"Stop this!" Maka said, fear edging into her voice.

Black Star ignored her. He roared and charged at Chrona, one hand upraised. A ball of crackling light grew in his palm, and Maka's heart lurched. Did he plan to hit Chrona directly with his soul wavelength?

Chrona's mouth opened, and a piercing, inhuman scream erupted from his throat. Ragnarok screamed as well, his voice resonating with Chrona's. Black Star fell back, and Maka cried out, clamping her hands to her ears.

She'd forgotten what it was like, that sound—the way it wormed through her skull and into her thoughts, shaking them apart. Her legs gave out, and she fell to her knees, eyes shut tight as the scream echoed around and around in her head. When it finally died down, she looked up and saw Chrona and Black Star circling each other.

Chrona was still giggling, a jittery, wild sound.

"What's so funny, huh?" Black Star demanded.

Another giggle burst from Chrona's throat. His eyes rolled up and down, side to side. "We were having a picnic," he said breathlessly. "And then—and then—"

Black Star's eyes narrowed. "Take this seriously."

More giggles.

"Stop laughing, damn it!"

"I can't." Spasms of laughter wracked Chrona. His shoulders shook so hard, it looked like he was sobbing. "I can't, I can't."

Black Star gritted his teeth, roared and launched himself at Chrona, who swung Ragnarok with a shriek. Black Star leaped back, landed in a crouch and slowly straightened, panting. There was a cut on his cheek where the sword had grazed him. He smirked and wiped the blood away with his thumb. "You're pretty fast," he said.

Chrona didn't reply; just stared with empty eyes, still smiling that frozen, crazed smile.

Cold fear trickled into Maka's veins. She started to take a step forward, but Soul placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked at him in desperation. "We have to stop this."

Soul didn't look at her. He was staring at Chrona and Black Star, his expression unreadable.

"Soul, what's wrong? Don't you see—"

"You can't always protect him, you know," Soul said quietly.

She shoved his hand off her shoulder, hardly able to believe what she was hearing. Had everyone gone crazy today? "He's my friend! I'm not going to let him suffer right in front of me!"

"Chrona can end it at any time. All he has to do is say the word. Black Star might be a little unhinged when he fights, but he's not so far gone that he'll pummel someone who's begging him to stop."

"But..."

"At some point Chrona has to learn how to deal with people, with or without you there."

"Not like this." She stared at Chrona's face. She could feel the madness seething in his soul, ready to burst out. "Look at him." She grabbed Soul's arm. "His mind has already shut down. He's going to keep going until he kills Black Star."

Soul's eyes widened. "Chrona wouldn't." His voice sounded a little unsteady. "He's not like that, not anymore…is he?"

"You don't understand," Maka whispered. She watched as Black Star circled Chrona, looking for an opening. "You didn't see what she did to him."

"What are you talking about?"

Dimly, at the edge of her awareness, she could hear Tsubaki calling out to Black Star. But Maka's attention was focused on Chrona.

"When I touched his soul, that first time…I saw some of his memories." Maka's voice shook. Black Star was still circling Chrona, who was panting raggedly, sword pointed at him. "Medusa started training him to kill when he was five years old. He didn't want to, but she tortured him when he refused. Over and over, until he couldn't even think about disobeying, until the only way he could survive was by breaking."

"But Medusa's dead," Soul said. He looked mystified. "She's not giving him orders anymore."

"Yes, she is. In his head."

Black Star roared and rushed at Chrona again, and his hand slammed into Chrona's stomach. Chrona flew backward with a cry. His back struck a tree, and he slid down. Black Star stood panting. His hand still glowed and crackled with light. "Give up, already," he said, a grin framing his bared teeth. The demon burned in his eyes, hot and fierce. "We both know who's the bigger man here."

Chrona slowly rose to his feet, head hanging, arms limp at his sides. His fingers tightened on Ragnarok, and he raised the sword slowly. The corners of his mouth pulled upward into a manic smile, and he began to giggle again.

Black Star's grin twisted into a snarl.

Maka's stomach clenched. Black Star and Chrona weren't here anymore. What stood before them were two forces of blind destruction; two automatons driven by fear and aggression, by primal emotions which battered down the walls of reason and friendship and normality.

A bead of sweat trickled down Soul's temple. "You're saying Chrona can't stop."

"To him, fighting isn't about winning or losing," Maka said. "It's about killing. He doesn't want to do this. But in his mind, he has no choice. Because she's always, always there."

Soul watched them. Realization dawned on his face, slowly followed by horror. "Shit."

A pair of black wings sprouted from Chrona's shoulders. At the sight, Maka went cold inside. He normally couldn't use those wings; not anymore. Not unless he let the black blood's madness consume him.

He rose into the air and hung there, swaying lightly back and forth. When Maka unfocused her gaze, she could see Ragnarok's soul expanding, glowing around him, a huge, churning red sphere.

"Ha!" Black Star howled. "You think if you fly around like a little bird I can't reach you?" He leaped into the air.

