One Magical Night

Was there any justice? This question was Maka Albarn repeating in her mind almost every five minutes since she, together with Soul, Black Star, Tsubaki and Crona leaved Death City on Lord Death's command. Hunting down another witch would be actually fun, but certainly not in the most important day of the whole year; at Christmas! Expect spending this magical Christmas time with friends together by the fireplace with a mug of hot chocolate in hand, enjoying the good mood, young meisters with their weapons were freezing on bone in some small village on the north of England.

Maka and her friends already knew that their target is hiding somewhere in the nearby dark forest, they also knew that they'll need more clues than that to find her hideout and they also knew that witch's minions, who were fearfully spying on them since they entered her territory, surely already informed their mistress about them. It was most obvious, yet despite this fact they weren't ambushed and people were actually gladly helping them and answering on their questions. So far, everything went just so smoothly that it was itself more than suspicious. And that feeling was really not improving the mood.

But not only scythe meister was really depressed, Black Star also changed his common expression and wasn't even trying to start some friendly fight with Soul about who will get the finishing blow once they will bring the Witch from Darkwood on her knees, what was even worse, always positive Tsubaki also avoided all attempts at any conversation and was only silently standing beside her meister, with hands in her winter coat's pockets; not mentioning that the same was true with Soul and Crona. In short, everyone shared the same feelings.

Soon after the arrival Maka, as a leader for this mission, decided that it will be best if everyone will split into the meister and weapon groups and will start their own investigation. After an hour of wandering on the village's streets and questioning people around, they met again on the square, in the middle of the village.

"So, how'd it go? Anything new?" Soul, sitting on the snow covered bench, asked his blue-haired buddy who had just arrived with his weapon by his side.

"No. After a while, everyone we asked began to repeat what we've heard a million times before." answered Tsubaki and tried to smile a little; unsuccessfully though.

Soul smirked, "Yeah, same here. The more people we asked the less we found out about this Blackwood Witch. It seems like someone actually ordered them to tell us the same things no matter how many people we'll ask, right Maka?" he asked his blond meister, who was leaning her back against the street lamp just few inches away.

"I actually have a feeling that they really do not know anything else expect that. They all seem that they want to get rid of that witch. More importantly, we were quite welcomed here when we arrived and no one really tried to attack us, right?" stated Maka and looked up at the cloud cowered sky.

"You are right, Maka. These villagers are really nice people. One old woman even offered me and Black Star some cookies. I don't think they are somehow mind controlled."

"Right, why would they even bother to decorate their village like this if they were mind controlled?" Black Star added, pointing at the Christmas decorations and big Christmas tree in the middle of square behind him. However, when his words were followed only by silent and when he noticed that intense stare which Soul was giving him, he recognized that he probably said too much.

"A-anyway, guys! Soon it'll dark and it's not very good idea to venture to the forest at night, so…"

"Wait a minute, Soul, where is Crona?" when Tsubaki suddenly realized that pink-haired girl is missing, Maka was again paying a much more attention, forgetting about her depression, partly at least.

"Where did you guys last see her?" she asked.

"Well, I didn't see her since we parted." replied Black Star and started looking around the square, searching for her for a while. "But there is nothing to be worry about, right? She is probably fine!"

"Fine? It's Crona who are we talking about! What if she got lost or what if someone attacked her, she is alone after all!" Maka panicked, shaking with Black Star from side to side.

"All right, calm down Maka! I don't think she is lost, surely she just lost track of time while talking with those nice people!" Tsubaki tried to calm scythe meister down.

"And Crona also isn't alone, you know; she has Ragnarok." Soul joined the conversation and yawed loudly.

Releasing Black Star from her powerful grasp before he collapsed from that side to side shaking, Maka with sigh made her decision: "All right! No need to be worry, I will go with Soul find her. Meanwhile, you two go to that inn at the end of this village and rent room for us. We will come there after we'll find Crona."

"All right then; see you later!" and with those words, Maka with her partner beside her began searching for a pink-haired girl, nearly rushing through the streets. Calling out her name or asking people if they didn't see a thin, pink-haired girl with long winter coat, often saying "I don't know how to deal with…" possibly with chibi, black creature coming from her back didn't bring any results at all. After a while it started to snow once again and there still wasn't any sight of Crona anywhere in whole village.

