"Man, this isn't cool at all." Soul complained. "We haven't had a serious mission for ages."
"Stop complaining about it. It won't help and besides someone has to do the minor missions from time to time." Maka said from her book. It was a sunny day and Soul had dragged Maka to the park.
"But rescuing cats from trees, finding lost dog and babysitting aren't missions at all. It's the kind of things normal people do. Not a Meister and a Weapon." Soul sighed. It was true, there hadn't been any serious missions for a long time and they had been given random, minor missions. A few of the Shibusen students were upset about it, but most of them used the opportunity to go visit someone they knew or something similar. But no one was as upset about it as Black Star. It took several hours to calm him down and then he became happy again when Tsubaki suggested that they used the free time to train. He took of in an instant with his usual praise for himself and how strong he would be when he got back.
"Hey Soul. We could to some training as well you know." Maka said in a hopeful tone.
"Naah… I don't wanna."
"Why not? We have the free time and you said you didn't want to do the minor missions."
"Geez will you stop screaming?" Soul said. "I just wanna relax today. We can go training tomorrow, OK?"
"OK. Thanks Soul." Maka has calmed down in an instant. Maka was annoyed of being the physically weakest in the group and was very eager to get stronger.
"Someone is coming. This evil wavelength… I know it." Maka said and stood up. "Let's hurry Soul, before it gets to close."
"What? Weren't you the one who wanted to get stronger? Let's face it." Soul said.
"It's not that kind evil, it's the worst evil. I don't want to face it."
"Maaaaakkaaaaa!" A cheerful voice said behind Soul.
"Too late." Maka muttered.
"Papa has news for you Maka." Spirit said.
"Whatever. I don't care."
Spirit stopped in the middle of a movement and fell to the ground, facedown.
"But, but… Maka." He cried.
"What's the big news?" Soul asked.
"Dininamidamewatsdooomeyou." Spirit mumbled in the ground.
"Say what?"
"Shinigami-sama wants to see you." He said more clearly.
"Oh great. Whose cat is stuck in a tree now?" Soul sighed.
"No he said it was a important mission." Spirit suddenly happy again. "Maka. Shinigami-sama just told Papa that he had a great mission that was available and Papa hurried to find you so you could have it."
"Hey perverted pops. The important missions are usually dangerous, remember. You just signed you daughter to a dangerous mission."
"Argh! M-m- Maka. Papa hasn't signed you up yet."
"It's alright. We'll take it. Let's go Soul." Maka said and began to run towards the school. "Thanks Papa."
"She said: Thanks Papa." Spirit mumbled to himself then he turned and grabbed the nearest person and yelled. "She said: Thanks Papa!"
"Get of me pervert." The woman the grabbed said and kneed him in the groin.
"Shinigami-sama, Papa just told me you had an important mission available." Maka said as soon as she entered the door.
"Hmm? Oh yeah. That's right. Well, to be honest it is a rather dangerous mission." The Shinigami said in his silly voice.
"We still want to take it." Maka said stubbornly.
"Oy Maka. Let's hear what the mission is before we launch to it." Soul said.
"In a little village north of Rome called Brando, have been some rumors of a vampire. Now I'm sure it's not a real vampire, but there have been several missing girls from that village and no one has ever seen as much as the shadow of the culprit." Shinigami said.
"Right! We'll go and find the missing girls and the culprit." Maka said.
"Yes those are the basic of the mission, but promise me that you'll be careful."
"Don't worry. We'll be fine." Maka said and began to walk to the door. "Let's go Soul."
"Hey, why are you so eager to get this mission?" Soul asked on the way back to the apartment.
"You were then one who wanted more dangerous missions." She replied short.
"Yeah, but it's so unlike you to just jump into it."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Nothing. Just that you always take ages to make up your mind and you always think before you leap."
"Nyaan. He's right you know." Blair greeted them at the door only wearing a towel.
"Blair! For the love of God, put on some clothes!" Maka scolded.