Chrona's sword knocked him back down. The force of the blow flung Black Star against a tree, and his head cracked against the trunk. "Damn it!" Black Star staggered in dizzy circles, swinging his fists wildly. Maka glimpsed the blood soaking through his hair. "Come down here!"

Chrona tipped his head back, slender arms held high over his head, Ragnarok upraised. His body continued to sway. His eyes rolled in the sockets, unseeing. "Screech Alpha," he said, his voice thin and breathless. His mouth fell open, and his voice rose in another scream. Ragnarok screamed in tandem, and razors raked down Maka's spine, over nerves and muscles. She gasped, clamping her hands over her ears.

A huge black and purple cloud burst forth from the sword, ripping a path through the ground. A tree split in half with a deafening chorus of cracks.

Black Star jumped to one side, narrowly avoiding the cloud. As it roared past, it sliced a shallow cut into his arm, and blood flew through the air. He hit the ground and rolled. A second later, he sprung back up. "Is that all you got?" he roared.

"We have to stop this," Maka said.

"If we get into the middle of that, we're going to die," Soul said.

Maka's jaw tightened, and frustration burned in her chest. But she knew he was right. "Run back to Shibusen and get Dr. Stein," she said, "or whoever you can find. I'll stay and see if I can tap into Chrona's wavelength. I might be able to calm him."

Soul's eyes widened. "Are you sure that's a good idea? You just said-"

"Go!" she snapped.

He hesitated, then nodded grimly, turned, and ran in the direction of Shibusen.

"Black Star!" Tsubaki shouted. She sounded close to panic. "Stop this! He'll kill you!"

"Ha! Are you kidding? We're having a blast!"

Chrona was still grinning. But his eyes were glazed with panic, his teeth rattling together as he trembled.

Why didn't Black Star see?

But of course, thought Maka, he couldn't. When Black Star fought, he was blind to everything but winning. It was his strength—and it was also what made him dangerous and unstable. He couldn't win this fight. Not without a Weapon. But he would keep fighting until he was unconscious or dead. And with Chrona's mind coming apart at the seams...

"Chrona!" Maka shouted, cupping her hands around her mouth. "You don't have to keep fighting. Tell him you give up!"

Chrona didn't seem to hear her. He panted, chest heaving, as he pulled back one sleeve and drew Ragnarok's blade across his own arm. Black blood dripped from the wound.

Black Star bent his knees and launched himself into the air again, one hand filled with the blazing energy of his soul.

"Bloody Needle," Chrona said, his voice strangely calm.

Black spikes shot out from the cut, toward Black Star. The spikes impaled his shoulders, his chest, his arms and legs. He cried out, his voice choked with pain, and blood burst from his mouth.

Tsubaki ran toward him.

He fell to the ground, gasping, blood soaking his shirt. Then—astonishingly—he climbed to his feet. He laughed, even as he trembled and clutched his chest. Blood dripped between his fingers.

Chrona hovered, staring down at him blankly.

"You're tough," Black Star wheezed. "I'll give you that. But I've barely gotten started! Just wait—" He started to keel over.

Tsubaki caught him and curled an arm around his waist, supporting him. "Don't try to move," she said firmly.

"I'm fine," he growled. "It's just a flesh wound."

She shook her head. "We're going back to Shibusen. You need a doctor."

"Soul is getting Dr. Stein now," Maka said. "Just stay there."

Chrona still hung twenty feet above the ground, wings flapping. His head lolled, as if his neck were broken. He hummed to himself, a low, monotone hum. Slowly, he raised Ragnarok. The sword's mouth opened, and a piercing scream rent the air. The ground vibrated. Chrona's grip tightened on the sword's hilt, and his mouth opened as a scream burst forth from his throat, the two screams resonating and swelling in volume. "Screech Alpha!"

Tsubaki picked up Black Star and lunged out of the way as the black cloud burst forth again, ripping through the ground and plowing through another tree. It toppled with a cacophony of creaking and splintering wood. Maka looked up, eyes widening. It was falling straight toward her.

She saw Chrona's face turn. His eyes focused on her and widened. Instantaneously, the blank glaze of madness vanished, and recognition flooded his expression.

In a flash he was between her and the tree; it struck the shield of Ragnarok's soul. He pushed, and the tree toppled in the opposite directly, crashing harmlessly to the ground.

Chrona hovered for a moment longer, the soul-shield flickering around him. His sword liquefied into black blood and vanished into his body. He went limp, hanging there, suspended in midair…then he fell.

Maka rushed forward and caught him. The impact knocked her to the ground, nearly driving the breath from her lungs, but she hugged Chrona tightly. He was shaking. "It's all right," she whispered. "I have you."

"Maka…" His chest hitched. He hid his face against her shoulder. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault."

"It is. I know it is." His voice was soft, but it shook with a feverish intensity. Harsh, ragged breathing echoed in her ear. "I should never have come here. I only hurt people and make bad things happen. It would have been better if I'd died back then."

