filled with worry.
"Now I got'cha" Asura says, his statement punctuated with blades sprouting all over Maka's body, burying themselves in the Kishan's body. Asura's smile never wavers, blood trickling down the blades. "Go on a stab me, I'm not afraid of pain, not at all. What about you?" The Kishin asks, black blood dripping onto Maka's face. Using his free hand Asura squeezes Maka's side, breaking skin. "Time to wake up" he says evilly, Maka suddenly screaming in pain, the blades shattering as she screams again, Asura still talking calmly. "Fighting while your mind sleeps, that's not fair." Maka's screams continue to ring out, her friends cringing at the sound of pure pain radiating from them. "There we go, that's much better" Maka stops screaming, staring up at the Kishin soundlessly. "That suffocating feeling you have now, that fear." Asura lifts up his hand, still clamped around Maka's throat, forcing her to look at him. "You can let go now,that's enough. Let the madness carry you away and you'll be free from all fear and pain. Let go and everything you feel now will evaporate, there's nothing more you can do here. Your friends have fallen, your big move failed. There's no point in continuing now, everything you've done was for nothing."
"Don't listen to him Maka" Soul groans weakly, crimson eyes straining to open but his voice is too weak to reach her.
"You have no partner to stand beside you, your body is weak, bruised, and beaten." Asura continues, dust swirling around the two. "There's nothing you can do now to defeat me, you have nothing left."
"I have nothing left" Maka mimics, her voice a whisper. The Kishin smiles, lifting her higher.
"Yes that's right, you have nothing, nothing at all."
"Then I'll be alright then" The broken girl says causing Asura's eyes to widen in confusion.
"Huh, what? What did you say?" Asura questions. Maka doesn't answer, lifting her arm so her hand clamped around his wrist where he held her throat. She tilts her head forward, green eyes staring into madness filled ones.
"Didn't you hear me? I said it's going to be alright." She says unwavering, farther confusing Asura who throws her skidding back.
"What?! No it won't! All right?" Asura screams, hands on his head as if in pain. Maka ignores his screams.
"The Genie Hunter isn't what I need to defeat you" Maka says confidently, causing Asura to stop, staring at her in shock. From where he lay Soul smiles.
"There you go Maka" Soul thinks to himself, smirking. "That's the Maka I know"
"I went along with what the teachers said, I thought that move was my only hope," Maka says straightening up a bit, a ghost of a smile on her face. "They were wrong, that move isn't my greatest strength, not at all.
"What are you saying? You little fool"
"Maka isn't the fool you jackass" Blackstar says, trying again to move, a smug smile on his face as Asura turns to face him. "Don't you get it yet? Maka may not be a great star like I am" The blue haired Meister says, slowly moving his hand to point at himself. "But shes got something amazing alright"
"Maka's strength," Kid begins, placing his hand on the ground and lifting his head up a few centimeters. "it isn't some special ability, its more" He says, hand slipping back to its original position as his strength gives out.
"It's something that can beat fear" Soul says from where he lie, his voice gaining some strength. Maka's eyes narrow in determination.
"It's bravery" The three males say in unison, Kid and Blackstar's weapons smiling in agreement.
"That's all bravery?" Asura asks shocked, sweat dripping down his face. "I don't understand you people" He says trembling slightly, fear written all over his face. "You but faith in something as fragile as one girl's bravery?" He says, voice losing it's composure as Maka glares at him, not a shred of fear evident on her face, only determination. "Stop it don't look at me like that! How can you be some calm at a time like this?! What's happening, who the hell are you?!"
"I'm academy student Maka Albarn, one star scythe Meister" Maka replies, voice strong and steady.
"Not what I meant!" Asura yells in response, stomping his foot. "I'm not asking you your name! You're standing there so calmly, that's not normal what are you?!" He shouts, pointing at her.
"I'm just me" Maka replies, her composure calm and collected. "Nothing more and nothing less"
"She's making me nervous" Asura says aloud to himself, clenching his fist, still shaking. "But I don't understand why that is, I'm so confused. It's like the feeling you get when you wake up from a bad dream you can't remember" Asura shakes more, a smile stretching across his face, completely mirthless. "I've had enoguh of this, you have to die now, I'm going to kill all of you! I don't have any other choice!" He screams, madness clear in his face. He summons forth his old weapon partner again.
"Shaja'at" Maka says softly, pausing the Kishin.
"What?" He asks prepared to strike. "What is that?"
"A postcard with a message" Maka says looking down at the postcard from her mother, folded and resting in her palm. She clenches her fist around it tightly. "But that doesn't matter" She says looking back up to Asura. "It's none of your business" she says to the hunched over Kishin.
"None of my business?! How can you talk to me like that?! You insolent, oh no whatever you're doing stop" he says shaking.
"No, I won't" Maka replies without a shred of remorse. "I've come to far to stop now, if I gave up how could I face the people who have stood by me, supported me for so long? They're the reason I'm here, they lent me their courage." Maka says, her fellow students silently supporting her, glaring at the Kishin, Soul smirking at her words. "Now it's time to use my own, its time for me to be brave for them!"
