A/N: I woke up today with the craving to write something very angsty. This story contains character death (suicide), Female Crona, very, very slight hints and Kid/Crona, and Soul and Kid crying. Ohohoho. So, if you don't like any of that, then my advice would be to turn back. But it'd be nice if you gave this a chance, I worked really hard on it. Thanks c:
The moral of this story is: If you know someone who is being bullied or abused, tell someone. Don't keep it to yourself, it would save someone's life is you took action.
The song this time is Madeline by Tickle Me Pink. It sounds a lot more joyful than it's meant to be, when you take a look at the lyrics. Nonetheless, very good, catchy song. I'd highly recommend listening to the song as you read this. I did while I was writing it.
There's a girl back home I used to know
Who cried herself to sleep every night
We all knew
We all knew
Soul clutched Maka's clammy hand, feeling incredibly guilty and unable to speak. The sight in front of him was almost too much for him to bear. He knew Crona was having problems with her mother. He knew that. So why hadn't he said anything? He could've prevented all this. If only he'd know this would happen to her.
He couldn't rid himself of his grief as he looked at her. He never would have even spared a glance at her if it weren't for his dear Maka.
It was because of Maka that Soul knew who Crona was. One day when Crona was sitting alone in the courtyard, Maka approached her and returned to the spot where they were eating their lunch with her new friend. Crona had been smiling that day, but no one could tell how pained she really was on the inside.
Only girl who would ever compromise
Strike a deal with the devil to stay the night
We all knew
We all knew
Never could he forget the day he saw her returning home after school when his view on her changed completely. They were walking in the same general direction, him across the street and some paces behind her, and she seemed to be walking as slow as possible to reach her destination. As if she were scared of something that awaited her.
That's when Soul saw her. There was a tall blonde woman whom he recognized as Medusa Gorgon, a renowned doctor, who was waiting for Crona outside of a gray brick house. He figured that she was her mother since they shared the same last name. After he observed for a while, something strange happened when Crona approached the house. Medusa grabbed the girl's wrist and dragged her inside the stone house, not looking very happy with her at all. After that display, Soul couldn't help but peek inside the window to see just what was happening.
Through the crack in the curtains, what he saw inside that house was the single worst thing he ever witnessed. The room was dark with a single chair and many viles of various liquids. The doctor pushed Crona into the chair, strapping her in, taking her arm and rolling up her sleeve. He saw many scars on the girl's arm. The woman filled a syringe with two different liquids and thrust the needle into the girl's arm. After a minute, Crona screamed, her eyes rolling back, saliva falling from her mouth, and shaking uncontrollably. Medusa took her time, writing something onto a clipboard and eventually injecting her daughter with another shot that calmed her. She took the girl by the wrist once more and pushed her into another dark room, locking the door behind her.
Soul could bear it no more. He ran home as fast as he could. He didn't know if he should tell Maka and worry her, so he decided to confront Crona about it the next day at school in private.
She tried to call me a month ago
To sing me a song that she just wrote
But I wasn't home
I should've known
That time had taken it's toll
She had no place to go
Soul placed a hand on Crona's trembling shoulder. She looked back slowly, and he led her to the corner of the classroom, his voice low so that nobody overheard him, explaining what he had witnessed. She placed her hands over her mouth and gasped, her eyes widening in fear.
"Please don't tell. I'm begging you. You don't understand what will happen if you do."
"...Alright. I won't tell, I promise. Your secret is safe with me."
They found her body resting by the river
That was a moth ago. Soul wished he had told someone. The shy girl's body looked so peaceful in the coffin picked out for her. Her short pink hair was spread out gracefully on the pillow beneath her, her eyes closed and it looked as if she were asleep. But he knew that she wasn't. She was the girl who had to cry herself to sleep every night.
Soul knelt down in front of the coffin and felt as if he were going to cry. He tried his best not to, because it wasn't cool to be caught crying.
I never said goodbye
I wish I would have tried
I couldn't hear her cries
As she filled her veins with lies
Until she saw the light
He whispered softly. "Um, hi, Crona... I... Kept your secret, like you asked me to... I hope you're happier where you are now. We'll all miss you so much. Especially Maka, she's taking it real hard. You know how important you were to her. Well... I guess this is goodbye, Crona..." He finished, lightly touching her shoulder with his hand. It was as cold as ice despite the black dress she wore that she would be buried in. He quickly removed his hand, stood, and walked to the back of the room where he knew he'd be left alone slowly, his head low and tears silently falling from his face. For once, he didn't mind nor wiped them away. Although it was uncool to be caught crying, there were a few exceptions.