"Scythe boy is right. Maka is a stiffer." The cat said and hugged Soul to her chest, who then lost a serious amount of blood, due nosebleed.
"Shut up! What is a stiffer anyway?" Maka said and pushed the magic cat inside and left Soul on the stairs.
"A stiff neck. Boring. You are always thinking too much about things and you never let yourself lose." Blair said and opened the door for Soul.
"That's not true! I can make fast decisions and I'm not a boring stiffer!"
"Oh really?" Soul said. "Then who do you think is better? Me, Black Star or Kid?"
"That has nothing to do with this! I'm not going to answer that stupid question."
"Boring." Blair and Soul said in unison.
"Not true!"
"Is too!"
"Arguing isn't getting us anywhere. We have an important mission and we have to go." Maka sulked. "Hurry up and pack."
"Nya. Bu-tan will come along." Blair said.
"You are NOT coming along!" Maka said in a stern voice. But Blair was Blair and she ended up coming along anyway. Maka refused to have her on the bike so she followed on one of her pumpkins, but she got distracted when they passed the fish market and stayed there.
After a long plane trip and a long ride on the bike they finally made it to Brando. It was a medium sized village with a huge church in the center. The church was by far the biggest and most beautiful building in the village. There was an uncomfortable silence over the village and there was hardly anyone outside.
"It's so quiet." Maka said.
"Yeah, it's kinda creepy. Let's hurry and get it over with."
"Alright, we can start out by asking the citizens about the girls." Maka said. They drove down to the middle of the town and started to ask the few people on the streets what they knew of the missing girls. They didn't know much and were rather unhelpful. They just wanted to know how soon they would be rid of the so called vampire.
"Uh excuse me Miss." Maka tried for the last time to get some information from one of the citizens. This time a young girl.
"Yes?" She said a little nervously.
"My name is Maka and this is Soul. We are from Shibusen and are here to help you get rid of the vampire." Maka now called the culprit a vampire since the people wouldn't listen to her unless she did so.
"Oh more from Shibusen?" The girl said in a much calmer voice.
"More? What do you mean by more?" Soul asked.
"He must be your partner. He's at the church, I told him everything I know, so you can go and listen to him. Now if you'll excuse me, it's not safe for a girl to be outside anymore."
"Another Shibusen student? Here?" Maka asked, more or less herself.
"Let's go see who it is." Soul said and walked towards the church.
"Soul, wait. What if it's the culprit?" Maka asked.
"Would the culprit be asking the citizens what they knew about him?"
"Oh… right." Maka said and followed.
"I wonder who it is." Soul said. "Maybe Black Star, but then again, he wouldn't go around asking people for information."
"I wonder why Shinigami-sama didn't tell us that he had already sent someone else." Maka said. "Well the girl said that he was in the church, right?"
"Yup." Soul said and Maka opened the door to the church. The door was heavier than it looked, so she gave it a big push and it flew open and Maka fell on the floor.
"Ow, ow that hurt." She said.
"Maka! Look what you did." Soul said and pointed at a body next to her.
"Oh I'm so sorry." She said. "You're…" She said when she saw its face.
"Justin Law." Soul finished her sentence. The young priest didn't respond to them right away, not until he actually saw them he said something.
"You are Shibusen students, right?" He almost yelled.
"Y-yes we are. There is no need to speak so loudly." Maka said.
"Oh sorry. I tend to do sometimes." The young Death Scythe said in a tone that implied that he wasn't sure why he did so.
"So I noticed." Soul mumbled.
"Why are you here?" Maka and Justin asked each other in unison.
"Well. I was just passing by this city when I heard some of the villagers talking about this vampire." Justin said, still in a too loud voice.
"Oh… well Shinigami-sama sent us to deal with it." Maka said in a tone that implied that she didn't want him to interfere. But then she remembered that he read their lips and didn't hear if she used special tone.
"What a coincident." Justin smiled. "Well, then I guess we can just do it together."
"No, no, no it's alright. We can take care of it." Maka tried to assure the priest.