"C'mon Soul, we still weren't over there!" Maka stated, panting rapidly.

But before she was able to run to that place, Soul stopped her. "Maka, we've already been in this part of village three times. If she would be there, she would response long time ago."

Maka didn't want to stop searching for Crona, but Soul was right, though she didn't want to admit it. She still couldn't believe that she didn't find Crona in so small village. Was she really attacked? Was that witch really waiting for the moment when one of them will be all alone? But Crona isn't that weak to let that happen, right? She and Ragnarok are really strong to fight the witch or her minions. But then, where could she be?

"Let's…"

"I wanted to spend almost whole this day with Crona, Soul." Maka interrupted him,"This is her first Christmas, after all; I wanted the both of us to enjoy it together, I wanted to show her so many things, I also bought her something and then… Lord Death told me that there is something important to do, that there is the witch that must be killed before she will cause any troubles. When I found out that Crona is coming with us, it made me happier, I still could spend Christmas with her an… and now look what happened! Where could she be?" she yelled, with hand covering her face.

Soul wanted to comfort her with hug, but he stepped back again, he knew that Maka didn't want him to do that so he just put hand on her shoulder. "Let's just go, Maka, there is no… wait. What is that?" he changed his subject suddenly, when he noticed something.

Maka didn't really share his sudden rise of enthusiasm, so she just looked after Soul as he bent down to the ground, looking at something. "Say, Maka, I, you and Crona are far and wide the only one with black blood right?"

"Why do ask in all sudden?"

"Did you get injured while we were rushing through here lately?" when this question came from Soul, blond meister quickly ran to him to look what exactly he found. After Maka looked at black substance on white snow she immediately understood. It surely was Crona's blood!

"Look there is a bit too, a blood trail and it leads this way," he pointed," toward some shop."

"A Magic Shop?"

"That sound suspicious, I didn't even notice it before." Soul said, "Let's take a peek inside!" he added with small grin on his face.

Once both Maka and Soul entered the shop, they were stunned by how big it actually was from the inside. A small bell above the door tinkled two times as the door opened and closed afterwards, but no one actually showed up or at least said something to customers. There also weren't anyone else, or it didn't seem like that and the goods really looked like something that Medusa, or any other witch, crafted. Strange jars full of something, weird looking books, trinkets and other strange things.

"I don't like it here." Soul whispered, "It all have strange, dark atmosphere. You feel it too?"

Maka nodded to answer his question, before she called aloud: "Hello? Is anyone here?"

It didn't take long before a head of pink-haired girl popped from around the corner of one shelve. "Maka?!" she called happily with that innocent expression with small smile.

"Crona!" blond meister cried before she rushed toward her and hugged her tightly, "I was so worry, where have you been?"

"Ah, well," she gasped because of Maka's tight hug," I was walking around and asking people around like you said we should do, but then I hurt myself…"

"You are hurt?" Maka interrupted her," Why Ragnarok didn't heal you?"

"It's just a small cut, see?" Crona raised her index finger, her injury was already patched," I guess that Ragnarok didn't even recognize it after all."

"I'm glad you are okay."

"Yeah, I didn't know how to deal with it and I also didn't want to bother Ragnarok with it. I'm all right, thank to her." it was first time when Maka actually recognized that there was another girl sitting beside Crona. Maybe a little younger with similar but shorter dress that Crona wears, long black stockings, same colored shoes and big witch cap, covering a half of her face, with two kitty ears popping out of it.

"Ah, thank you for taking care of her, who are you?" Maka asked, she was at first grateful, but when she looked at that girl more closely, there was something suspicious about her.

"Neko. My name's Neko Mata. I'm owner of this small shop!" she replied cheerfully. "This girl just looked so helplessly when I found her that I really must have helped her! Anyway! You want to buy something or you'll just leave when you have your pink-haired friend?" she asked before she returned behind the counter, standing on some small chair, "Well?"

"No, we will be going now, thank you again. Let's go Soul." Maka already wanted to leave but then, when she looked at her partner how he is glaring at Neko, she suddenly stopped, "What's wrong Soul?"