I remember we would hide behind the trees
Smoking cigarettes until our throats would bleed
Those were the days
Those were the days
Hot tears fell from Maka's cheeks like spring rain. So many questions ran through her mind at the sight of Crona's lifeless body. Why did she do this to herself? Why didn't she tell anyone what was wrong? She always told Crona that she'd listen to anything she had to say, so why hadn't she said anything?
Reminiscing in the days when Crona had a smile on her face only made Maka cry harder and mourn more. Crona had always loved hanging out with Maka after school and on weekends, walking around the city, talking and laughing like there were no tomorrow. Why did she do this to herself if she seemed so happy back then?
After they'd get together to hang out, Crona would look different the next day at school. Scared. In a trance, like a zombie. Maka never understood why.
Despite this, Crona always agreed to hang out for some reason. She seemed happy when they did,. Maka always invited Crona to sleep over, but she never did. She told Maka that she didn't want to be a burden and that she couldn't deal with sleeping at other people's houses.
Never scared, never worried that the summer would end
Invincible to every short bend
We drove so fast
Thought it would last
Maka was never invited to Crona's house, nor did she ever hear anything about her family. Maka of course did not mind, but she was indeed curious as to just why Crona didn't want her near her family. She would never find out now.
Maka stroked Crona's pale and cold cheek, flinching at the lack of life on the girl's once kid, sweet face. She smiled at how the make up looked on her, because she had only seen Crona wear make up once before, at the school dance. Granted, Liz forced it onto her, but Maka told her that she should wear it more often. She never did.
But time had taken it's toll
She had no place to go
They found her body resting by the river
Now it was Maka's turn to kneel by Crona's resting spot. She siped her eyes and nose and began to speak, her voice cracking.
Before, she never imagined having to say goodbye to someone forever. She certainly didn't imagine the first person she'd have to do it for would be Crona.
I never said goodbye
I wish I would have tried
I couldn't her her cries
As she filled her veins with lies
Until she saw the light
Maka began her goodbye. "Crona... What do I say? You're my best friend. We were supposed to be together forever. Remember how I always told you that you could say anything that was bothering you to me? I meant it. This is exactly what I feared, what I didn't want to happen. Crona, you may not know it, but you were so loved. I'll miss you so much, I don't know what I'll do. I'll never forget you. I wish I had a chance to say goodbye earlier. I love you Crona. I'll see you later." She said, sniffing.
With that, Maka stood up and walked over to where Soul stood. She looked up at him, tears in her olive green eyes, and wept into his shirt. She didn't stop for the longest time. He didn't say anything.
Madeline
Madeline
You will be remembered
Madeline
Madeline
We still have September
Madeline
Madeline
We'll see you on the other side
Death the Kid stood at the entrance, completely frozen. Liz and Patty stood on both sides of him, clutching his shoulder for comfort, and for once, Patty was not giggling or talking. She stayed completely silent. He heard a sniff of sadness coming from Liz, and they silently walked over to where the coffin was.
Liz and Patty spoke softly to a solemn Black Star and a crying Tsubaki as Kid went first to say his final goodbyes to Crona. He very slowly knelt in front of the girl's resting spot., finding his voice and looking at her lifeless face until he found the words to start.
If I could turn back time
I'd find a way to remind you
That somehow you could try to give in and fight the good fight
He sighed. "Crona, I'd like to start my final message to you by saying that we all cared so much about you. Especially Maka. Especially me. If I had known before about what was troubling you, I would have made sure you were safe before it came to this."
He sadly continued to look down at her and continued his speech. "I never wanted to have to do this. For any of my friends. Especially not you, Crona. You were very kind and sweet, the kind of person one never forgets. And you were the only one who wouldn't laugh at me when I had one of my mental breakdowns. I'm glad that you were in my life although the time we spent together on this planet was cut short. I just wish that you never had to die like this. Farewell, Crona. We'll see you on the other side." He finished, taking a deep breath and stroking that strand of hair that rested on her nose that was longer than the rest. It had always bothered Kid before, but now he thought it looked rather pretty.
He stood up and let Liz and Patty say their final goodbyes. When they passed each other, Liz put a comforting hand on his shoulder and mouthed an "Are you okay" to him, and he silently nodded, sitting down in a chair. He felt tears rolling down his cheeks, which was something that hardly ever occurred.
He let them fall.
You didn't have to die
You filled your veins with lies
My precious Madeline.
