Chapter 2
Soul was talking quietly with Kid when Stein and a woman walked in. "That's Lord Death?" The woman asked Stein who nodded. Soul looked at her and felt like there was something familiar but could not put his finger on it. He watched her walk closer to Kid. "Lord Death, Meister Kimi reporting in. I feel that there is not any more tasks for me to continue traveling the world, and think my skills would be best served here."
Kid looked at Soul. "You can do what you want. If anyone asks just tell them it's something I wanted you to set up and to keep people out. That should stop anyone from bothering you." He smirked.
"Great, thanks, Kid." Soul grinned.
Stein raised a brow. "What are you planning?"
"The M wing of the academy will be off limits after sun down." Kid announced. "Soul has something to set up and asked to use it."
"The whole wing?" Stein said looking at the young death scythe. "Well I suppose it's better than the most valuable meister and weapon taking a month long vacation."
"It was for our wedding." Soul shook his head. "Besides, the only reason you wanted us back was so we would watch Micha after classes." Stein looked at him a minute before he gave a small smirk. "Now, I have to start working things out for tonight."
As he stood to leave Kid's voice stopped him. "Soul." He turned and looked at his friend. "Before you start, take Kimi to Maka. I'm sure she wants to catch up with her daughter." Soul's red eyes snapped back to Kimi, standing quietly observing the conversation.
Stein smirked, "I'm surprised you didn't recognize her. I would have thought Maka would have shown you pictures."
"She did but that was years ago, she's had them packed up for a while." Soul looked at Kimi who looked between them confused. He heaved a sigh. "Come on, I'll take you to Maka."
"Tell Maka I said happy birthday tonight." Stein called after them.
Soul shook his head and grumbled about the meister. "How do you know my daughter?" Kimi asked.
"Soul!" A little boy cheered before crashing into his legs.
"Hey." Soul smirked looking at the boy. "Was Maka being a boring book worm again?" The boy gave a nod as he peeked behind him as Maka stood with her hands on her hips. "Hey, you know who really wants to play? Your dad. He's in the death room down there. Why don't you go tackle him?" The boy nodded and took off giggling. Soul turned as Maka stood staring at the woman.
"Mama?" She whispered before she ran to her mother and hugged her. "What are you doing here?"
"I thought I would be more use here." Kimi said smiling at her daughter before taking her hands. Her brow furrowed as she pulled her one hand closer. "Are you…?" She looked at her daughter who smiled happily. "Who's the lucky man?"
"That would be me, although I don't know about lucky." Soul said earning himself an elbow to his side.
"This is Soul. He's my weapon partner and my husband." Maka smiled happily, as she stood next to Soul.
"What kind of weapon are you?" Soul paused, feeling that there was another meaning to the question.
Maka answered though. "He's a death scythe." Kimi looked back at Soul.
"A death scythe?" Kimi looked at Soul. He really was feeling like she was sizing him up and judging him. "Are you an actual scythe?" Soul gave a nod.
"Hey." Black Star said as he walked up with Tsubaki following.
"Yo." Soul said as the two high fived. "What are you doing down here?"
Black Star shrugged. "Kid said something about a mission." He looked at the woman. "Who's that?"
"That's Maka's mom." Soul explained.
"Maka, you have a mom?" He asked surprised.
Maka rolled her eyes. "Of course I do. Mama, this is Black Star and Tsubaki." She introduced.
"Don't you have to get going on that mission?" Soul asked his friend.
"Yes, and so do you two." Stein said walking out to them with Micha attached to his leg. Soul chuckled as Stein just looked at him. "I assume this was you?" He asked looking down at his son.
Soul smirked. "He wanted to have fun, Maka was boring." Maka elbowed his side again making him wince and rub the tender spot. "Jeez Maka." He complained only to get a hard look from her green eyes.
"What's the mission?" Maka asked looking away from her husband.
"There are two nearly completed Kishins just outside of the city. We have word they're headed this way but there's no real way to know. You four are to go and end their trip." Stein explained as the four became serious.