"Say, Neko, you know something about the Blackwood witch? Isn't she bothering you when you are owner of this Magic Shop?" he asked, walking closer to younger girl, who was still friendly smiling.

"Nope at all! I never had a problem with her." she replied with big smile.

"You are wearing nice big cap, you know. It's very witchlike."

"I know, right?! It suits me, don't you think spiky teeth guy?"

"It suits your soul pretty well."

There was a short silence before Neko's childish laugh broke it; Soul actually expected a different reaction. "Ah! You are those from Shibusen, huh? I should have expect it; well then, I guess you got me now." she leaded closer to Soul, but in the moment he tried to catch her, Neko cried playfully "*Kazanbai~!" before she blew something into Soul's face, blinding him for a while.

"Ah! What the… Maka!"

"I'm going after her, Crona take care of Soul!"

"No, Maka wait!"

His words weren't enough to stop Maka from heading after the young witch into the basement of her store alone. However, from the moment she walked into the dark space, door shut behind her, leaving her in the darkness with though that this really wasn't a good idea after all.

"Where are you? I just want to talk!" she cried, with that surprisingly big echo, Maka realized that this place was far bigger that she though. Slowly and carefully walking forward, Maka could hear only Neko's childish laughs around her.

"Say, what is between you and that pink-haired girl? You seemed all happy when you found her." young witch laughed again.

Maka knew that she is close, but she couldn't see a thing and trying to locate her by voice was more than useless. "If you will show yourself, I will tell you." she said, trying to force her to appear with the more childish way.

Yet even that was unsuccessful, because all she could hear was only laughing and tapping of Neko's shoes, when suddenly: "Oh no! She is here again, must hide!" and after that, the laugh and the tapping of shoes began to fade slowly until it couldn't be heard anymore, leaving Maka in the silence and darkness.

"H-hello? This isn't funny!" scythe meister cried, hoping that this all is just another Neko's joke, but when the silence prevailed for longer than it should, she started to think that there really was something terribly wrong and what bothered Maka even more was the presence of another person lurking in the darkness around her.

Continuing bravely forward Maka was trying to find the end of this maze in darkness; there surely was one when Neko was able to escape. But then in all of sudden, tripping over something in her way, Maka fell trough something sticky and expected a hard landing on her face, yet nothing like that happened, she actually fell into something very soft to her surprise.

"My, my, what do we have here?" a female voice said, somehow very familiar to Maka. The person to whom it belonged was really close to her and it took a while before Maka actually realized that she was lying in that person's arms. "Don't you know that it's dangerous chasing a witch, even a young one? You should be more careful." the soothing voice continued whispering to her ear.

"And who the hell… are you?" scythe meister hissed as she tried to move away from a person hidden in darkness, but somehow, she was incapable of to do so.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, you are just wasting your energy Maka, dear. It's not the first time my web paralyzed you like this, don't you remember?" Arachne?! No doubt that it was exactly the Heretic Witch, who was holding her defenseless.

"How did you get here and what you want to do with me?" Maka asked again with a little trembling voice.

"There is no reason to be worry, Maka. I will not hurt you in any way." words from older woman were meant to calm Maka down and comfort her, but blond meister was resisting them.

"Then let me go!"

"Hmm, I do not want to, dear. You are really light; I think I will hold you like this for a little longer." now Arachne's voice seemed a little more cheerful than serious as usual. She even squeezed her really slightly in her embrace, which made Maka blush a little.

"Stop messing around…" meister mumbled silently.

"I'm certainly not messing around. I am completely serious!" the spider witch stated, "You think I bothered to follow you and your friends here, waiting for an opportunity when you will be all alone just to messing around with you?"

That was a good question. Maka herself was a little unsure if what Arachne's told her was true, there must be a bigger purpose of her presence. No way she was here… just because of… her, right? "What do you want from me?" Maka whispered, even though she was surrounded by darkness she anyway was trying to hide her face shyly, because she was sure that the spider witch have just a nice view on her blushing face.