"I insist. I cannot let a creature like that roam around."
"Hey Maka." Soul said and covered his mouth slightly with his hand so Justin couldn't see what he said. "I think he is taking the vampire thing seriously. And if I remember correctly vampires are somewhat the opposite of a Christian, you know. They can't take a cross and holy water and stuff."
"Oh yeah. Fuck." Maka said and regretted immediately that she just swore.
"Shame on you." Justin said. "Such foul words and in a church!"
"I'm really sorry. I didn't mean it." Maka apologized. Justin looked at her for a moment, but seemed to accept her apology. Maka sighed and gave up on trying to get the priest to let them do the mission alone.
"So, how much do you know about the culprit?" Soul asked.
"Not much. But all the girls went missing here. In the church." Justin shouted.
"Sshhhh. Don't shout." Maka said.
"So, what's the plan?" Soul asked.
"We wait here and then when he comes we catch him of course." Maka said.
"I don't think that'll work." Justin shouted.
"Sssshhhh!"
"We have to lure him here. We need someone to be bait." The Death Scythe kept on shouting.
"A bait?" Soul asked.
"Yes, he won't come out unless there is a girl he can kidnap."
"Oh well, it's settled then. Maka is bait." Soul smirked.
"Hey I didn't agree to that!" Maka said.
"It's the best option we have." Justin shouted in her ear.
"I told a million times. Stop shouting!" She scolded.
"Oh I didn't realize I was shouting again."
"Of course not." Maka said under her breath.
"Well, like I said it's the best plan we've got. It will be night soon so unless we can think of something fast you are gonna have to be bait. Don't worry, I and uh Soul was it?" He asked and Soul nodded. "Right, I and Soul will be close by, so there is nothing to worry about."
Maka hesitated for a while, but she couldn't think of a better plan herself so she had to agree.
"Alright, fine. I'll be bait." She agreed.
"Hey Maka. Don't you think you should wear something sexier?" Soul said.
"What do you mean?"
"He isn't gonna appear if you just stand like that. You look too boring." Soul teased, but regretted it when he was hit in the head with the Maka Chop.
"Stop that violence!" Justin said. "There is no need for it. Save it for the enemy." Justin said. Maka and Soul continued fighting and Justin went to say a prayer. When he was done he went and stopped the fighting.
"Enough now. Maka you go and sit over there and we will hide over there." He said. "Pretend like you praying."
"Right." She said and sat down.
"Maka." Soul said. "Be careful."
"I always am." She said. "But thanks."
He smiled to her and went with the Death Scythe to hide. Nothing happened for a few hours. Not until midnight. On the stroke of twelve the double door to the church flew open and a shadow came walking slowly towards Maka.
"Who are you?" She asked. The shadow didn't answer. "Who are you?!" Maka asked again.
"I am the last thing you will see." He said and launched in the air. He's fast, Maka thought and reached out for Soul, but he wasn't there. Fuck! He's over hiding with Justin. Maka jumped just in time to avoid the culprit.
"I am the last thing you will hear." He said.
"What do you want?!"
"The last thing you will taste is me. The last thing you will smell is me. The last thing you will feel is my teeth in your neck." He said in a dark, husky voice.
Suddenly pain shot through Maka's foot. She looked down and saw a dagger like thing in it. When did he throw it? Once again he launched in the air. This time Maka couldn't move. But luckily Justin came to the aid. He fought the culprit and Soul ran to Maka.
"Maka! Are you hurt?"
"He stabbed me in the foot." Maka gasped.
"Go and help Justin. I'll be fine." She said.
"Justin can handle him." Soul said. "We have to get this dagger out. It could be poisoned." Soul said.
"R-right." Maka gulped.
"On three, OK?" Soul asked and she nodded. "One. Two!" He said and pulled it out. Maka screamed in pain
"Ooooow! Soul you said on three." She said and wiped away tears.
"Yeah, but then you would have been prepared for more pain. It's like when you pull of a band aid." He smiled and ripped of a sleeve of his shirt and rapped it around her foot.
