-at the infirmary-
"Sorry, but Maka's injuries are pretty bad. I can't sense her soul. It seems it's inactive." Nygus said to her friends who were at the infirmary.
Everyone was quiet, even Black Star was quiet and Patty, for once, had stopped laughing and making fun. Tsubaki was crying, she didn't want her best friend to die. Liz was comforting Tsubaki. Kid just saw Maka, lying on bed with her eyes close. Soul was next to Maka, holding her hands and holding his tears. He hoped Maka didn't die, because, even though he made fun of her, Soul was deeply in love with Maka. But, somehow, Soul knew Nygus wasn't telling them all the truth.
Night was coming and Maka hadn't waked up. Everyone was leaving except for Soul.
"Soul, I can stay here, taking care of Maka, and you can go to your apartment." Tsubaki offered.
"No," Soul replied, not taking his view from Maka's face, "I'll stay here until she wakes up or..." Soul couldn't even say that.
"No Soul...Maka will recover... She will not go..." Tsubaki said with tears on her eyes.
Nygus came in and told Tsubaki to go home. She knew these guys would do anything for Maka.
"Hey Soul, you should get some rest." Nygus said to Soul.
"No, I will stay." Soul said, holding Maka's hand tighter.
"Ok. By the way Soul I have to tell you something about Maka's condition." Nygus said to Soul, looking at him seriously.
"Uh... what is it about?" Soul asked, looking at Nygus and holding Maka's hand tightly.
"Well... After the battle... A piece of the Kishin's soul entered Maka's body...and she is being taken by the craziness..." Nygus was about to continue, but Soul stopped her.
"Wait... So the Kishin is inside Maka?!" Soul asked, looking at Maka worriedly.
"Yes... but look if Maka is like this it is because she... well her conscious part decided to better let go instead of leaving all the madness take her completely and kill the ones she loved." Nygus finally said.
"So she is going to die?" Soul asked worried.
"If she decides to fight the madness and wins she will recover and continue with her life. If she fights and loses, madness will take her and she will simply try to become a kishin. It is all up to her." Nygus said seriously.
Soul just looked at Maka and hold her hand. He wanted her back, his Maka.
-in Maka's mind-
Maka found herself in a white room. It was very pretty and there was one window. From that window you could see all the madness in Maka, and that the room was the only part without it.
"Hello! Anyone is here?" Maka yelled.
'Hi Maka. Here.' her conscious part said. Her voice was sweet, it sounded just like Kami. The voice came from the brightest part of the room.
"Who are you? Where do I am? What happened?" Maka asked.
'I am your only conscious part Maka. You are here because you, well both of us, decided better to stay unharmed and don't let the madness take us. And madness has taken almost every muscle of your body, almost every single part, except for this room.' her conscious part said.
"But why is madness inside me? Didn't I kill the Kishin already?" Maka asked a little worried.
'You did kill him, but a piece of his soul managed to enter your body, and now madness is all over you. You've got to fight Maka' her conscious party said.
"No what if I lose, madness will take me right? And I will kill all my loved ones." Maka said.
'Maka you are strong enough to fight. And we both know why you got here instead of leaving madness take you' her conscious part said seriously.
Maka just stayed quiet. She knew that she had decided this because she loved Soul. Her secret love for Soul kept her from giving to the madness. She would fight, but all would be to see the red crimson eyes, the smile with shark teeth; it would be to see Soul again.
-back at the infirmary-
Soul was alone. Nygus had gone to see Lord Death. Soul kept holding Maka's hand. He wanted to see her bright emerald eyes, her smile.
Soul leaned near to Maka's ear and whispered: "Maka, come back. I know what you are passing through. Maka, please come back, because I...I love you. You are my reason for living. I need you Maka."
For the first time in his whole life, Soul felt pretty good and he didn't even care of being cool. All he needed was to hear Maka say she did feel the same way for him.
-in Maka's mind-
"Fine. I will fight. It is all true." Maka said firmly while she walked towards the black door of the room.
'Go fight Maka. And remember, the Kishin is weak from the last battle. If you get yourself in weapon form, and use yourself just like you use Soul, you will win' Maka heard her conscious part saying. 'Good luck...' were the last words she heard.
She was left in a complete darkness, where only devil laughter could be heard.
"Kishin Asura! Where are you? Come fight!" Maka yelled to the darkness.
A big laughter was heard and from the darkest part came the Kishin's piece of soul, which then turned into the Kishin.
"Maka, Maka, Maka... So you have decided to fight?" the Kishin said and then laughed.
"Why would I be here then? You think I am afraid like you?" Maka said defiantly.
"You know I will win and take your body to be the next great Kishin. And if you win, what will you have you know Soul doesn't love you? How could he love a flat-chested like you? You are just his partner, nothing else." the Kishin said and laughed.
