Winning more then a Toy
Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater or any of it's characters in any way shape or form
Author's note: I apologize for not updating anything for a long time a lot of things have been happening up to and including a co-worker's and friend's death. I have been extremely busy in recent months please forgive my tardiness.
To say that amusement parks were rare in Death City would be an understatement. With exception of small setups the yearly fairs and the traveling carnivals, the ones willing to cross the Nevada Desert anyway, amusement parks were few and far between. So when Death announced that one was being built in Death City, you could say a few people were excited. And when a certain green eyed Deathscythe Meister saw a poster hanging in her school's foyer with the words "free entrance to all attendees on opening day" she immediately rushed home to beg her lazy, white haired roommate/partner to come with her.
That is how Soul found himself being half dragged down the streets of Death City with Maka and their friends. It wasn't that he didn't like amusement parks, he enjoyed them particularly for the various junk food that they all sold in one form or another, but this particular one had a name that screamed uncool and it currently hung in front of him at the end of the street in bright green neon. "Death Land", a name more fitting for some terrible horror movie then a park, lit up the sky like a green sun and he mentally shuddered. He did try to get out of going but no matter what the excuse he gave it got shot down and so when the day arrived he found himself dragged out of his room, rather unceremoniously, and downstairs to find his friends waiting for them.
When Soul got inside the park he realized his worries of the uncoolness of this particular establishment were not misplaced. Death's face was plastered on practically everything from the rides to the stands. If it belonged the park the white skull of Lord Death was on it. He groaned realizing the food was probably named after him in some way ruining his appetite in the process. His inner musings were broken, shattered really, by a sharp squeal of joy next to him. He glanced over to see Maka star-eyed looking over the park in every conceivable direction excitement pouring off her like water from a fountain.
"So, what should we do first?" Maka asked whirling around to face everyone her eyes still shining with excitement.
"We should go there first!" Patty exclaimed everyone turned to see where the she was pointing and their gaze fell on a tall black building covered in cobwebs and surrounded by tall, dead trees. A spiked metal fence circled it and the creaky gate that served as the entrance had single sign hanging above it with the words "House of Fear: Created by Franken Stein" painted in blood red lettering.
"Are you crazy Patty! Knowing Stein he probably set some sort of trap inside so he could dissect us!" Liz exclaimed.
"Yeah so?" Patty replied inquisitively, "Isn't that the fun part?"
"I agree with Liz if Stein created it it's probably best we avoid it.. at least until the police examine it" Kid said much to Liz's relief and Patty's disappointment.
"Okay so the haunted house is out. Any other ideas?" Maka asked.
"We could go home," Soul asked only to find his face flattened by a large book seconds later courtesy of a fuming Maka.
"How about we split up to look around first and meet up later in front of the Roller Coaster?" Tsubaki suggested pointing to said structure in the distance which towered over the rest of the park.
"Sounds okay to me!" Blackstar exclaimed grabbing Tsubaki's arm glad to finally be able to get moving, "See you all later!"
Maka, Kid, Soul, Liz and Patty watched as Blackstar dragged Tsubaki behind him running off to a place only he knew the location of.
"Well it looks like our course of action has been decided for us. Well, as per the arrangement I'll be waiting for you," Kid said then turned to Liz and Patty, "Let's go, I heard this park has a perfectly symmetrical Ferris Wheel!"
"Great first they drag me here then they all start to abandon me," Soul said inwardly. He was snapped out of his thoughts by a tug on his sleeve he turned to see Maka smiling at him pointing to a place on a map, "How long has she had that!".
"Hey wanna check out the games?" She asked.
"Whatever," Soul said with a huff and began following Maka in the direction revealed on the map.
What greeted Soul and Maka at the location was every carnival game you could think of. Ring toss, Darts, shooting galleries and milk bottle stacks were everywhere. Soul just stared in disbelief at the various kiosks and the people who were shouting from them at the numerous passerby that is until he noticed Maka had become star-eyed once again.
"Ya know, she looks kinda cute like that... Wait, where did THAT come from?" Soul mentally punished himself for his most recent thought.
It's not that he didn't admire, okay REALLY admire, his partner/roommate/friend but calling something cute was as uncool as calling it fuzzy and he would NOT stoop to that level. Besides to her he was just friend, her partner and her roommate nothing more or less.
"So which one should we try first?" Maka asked snapping Soul out of his thoughts for the third time that day, although this time he was sorta thankful for it, as they began walking the numerous alleyways of games.
"Don't care, winning one of those dumb stuffed toys sounds uncool" Soul replied referring to the many dolls and toys hanging from the roofs of the many kiosks, " Besides you dragged me here remember?."
"Why can't you just enjoy yourself for once?" Maka huffed, "I wanted you to come with me for a reason you know!"