"Let's go kick some vampire ass." Soul said and transformed into a scythe.
"Yosha!" Maka said and grabbed him. She jumped in the air and she and Soul resonated their souls and used the technique Witch Hunter.
"Take that!" Maka swung the massive scythe at the so called vampire, Justin managed just in time to jump out of the way. When the dust cleared, the culprit wasn't there.
"Oh? That was close." The husky voice behind Maka suddenly said. Shit, when did he get there so fast? Maka thought and spun around just in time to see the man raise an arm. I don't have enough time to block. Sharp pain shot from Maka's waisr and all the way up to her shoulder. Everything got hazy and she couldn't hear properly. Everything was mixed up.
"MAKA!" There was one voice. Soul.
"Holy Jūji-Shūtō" Another voice said and was followed by a scream. It must be Justin. Did he deal with the culprit?
"Maka? Can you hear me?" Soul again. I should answer, but everything hurts and I'm too tired. Soul kept on trying to make Maka respond, but she didn't she just lay there, gasping for air. An image flew across Maka's mind. Soul and Blair stood in front of her.
"Oh really?" Soul said. "Then who do you think is better? Me, Black Star or Kid?"
And Maka said that she wasn't going to answer such a stupid question. You idiot Maka, she said to herself. Why didn't you just tell him? Then everything was black.
The voices were unclear. She was only able to understand what they said a few seconds at the time.
"Hey she twitched."
"What?"
"Maka just twitched."
"Really? I wanna see. Move Kid."
"Be careful Black Star."
"She's opening her eyes now."
"Maka can you hear me?!"
"Don't shout in a hospital."
"Where am I? Maka asked.
"You're at the hospital, Maka." Tsubaki said and was holding down Black Star with all her might.
There were a lot of hugs and "I'm so glad you are awake" and at one point Spirit came storming in. Tears were falling like a waterfall and fell on his knees apologizing over and over again. It was impossible to calm him down so after Maka said it was alright for the hundred time Stein gave him a injection and he fell unconscious.
"Alright people, let's give her some rest." The nurse said and had to kick Stein out so that he wouldn't take Spirit with him. She put him in the bed next to Maka. When she was done she went back in to her office.
"Heh, so you are finally awake?" A voice said from the window. It was the voice she had missed the most.
"Soul!"
"Yo Maka. How are you feeling?"
"Sore. How bad is my injury?" Everyone else had been avoiding the question.
"To be honest… it was pretty bad. You were unconscious for a week." Soul had a dark look on his face.
"Woaw… A week?" Maka said. "How is Justin? Did he catch the culprit? Did you find the missing girls?"
"Relax. Everything is fine. We caught the culprit and found the girls. Justin left again yesterday." Soul assured her.
Maka sighed and tried to sit up.
"OW!" She exclaimed when she touched her cheek. Oh that's right, she thought and remembered the pain. It had spread from her waist to her right shoulder
"Maka, why are you crying?" Soul asked concerned.
"Y-you always make fun of me." She sobbed. "You make fun of my body and how undeveloped it is. And now I have a huge scar on it as well."
Soul sat in the window looking stunned, then he smiled.
"Maka you are such a fool. I don't care about scars or anything like that. In fact I think it looks good on you." He sat on the bed
"What?"
"Yeah." He said and zipped down his jacket exposing his scared torso. "Now we match."
Now Maka was the one to look stunned. Soul laughed and she joined it after a while.
"You know Soul. You asked me once who I though was better. You, Black Star or Kid. After saying that I couldn't make fast decisions."
"Yeah."
"Well, that is a decision I can make right away." She said and looked to the side, slightly embarrassed. "Soul is defiantly the best."
He chuckled and leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. Maka turned her face and was met by his lips.
When Stein a little later came to steal Spirit back from the nurse, he saw Soul sleeping with his head on Maka's lap and Maka had a hand on his head, also asleep. Though he tried to be a quiet as possible, the nurse heard him and kicked him out again.