"That's ridiculous!" Asura says, listing forward. "You don't know what you're talking about!" He yells, insanity leaking through his words.
"Bravery is my armor" Maka says lifting her clenched fist. "And this is my weapon"
"Fool! You really think that pitiful little fist will hurt me? You'll accomplish nothing! Why can't you see how useless it is to try?! You should have given this fight up a long time ago! I don't understand anything that's going on!" He says pausing. "I don't get it..." The weapon slips from his mouth, clattering to the ground. "Why do you have so much faith in her? She's weak, she isn't special! She's nothing more than a human!" The Kishin shouts, Maka clenching her fist. "What is bravery?!" he says, shaking before he suddenly screams as if in pain.
"Kishin are you ready?! I'm coming!" Maka shouts, charging forward.
"Go away!" Asura screams bringing his fists to the ground from there former spot of clutching his head, stone walls raising from the ground. Maka is forced to stop, the ground raising up underneath her at a slant. "What's the point in destroying me?!" Asura aska as Maka tumbles backwards until her feet get under her once more and shes charges up at him. "Madness won't disappear just because I'm gone, another one will take my place! There will be a new Kishin, a heir to my madness" Asura shouts, using his strips of cloth to attack the girl charging at him. Maka skillful avoids most of the attacks, a few grazing her and leaving small trails of blood. "He will rain madness upon the wills of humans! That's the way this world will always be, why can't you see your struggle is worthless?!" The Kishin shouts, the white cloth closing in to try and keep Maka away from him.
"I don't care!" Maka shouts, turning her shoulders in to make herself smaller as she darts in between the white walls.
"Stay away!" Asura shouts, flailing backwards to try and evade her.
"I will defeat you!" Maka shouts planting her forefoot and swinging her fist forward with all her might, her gloved hand colliding with the Kishin's face. Asura skids back a few feet, letting out a twisted laugh and smile when he lands on his feet.
"You didn't even scratch me! Your fist wasn't enough after you fool. There's no way a weak, talent less little human like you could beat me. You didn't stand a chance" Asura says as Maka stands glaring at him until suddenly a crack appears in his face, soon followed by another and another, a brilliant blue light breaking through. Shaking the Kishin brings his hands to each side of his head, a horrified look on his face. "What is this? You just punched me, your fist isn't a weapon, its nothing special!"
"Exactly, bravery isn't special but that means everybody has it"
"Everybody huh? Then it's just like madness" Asura says calming before he is enveloped in a blue light, spreading rapidly outward and enveloping Maka as well, obscuring them both from view as the stone wall crumbles. The light soon fades, blue human souls released from their prison within the Kishin, floating up to the heavens at last, the red and black cloud of madness dissipating as well. Maka stands on a pillar of stone, an arm wrapped around her midsection watching the show above the others.
"You did it Maka" Soul says with his signature smirk, sitting up and looking at her. "You really are amazing, coolest partner ever"
"The sky's so pretty now!" Patti yells standing on a piece of rubble, Blackstar beside her. Everyone's strength seemed to have mostly returned since Maka took out the Kishin.
"We done, we defeated the Kishin and the bad weather! How about that?!" Blackstar shouts giving a thumbs up.
"Ha! We win, we win the sky's blue!" Patty yells. Her and Blackstar keep yelling and gloating as Kid walks over to Soul.
"I surpassed God and..." Blackstar countiues to shout in the background.
"Are you okay Soul?" The son of Lord Death asks, drawing the white haired weapon's attention away from the two yelling teens.
"Well we finally did it" Tsubaki says with a smile, preventing Soul from answering
"But there's still a lot of work ahead of us" Liz replies, her arms folded behind her head.
"Yeah like rebuilding Death City and repairing the Academy" says Tsubaki with a small shrug. Liz lets out a sigh, her hands coming to rest on her hips.
"Well at least we can celebrate that the Kishin is gone now" She says with a smile.
"We can't be too happy" Kid responds, the other three around him looking in shock. "People still inhabit this world" he continues, Patti running up behind her sister, hands on the older Thomson's shoulder and Blackstar jumps down, landing next to his partner. "There will always be more evil to face. We were able to scrape through this time because of Maka but sooner or later another Kishin will rise up"
"It'll be okay" Maka says in response, her gaze not straying "When another Kishin does rise we'll be there to face it" she says swaying slightly.
"Hey Maka are you alright?" Soul asks concerned, looking up at his partner, wondering why she hadn't joined them.
"I'm fine Soul..." Maka says before she suddenly lists sideways, falling off the pedestal and onto the ground.
"Maka!"
Well I hope you all liked it so far, more deviation and plot twists will occur in the next chapter, this was just the part from the anime so far as I said before. Next chapter will hopefully be out soon but if you guys give me some feedback it will likely be quicker! *nudge nudge wink wink* So please...
REVIEW
~Lakeshine