Maka was about to cry. She, somehow, knew all that was true. How could Soul love a flat-chested, bookworm? A tear rolled down her cheek.
"Oh, the little Maka will cry?" the Kishin said while laughing crazily.
"No..." Maka said firmly as she put herself in position to fight. "I will take you out of here... I'll kill you!" Maka said and run towards the Kishin.
-back at the infirmary-
"SOUL!" Nygus yelled as she ran inside the infirmary.
Soul just turned around to see her.
"Maka... Maka is fighting against the Kishin... inside her mind!" Nygus yelled to Soul.
"What?!" Soul asked and turned to see Maka. "How do you know that?"
"Lord Death, he sensed Maka's soul. Her soul is active and he feels the Kishin's piece of soul. They are together, fighting!" Nygus said to Soul loudly.
"No!" Soul yelled and hugged Maka. "Maka be strong, you can..."
-in Maka's mind-
'Maka be strong, you can...' Maka heard those words and knew exactly who was telling them: Soul. Somehow, those words gave her strength. She ran towards the Kishin and kicked him in the face. The Kishin went flying more into the darkness. Maka just followed him.
'Maka come...come.' Maka could hear those voices more and more, as she went further in the darkness following the Kishin.
"Maka, Maka... you aren't that strong. I am still here. You can't kill me like last time, and now is my turn." the Kishin said to Maka, as his bandages went for Maka.
Maka tried to evade every hit from the Kishin, but failed. The Kishin hitted Maka on the chest and stomach and with that sent her further into the darkness.
"Is that the best you have?!" Maka yelled to the Kishin, knowing she was pretty injured.
"So you want more?" the Kishin asked getting closer.
The Kishin extended his bandages, grabbed Maka, and squeezed her tightly, like wanting her to vanish. Maka couldn't even breathe.
"Now die." the Kishin said, squeezing Maka tighter. There was a little 'crack' as if Maka's bones were being broken, and, indeed, they were breaking.
The Kishin just laughed and let her fall from a great height. Maka fell down and broke her right arm. Maka began throwing up blood. She knew this was her end.
"Now! This is the body of the next Kishin... a little small but I can manage that." the Kishin said, as he walked towards the white room.
Maka knew that if he entered there, she will be gone; a prisoner in her own body.
"Hey! I am still here!" Maka yelled as she got up with difficulty.
The Kishin just turned around to see there was nothing.
"Where are you!?" he yelled, fear entering him.
"Right back!" Maka yelled as she turned her arm into a blade.
"Demon-hunter!" Maka yelled, and her blade became bigger. She placed the blade where the Kishin's soul was.
"Bye..." Maka said to the Kishin as she cut through his chest.
Rapidly the Kishin vanished, and Maka was left alone with the Kishin's soul.
Maka grabbed the Kishin's soul and placed it in her pocket. She returned to the white room, and as she walked there all the madness began to vanish away.
Maka opened the big black doors and entered.
"Hey... I won..." Maka said as she hold her stomach.
'Good Maka, I knew you could.' her conscious part said, and Maka, somehow, saw her mother's face.
"How do I go back?" Maka asked.
"Rest, you already won, your body will slowly go back... Just rest.' the voice said.
Maka suddenly fell down, and began thinking of her reason for fighting: Soul. She fell asleep, dreaming of Soul.
-back at the infirmary-
Maka slowly woke up. She saw her surroundings and saw Soul's jacket. Had he always been here with her? Suddenly she heard something; it was Soul coming from the bathroom. Maka pretended to be asleep, like if she hadn't wake up.
Soul just saw her and sat next to her holding her hand.
"Maka, when will you wake up? I am here waiting for you. I have something to tell you." Soul said, and looked down.
"Then say it." Maka said as she opened her eyes and looked at Soul.
"Maka!" Soul nearly yelled. "I thought you were asleep." He rapidly stopped holding her hand.
"And what is that you've got to tell me?" Maka asked curiously.
"Well..." Soul placed a hand behind his neck, "it is that..." Soul stopped. Not because he wanted but because he felt Maka's lips on his.
Soul knew what to do and rapidly kissed her back. They stopped kissing and looked at each other.
Maka just blushed and sat on the bed. Soul knew that if he didn't say something, things will become awkward. Soul hold Maka's hand and Maka turned to look at him.
"Maka... I love you." Soul said, and he lightly blushed. Soul saw Maka's eyes grew bigger and they like sparkled.
"S...Soul..." Maka began, "I... love you too..." Maka rapidly said.
That was all Soul needed to hear, and he kissed Maka again. It was a sweet kiss.
"Hey Soul! Your god brought you some..." Black Star said as he entered the infirmary.
He stood there, looking at Soul and Maka kiss.
"Nothing..." Black Star finally said, and left.
Soul and Maka just saw the door closed and laughed, as they hold their hands.