"Please don't say that." She hugged him tighter. He felt so frail. Like he might break if she squeezed to hard. Even though she'd seen it with her own eyes, it was hard to believe he'd been responsible for the destruction all around her. "You're my friend," she whispered. "I don't want to lose you."

"I'm sorry. I—I just—" He drew in a shaky breath. "My head…my head is…everything hurts…I can't…"

"Chrona, look at me." She held his face between her hands and looked into his wide eyes. "Focus your mind on me." She could feel his soul, jittery and vibrating and seething with darkness. She matched her own soul wavelength to it, resonated with him, flowed into him. It was natural and easy, like resonating with Soul.

He didn't relax so much as collapse. The tension drained out of him, and he hung from her arms, limp as a rag doll.

She heard footsteps and looked up to see Soul running toward her, followed closely by Stein, who was carrying a medical kit. He stopped and surveyed the damage—Black Star bleeding in Tsubaki's arms, Chrona half-conscious in Maka's—then sighed and twisted the screw in his head. "I'll ask what happened later. Is Chrona injured?"

"Physically, he's okay," Maka said. "Psychologically…"

"Not so much," Soul finished.

"Then you and Soul can take Chrona back to Shibusen. Marie's waiting there. Her wavelength should have a stabilizing effect on him." He approached Black Star, crouched beside him, and opened the medical kit. "I'm going to close the wounds."

Black Star was blinking, a dazed expression on his face. The manic fire had faded from his eyes. He looked around the half-demolished park, and his gaze settled on the picnic basket, which had been knocked over in the chaos. Pork dumplings and rice balls were scattered across the grass. "They're ruined," he murmured. His voice was very quiet, very un-Black Star like. "I didn't mean for that to happen."

"That's the least of our concerns," Tsubaki said. "You're bleeding everywhere."

"Is…is Chrona okay?"

"Don't try to talk," Stein said.

Soul sighed. He slung an arm around Chrona's right side, and Maka took his left. They made their way slowly back to Shibusen.

When they arrived in the infirmary wing, Marie was waiting for them. She led them to an empty room and helped Chrona into bed, where he lay, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Soul and Maka waited uncertainly near the doorway as Marie sat by the bedside and took Chrona's hand in hers. "How are you feeling, Chrona?" she asked gently.

"Marie-sensei…" His head turned slowly toward her. "I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry for?"

Tears formed in his eyes, which were wide and unfocused, as if he wasn't quite there. "The snake. Dr. Stein. It's my fault. I betrayed you."

Her brow furrowed. "That was a long time ago. I've forgiven you for that."

A tear slid down his cheek. "You were so nice to me, and I…I…"

"Shhh." She lay his hand at his side and pulled the sheets over him. "Just rest."

A shudder ran through him, and his eyes went glazed and empty again. Marie cast an uncertain glance in Maka and Soul's direction. "Did he hit his head?"

"No," Maka said.

"He seems disoriented. Chrona, can you see how many fingers I'm holding up?"

Silence.

Ragnarok popped out of Chrona's back, hooked one of his tiny paw-like hands into the corner of Chrona's mouth, and pulled, stretching his cheek out. Chrona didn't react. "He's switched off," Ragnarok said.

Maka frowned. "What do you mean?"

"This used to happen all the time back when we lived with Medusa," Ragnarok said. "Sometimes he just shuts down for awhile." He leaned over Chrona and opened his mouth, letting his long tongue loll out. Chrona continued to stare blankly, unresponsive, as Ragnarok drooled onto his face. "See? Chrona has left the building. He'll snap out of it sooner or later, though. He always does."

With a cloth, Marie gently wiped Chrona's face clean. "Catatonia?" she asked, glancing at Ragnarok.

"Whatever you call it." Ragnarok idly poked at Chrona's face, rolling his head back and forth, like a cat batting at a toy. After a minute or two, he seemed to grow bored of this and recoiled back into Chrona's body.

Marie turned to Maka and Soul. "How did this happen to him?"

Soul had been leaning against the door frame, hands in his pockets, watching in silence. Now, he spoke. "Black Star challenged him to a duel. Things got nasty."

Maka clenched her fists. She could feel her nails biting into her palms, even through the gloves. "Black Star is a dick."

"He's not a bad person," Soul said quietly. "He gets carried away sometimes. But if he knew what Chrona had been through as a kid, he wouldn't have challenged him. I'm sure of that."

Marie sighed. "I suppose I should have a talk with them both, once things have settled down. Is Black Star all right?"

"He'll probably be okay once Stein stops the bleeding."

Her eyes widened. "Chrona injured him?"

"Turned him into shish-kebob," Soul said. Marie put a hand to her mouth in shock, and Soul added, "Black Star's survived worse. That guy's too tough to die over something like that."

Marie and Soul continued to talk, but their voices faded out of Maka's awareness. She pulled up a chair and gathered Chrona's hand in both her own. He stared through her.

She squeezed his hand. "Can you hear me, Chrona?"

No response.

-To be continued