"Right, let's go, Soul." Maka looked at Soul as he started to transform landing lightly in her hands. She turned in one fluid movement and started down the hall as Tsubaki transformed and Black star followed.
"They are good?" Kimi asked Stein.
"They are the best; those two meisters stand almost at Lord Death's level." Stein explained as he picked his son up. "They are tough. You can watch your daughter if you want." He shrugged and walked away as she started after the four young adults.
She quickly found them in the middle of a fight with two rather large Kishins. She watched as Black Star blocked an attack that would have hit Maka before the two jumped away to regroup. She watched them split, one for each Kishin and they pulled the two away from each other so they could not help the other. Kimi watched her daughter almost dancing as she avoided being hit, striking out when the time arose but the fight soon turned. The two Kishins extended their arms and flung themselves together. With a loud smack, the two became one giant, misshapen monster. It roared and smashed its fists into the two meisters sending them flying.
"Let's go, Tsubaki!" Black Star called before the weapon transformed and he lunged only to be grasped in the large hand. He struggled to get loose but the hand squeezed harder and harder before it sent spikes into his body making him cry out.
"Black Star!" Maka yelled as she tightened her grip on her weapon. She jumped and attacked making the hand drop Black Star to the ground, blood flowing quickly as Tsubaki knelt beside him. Maka continued to fight, taking the hits and giving them back. She was breathing heavy as she jumped out of the way of the spiked hand but not fast enough, earning her a gash on her thigh.
Kimi was about to step in when she heard Soul call Maka's name. "I'm okay." She said as she took a deep breath. "It's just a cut. Stop being such a worry wart just because we're married." She smirked and Kimi could hear a chuckle from the scythe. "Black Star needs medical help, we have to finish this and get back."
"Right." Soul said as Maka glanced at Tsubaki. "Take the lead, Maka." She smirked as she stood straighter and closed her eyes. Kimi watched enthralled as suddenly Maka burst through light in a long black dress and Soul had changed the blade to resemble a piano keyboard. "Alright, Maka. It's all yours."
"Soul." Maka smiled at the scythe. "Let's do this together." Soul smiled as he sat at his piano, took a deep breath and started his song as Maka pushed keys on the blade. The Kishin cried out and charged giving Maka a large opening. She stepped, swung and slashed, sliding the blade straight through the kishin body. It howled again before it spiraled around floating down with two red souls.
"Tsubaki, how's Black Star?" Maka asked as Soul transformed to stand beside her.
Tsubaki looked up from her fiancé. "I think he'll be okay. The bleeding stopped." She told them before her eyes went back to Black Star.
"We'll get him back to the city and have him fixed up." Maka smiled at her friend.
Soul wrapped his arm around her waist gently. "You too." He said making her nod as the adrenalin wore off letting her feel the pain.
"Maka…" Kimi said as she ran to them.
"Mama?" Maka said confused. Kimi looked at her daughter worried. "I'm fine." She waved off her mother. "We just need to get back and cleaned up."
"But, your leg…"
Maka smiled. "it's just a cut. I've had worse." She looked at her friend. "Soul, can you carry him?" He sighed and grumbled as he pulled black Star up onto his shoulder. Kimi watched as Soul continuously glanced at Maka as they made their way back to the city. Once there they took Black Star to Stein to fix him up while the professor gave Soul a box of bandages and ointments. Soul gripped Maka's arm and helped her to a seat to the side.
"Let a professional fix it." Kimi said.
Maka shook her head as Soul sat on the floor, pulling her leg to him. "Soul and I have been fixing wounds worse than this on our own for years. It'll be fine."
Kimi watched as Soul gently cleaned the wound and bandaged it. "I'll check in on Black Star and Tsubaki and then we can head home." He told her and waited for her to nod.
"It's a shame you had to fight like that on your birthday." Kimi said looking at her daughter.