"Why are we so uptight Maka, dear? I thought that you will feel much comfortable in my embrace than in my webs." the way Arachne said that, it evidently supposed to be a joke, but Maka was, also to her surprise, way too embarrassed to notice that.

Arachne wanted to continue with whispering more words to Maka's ear, she wanted to see her blushing even more, but then, when trough whole this by darkness hidden maze echoed Soul and Crona's voice, she realized that she wasted all her time with teasing meister in her arms, so before she let Maka go, Arachne whispered last words: "Seems we are out of time, my dear, so… if you will come to the square at midnight, alone," she leaned closer, "I will tell you something about that witch you want to hunt down."

"Why would I…"

"Shhh, now take you medicine and don't tell anyone."

"What do you…" but before Maka could finish another her sentence she was silenced this time by pair of the spider witch's soft lips. First she was shocked and not only because this was her first kiss, but then, the longer Arachnes's lips were pressing gently on hers she became more submissive. It was pointless trying to resist after all, she was unable to move an inch.

This isn't that bad afte –whoa! Furiously blushing, Maka was yet again shocked when she felt witch's tongue entering her mouth. For a moment she tried to push Arachne away, but her hands weren't responding, like her whole body, and after a while she didn't care anymore.

Arachne was delighted by Maka's reaction, she was really cute when she was blushing like that, but then she heard again voices of the unwelcome company, which reminded her that she is out of time. After moving with tongue back to her own mouth and then to Maka's one again, Arachne forced blond meister to gulp that small pill she gave her just now. When it was done, their lips separated from each other and the spider witch putted younger girl back on her feet. It took Maka a while before she was able to think straight again. Still a little dazed from that pleasant feeling, Maka raised her hand into the darkness in front of her. There wasn't anyone anymore; Arachne left her in the darkness alone.

When Crona, holding a lantern in her hand, and Soul finaly found Maka, she told them that she got lost in here while she was chasing Neko. After then, everyone left that weird place and headed to the inn, where Black Star with Tsubaki already rented two rooms, each one big enough for two boys and three girls plus Ragnarok of course.

XXX

It was already dark when Maka, sitting on her bet, was watching the silver moon and thinking about what happened couple hours ago. Running her finger over her lips, scythe meister reminded of that deep, passionate kiss Arachne gave her. She still could feel those big lips very well.

"Well, I will be going for the food then!" Tsubaki said; Maka realized that she already left after she heard the noise of closing door.

"I hope she will get for me some of those tasty cakes I told her about!" could be heard before Ragnarok popped out of Crona's back, "That would really improve my mood." he said with his tiny hands on Crona's head.

"Say, Ragnarok, you also are sad because we must've left Death City?" pink-haired girl asked, sitting on the floor with hands in her lap.

"Huh?" he pinched her cheek, "Of course! We were supposed to have a party didn't we? And where is a party there is also a lot of tasty food!" Ragnarok kept pinching Crona's cheek for a while.

"-Ouch! Then I'm sure Tsubaki will," Crona cried, while she tried to defend herself from her partner's attacks," right, Maka?" pink-haired girl looked over where Maka was sitting, with a smile. Blond meister however wasn't paying attention anymore; she was only looking at the night sky.

"Eh? Maka?" Crona asked again, more carefully this time.

Scythe meister kept ignoring everything around her, especially Crona's silent calls until she felt someone's hand resting on her shoulder. "What?" she raised her voice and turned around.

Crona immediately jumped a little and took a step backward with a little scared expression, "I-I'm sorry I…"

"No, no!" Maka interrupted her, "I'm sorry for yelling at you like this. I don't know what got into me!" she continued hugging Crona tightly.

"It is fine." she hugged her back, "You know, Soul told about what were you two talking about before you found me in that store."Crona continued and looked into Maka's eyes, "I also wanted to spend this Christmas day with you, but this isn't that bad after all, right? I am here with you, so," she blushed slightly, "don't be sad, we can still enjoy it."

Maka's eyes wide opened. She wanted nothing more than to be with Crona and enjoy Christmas with her. She wanted to go out with her and show her the beauty of shining Christmas decorations during the pitch black night even in this village. But then, in her thoughts she could only see face of the spider witch instead pink-haired girl who was in front of her.