Soul was about to reply when he saw Stein and Marie approaching with a very nauseous looking Spirit following behind them.
"Well, it's good to see you kids out enjoying yourselves," Marie said, "It's refreshing to get out and have some fun every once in a while don't you think?"
"Yes, and a place like this is perfect for gathering specimens!" Stein exclaimed holding up small bag containing a single goldfish.
"Now Stein remember what I said, you can't dissect Bubbles until AFTER he dies, not a moment earlier," Marie said giving Stein an uncharacteristic, and somewhat murderous, glare causing him to nod nervously and creating an eerie silence.
"Hey Professor Stein, what happened to my dad?" Maka asked motioning towards the hunched over and slightly dazed Spirit, more to change he subject then anything else.
"He's fine, he just tried to ride the roller coaster after eating his weight in corn dogs," Stein said a smile growing on his face, "Nothing that a scalpal and a stomach pump can't fix!"
Spirit instantly straightened himself and tried to look as healthy as possible finally seeming to take notice of the company he was in.
"Maka! Papa's fine! see? I'm in perfect health!" Spirit exclaimed with a forced laugh before his stomach gurgled and with a groan he hunched over again.
"Oh dear! Maka, Soul could you help us get him someplace he could rest?" Marie asked.
"Alright," Maka said stepping forward and supporting Spirit's left arm on her shoulders.
"Like this day couldn't get any more uncool! Now we have to carry around Maka's old man," Soul thought taking Spirit's right arm.
Stein took the map from Maka, he couldn't trust Marie's navigational skills and Marie was happy to take Bubbles the Goldfish away from Stein and the four of them found a quiet place in the corner of the park where Spirit could rest.
Soon Maka was watching as Marie gently arranged a spot on a bench for Spirit to rest while Soul found himself waiting with Stein.
"You know she's right," Stein said lighting a cigarette.
"What are you talking about?" Soul asked.
"About you enjoying yourself," Stein replied, "Did you ever think about why she wanted to come in the first place?"
"She's Maka," Soul answered, "Can't help it if she likes stuff like this."
"Are you sure that's the right answer?" Stein inquisitively asked gaining a strange look from Soul, "Meisters should be able to understand their weapons through actions as well as words. Weapons are no different, they should be able to react to their meister's movements and feelings and understand them that way."
"I think you're reading to much into this situation," Soul scoffed.
"Am I?" Stein questioned with a smirk, "Alright then prove it."
"What? How?" Soul asked puzzled.
"Think back to the moment that Maka asked you to come here with her up till now and consider her feelings as well as her intentions. Use your memories and look closely at her each time" Stein explained, "Unless, of course, you're afraid."
"Fine, I'll do it!" Soul barked intent on proving he was right and shutting Stein up.
Soul closed his eyes and thought back to the day Maka came home waving that accursed poster in her hand. How she came into their apartment approached him and after showing him said poster asked him to go to.
"Wait a minute, did she ask me to go? Or did she ask me to go with her?" Soul pondered.
Soul shook the the thought from his head still intent on being right. Moving onto the week before this dreadful day he remembered her talking about the trip and mentioning that their friends would be going too.
"Huh.. she just said that they were going, she never said they were going with us," Soul realized, "Now that I think about it, she almost sounded disappointed."
Soul once again shook the thought from his finding it harder this time and thought back to just moments before they left. He remembered how she took longer then usual to brush her hair and straighten her clothes before she came to get him to drag him from his room.
"Funny how she did that just to go to this place," Soul pondered then something struck him, "Maybe it was for someone not something... she couldn't have been doing all that for me... could she?"
Then the moment he had unconsciously been dreading, the moment she said those all too critical words.
"I wanted you to come with me for a reason you know!" Those words hung over him stinging at his soul for some reason.
"She had a reason? She wanted me here with her today? Did she want to be with me?" Soul opened his eyes and looked over at Maka seeing much more of her then he ever did not just in the physical sense either.
"Well?" Stein smirked.
"Shut up this doesn't mean anything!" Soul countered knowing full well he had just lost.
"Soul! Come on we should go the others are probably waiting for us!" Maka called and for the first time Soul did more then just hear her words, he felt the full emotion behind them.
"Oh man this is as uncool as you can get," Soul mused as he started to walk towards Maka but suddenly felt a hand grab his shoulder. He turned to see Stein softly smiling at him.
"It's not to late you know," Stein said with a small grin.
Soul nodded and turned back towards Maka.
"You go ahead! there's something I gotta do first!" Soul shouted and took off running before Maka could say anything.
Glancing at a smiling Stein, Maka sighed and, with her head hung low, walked towards the Roller Coaster her day falling apart in her head.