"It's the life of a meister." Maka grinned. "Besides, it's not all bad. I get to be close to my husband. I'm sure he has something planned. He has something every year. Last year he managed to get us a whole month vacation for our honeymoon. It was our honeymoon and he had a special night for my birthday. He likes to act tough and not caring but he is really sweet and loving." Maka smiled softly as she spoke about Soul.
"He'll be okay. Just needs to rest and Tsubaki needs to stop him from going crazy." Soul said as he walked back into the waiting area. "You ready to go? We have to get ready." He said looking at his watch.
"Get ready for what?" Kimi asked as Soul and Maka looked at each other.
"Maka's birthday present." He said as he reached out, offering Maka a hand.
She took it with a smile. "I'll meet up with you tomorrow and we can catch up on everything, Mama." She looked at her mother. "I'm sorry…"
"No, there's nothing to be sorry for. You go enjoy your birthday with your husband." She smiled at Soul before Maka nodded happily, wrapping her arm around his as they started off together.
"Kimi." She turned and found her ex-husband standing with his hands in his pockets. "What are you doing here?"
"What do you care?" She asked only to watch him turn serious. "I came to spend time with my daughter and help around death city. I've done what I can for now." Spirit just looked at her. "You let our daughter walk down the same path we went. What do you think's going to happen? She's going to be devastated."
Spirit sighed as she looked at his ex-wife. Over the years, he had seen what kind of man Soul had grown into. He knew the love the two partners shared. He still did not make it easy but he knew they had both made the right choice. "You need to see something." Was all he said as he went back to the academy. He never said another word as he led her through the halls and corridors until they made it to a wing with a large sign on the gate stating that as an order from Lord Death no one is to go down this wing. Spirit unlocked the gate and shut it behind them. Again silently, he led her down the wing, as they went farther they found it dimly lit and soft music filled the halls.
Kimi raised a brow as Spirit stopped and slowly cracked open a door and the sound became louder. He motioned for her to look. Stepping up she looked through the crack. She watched as Soul waltzed around the room with Maka holding on, both smiling at each other, lost in each other's gaze. She glanced at Spirit before looking back as the music slowed and ended. Soul bent slightly and gave her a loving kiss, pulling away Maka's face was lit up more than Kimi had ever remembered. She watched as she grinned and stepped back, pulling Soul with her.
"Play for me." Maka said softly. Soul did not look very happy but sighed as he stepped closer. "Please?"
"Fine." He smirked. "Just because it's your birthday." He kissed her cheek before they walked over to the piano. Kimi watched Soul sit in the middle of the bench with Maka beside him. Slowly he started playing a gentle tune that made Maka's eyes light up as she leaned her head on his shoulder. Soul looked down at her head resting against his shoulder and Kimi could see the overflow of love in his eyes before he kissed the top of her head and continued the song.
"This is so perfect, Soul." Maka said softly looking up at him as he smirked. "You've outdone yourself again."
"I have to keep you guessing." He smirked. "It's not easy with how smart and nosey you are." He laughed making her giggle. The song slowed and died. "I love you Maka Evans."
"I love you too Soul Evans." She smiled up at him before pulling him into a deep kiss. Kimi looked at Spirit as he smirked and leaned against the wall. "Let's go home." She whispered before she kissed him again.
Soul chuckled as he pulled her closer; kissing her so deeply that Maka had to lean into him for support. "Let's go." He whispered before Maka took his hand and the two took off from the room laughing as they ran down the hall never noticing the two people standing in the shadows.
"He loves her." Spirit said. "He's not me and Maka's not you. She is very smart, she knows what's best for her, she always has. Soul has grown into a good man who loves her with his entire soul. He would gladly die for her and has almost succeeded in the past. Maka chose him as her weapon for a reason, I never understood why, but as the years went on and watched the two of them grow up I can see something that was growing between them since they became partners. If you want to know why she picked him or who he is, you should talk to them." Spirit watched his ex-wife look down the hall. "Stein said he could see the connection of their souls grow as time went on. He said they are true soul mates." With that, he left her standing alone.