"I'm sorry, Crona. I'm just… tired, I guess I will go to sleep now…" and with those words, Maka turned around and got into bed, leaving Crona behind. She wasn't the only who nearly burst into tears in that moment…

XXX

That nap cleared Maka's mind a little. When she woke up, everyone were asleep already and even though it was nearly midnight, she was hesitating if coming at the square to see Arachne again is a good idea. How could she let her seduce her like that, she even rejected Crona! Until the moment she met Arachne, she wanted to be with her alone and when she has got that opportunity, she couldn't think about anyone else than Arachne.

Looking out the window again, Maka was slowly making her decision. She wished for some miracle to happen, something that would show her what to do, because she wasn't able to decide alone. And then, when her gaze dropped on the night streets, she noticed a woman with long black hair, worn in upward manner with two strands on both sides of her face, wearing very elegant winter clothes; that woman was Arachne, Maka realized it immediately. She was watching her, smiling, before she turned around and began to leave. In that moment, Maka already knew what to do. Putting on her winter clothes, she left the room as quite as she could and headed at the square.

When she arrived no one else was there, snow was still slowly falling down from the night sky and only the Christmas lights together with street lams were colorfully illuminating the darkness. Was it too late? Has she missed her chance? Looking at the ground, Maka just shivered in cold.

Turning around, Maka wanted to return to her room and get some sleep when suddenly, "You look very cute when you lost hope, Maka." the spider witch, sitting on a bench, said with a smile on her face.

Maka didn't say anything; she was just standing there, looking at Arachne with small pink blush on her face. Looking into her eyes was far too much different than just knowing that she is in her arms.

"You can sit next to me if you want," older woman with her glove-covered hand brushed away the snow from the rest of bench, "you know I don't bite." she smiled warmly.

Maka wasn't really sure about that "bite" part; she remembered how Arachne has bit her back then and it made her blush even more. But in the end she anyway sat next to the spider witch, hiding her red face behind scar she wore.

"Tell me, Maka," Arachne began as she pressed closer to Maka, who didn't resist her at all, "for what reason you came here, hmm?" she whispered, "is it because I can provide you informations about the witch you are hunting, or," she lowered her head to Maka's ear, "because you wanted to see me?"

"B-because of…"

"I can't hear you, dear. Louder please." Arachne teased her with a smile.

"Because of those… informations…" Maka lied, obviously, which made Arachne smile even more.

"Ah, I see!" she moved away from Maka again, "Well then, do you remember that young witch you were chasing?"

Blond meister nodded.

"She is really close to the Darkwood witch, actually she is her apprentice. I believe that she would show herself if you would caught her little kitty." Arachne laughed; Maka understood that kitty part when she remembered that Neko actually had a pair of kitty ears.

"Her name is Cerberus and, being honest with you, I've already offered her to join me. She, however, refused and instead hid here. I warned her that it will have consequences, warned her that Death will find her and send someone to hunt her down," with smile she pointed at Maka, "you, my dear."

"So, you are doing this all just because… just because you want me to kill her?" Maka felt a little like heartbroken.

"Of course not, my dear! I do not doubt that you would be able to find a way how to lure her out of her hideout."

"Then why?" Maka wanted to know.

Arachne put her hands around blond girl and pulled her closer to big hug, "Like I said before, I was following you, watching you from afar and I got to know that you, most of all, want to finish this hunt quickly and return home. That's why I am here, my dear," she kissed her on the forehead, "to help you."

"Then, you are doing this just for… me?" Maka couldn't believe it. Why that infamous Heretic Witch was helping her... and seducing her?

Arachne took Maka's hand and put something in it, closing young girl's hand afterward, "Consider this as a Christmas present for you, dear." the witch winked and got up. "And you don't need to be worry about giving me something in return, you've already gave me a present I wanted." and with these words, smiling, Arachne left. When the witch disappeared, Maka opened her hand to find out what Arachne gave her. It was a small blue colored gem with spider symbol on it and there was a slip of paper too. And those words written on it made Maka's heart pound like never before when she read them.

Blushing like mad, she only whispered few words into the night: "Thank you...!