Ripple effect
Family
"Do you think just get well flowers will be enough?" Liz said as she entered Kid's bedroom without knocking, holding the large bouquet of white tulips in her embrace. "I mean, the NOT students were horrified and scared― they said he looked terrifying with his leg as his weapon shaft, arm as a blade and not to forget his humongous eye on his blade covering his whole face! I think just flowers aren't a good idea maybe balloons and perhaps a box of chocolate would be good?"
Kid sighed heavily as he stared out over the Death City skyline. "Consider last time we saw him he was on a strict liquid diet and I think Maka's avoiding temping Soul with sweets as a consolation."
"Okay, you're right. Perhaps a good jazz CD as a get well gift then?"
"That sounds more appropriate."
Liz neared him and stood next to him by the floor to ceiling window. The laughing sun laughed like usual as if everything was normal when in fact there was a heavy tension throughout Death City.
Everybody knew of Soul, not just because of his The Last Death Scythe title, but how he saved his meister from death and barely escaped death himself. He had felt Maka and Soul both at the boarder of death, ready to accept them and move them on to the other side when Soul had dragged her out from harm's way and he, even he couldn't figure it out, and he was Death, couldn't wrap his head around how Soul had crossed over to death, but then pulled himself back to life. Citizens, students, factuality members at Shibusen and weapon and meister organizations throughout the world followed his recovery. Now with his collapse in front of the NOT students, all of them were worried sick about him.
"It's strange, isn't it?" Liz broke the silence, eyes transfixed toward the location where Soul and Maka's apartment complex was. "Even with Stein's expertise and Kim's regeneration magic, he still hasn't gotten better."
"He is a wandering miracle. He was dead, but he came back to life. It has to have put its marks on his soul and body." He remembered it so well, the moment the door to the room Soul was located in opened and out reeked a strong smell of rotten fish and tobacco, it was the smell of death, but yet he could hear the EKG beep loudly. He was alive, but he still smelled of death. The scent had eventually lessened, especially when he woke up, but it had still lingered on him and he could feel the fumes coming from his soul. There was no wonder he was unable to heal his spine and get his legs back, there was no wonder Stein had to put him through multiple reconstruction surgeries.
As the Lord of Death, he was the only one possessing the information. He didn't know if he could reverse the death fuming from his soul, and if he tried, the information could prove dangerous. Death was inevitable. He couldn't go and play God and chose who would live and die. Soul's fate was in his hands.
"But Maka was dead as well, but after a few weeks of resting and rehabilitation, she was back to normal without any damage to her body or soul."
It was something that had bothered him too. When he could smell and see the fumes of death reeking from Soul, Maka's soul simply shone through the fumes and shook them off. The secret had to be in her soul. The grigori soul was of reasoning, perception and sanity, it didn't surprise him it could also heal the effects of her death experience. While he was death, Maka was life, and Soul was simply human.
"Maka was one lucky lady." Kid spun on his heel and headed away from the window. "We ought to get going or we will be late to the party."
"I see what you're doing!" Liz quickly hurried after him with the bouquet of flowers. "Confidential death secrets, huh?"
Kid stayed silent as he went out of the room, knowing whatever he tried to hide from her, she was perceptive enough to figure him out.
…
"Thanks for coming today." Soul tiredly said toward their friends gathered around his bed after he had received all the gifts from their friends. Flowers now decorated his nightstand finer then a royal garden and balloons covered the ceiling.
"I think all of you heard about what happened in the NOT classroom." Soul said as Maka wiped away sweat from his forehead with a cloth.
"That was some epic failure of major proportion, dude." Black*Star's boomed in the small apartment. "I can't believe your failed attempt could overshadow my greatness! Duel! We need to duel―" Tsubaki elbowed him in the ribcage.
"Quiet Black*Star." Tsubaki hushed.
"There won't be a duel." Soul stated and Maka set the cloth to the side and squeezed his hand to the point her knuckles paled. "Because… Stein said the surgeries aren't working."
"So what? We will find a different way." Kim said from her spot, leaning against the wall.
"The only option left is an intestine transplant and even then, we don't know how much time it will give me."
"What are you saying?" Liz questioned.
"As the situation is today… I won't survive the rest of the year."
Heavy silent lay within the living room and the jaws of his friends dropped to the ground. Seconds passed as they took in his words and Maka looked away as if she could deny the inevitable.
Kid's fisted his robe. So it was what he thought. The fumes of death kept reeking from his soul had intensified and within a few months, it would drag him back to the very place he escaped from. The dead had set their claws in him and they wanted him back in the grave. Even if he got the needed transplant, who knew if it would save him. He was in a tug of war with the other side and he didn't have a special soul like Maka, or was a God of Death. He was afraid… he would lose a very dear friend in a soon future.
"But it's not sure." Maka quickly added. "There are still options open, even without an intestine transplant he could still make it. I mean, maybe some of the other witches could help him or if we get a hold of Free, maybe Stein could create some sort of healing injection or―"
"Maka… we both know there is no helping me." Soul gulped heavily as he squeezed Maka's hand. "I didn't want to tell you all this so you could try to find a solution. I'm saying this because it's the inevitable―"
"You don't know that!" Maka roared loudly, enough to make Kid wince from the sheer volume. "This could all just be a very bad cold or a stomach flu or―"
"There could still be hope." Kim spoke up and hushed Maka down immediately. "I didn't know why I haven't thought about it before, but if I had Free's DNA, maybe me and some other witches could whip up something, an imitation spell or copy his intestines or maybe extract some of his essence."
"But no one knows where he is. After the battle on the moon he disappeared." Jacqueline pitched in.
"We could track him down." Kilik eagerly said. "If we found him, we could save Soul!"
"I consent to this mission." Kid immediately said. Even though death wanted to bring Soul back into the grave, he could allow their friends to try to find a solution. He couldn't get himself involved, but he could give them the resources they needed to fight for Soul. "Kilik, Ox and Black*Star, your mission is to track down Free and when you do, I want you to keep an eye on him until a squad of witches arrive to catch him and bring him to Shibusen. Is that clear?"
"Finally a real mission!" Black*Star hooted with joy and pumped his fist in the air. "Finally some time to kick some wolf's butt!"
"You all leave as soon as you're ready." Kid turned toward Kim. "You're released from all your missions to stand by if Stein or Soul needs you."
"I am getting paid for the time I'm doing nothing, right?" Jacqueline nudged her meister's side and shook her head disapprovingly. "Fine, no pay's alright to, but you better pay me good for the time I actually do something― okay! Fine I'll do it all for free then, geez." Kim glared at her weapon as she rubbed the spot she pinched her.
"Thank you." Maka's voice quivered and tears welled up in her eyes. "Thank you so much Kid."
Kid bowed toward her and Soul. It was the least he could do to them. For all they had done for him and the world, it was he who ought to thank them.
…
Wes's mind was going one hundred miles an hour. Thoughts were a foreign language to him and the only sound going through his mind was Maka's uncontrollable sobbing, begging him and his family to return to Death City, to visit them urgently.
He jumped out of the car and his father paid the driver. Wes hurried up the stairs until he reach their door and rang the bell. The door opened only moments later by a tear-stained Maka with red puffy eyes. "I'm glad you could come on such a short notice."
"Where is my brother?" Wes immediately asked, skipping right by his manners.
"Wes?" Relief immediately washed over him at his brother's voice from within the apartment. Soul went passed her and entered the living room where his bed was placed. He had changed since he last saw him. Bags now decorated his face and his cheeks were flushed and shimmered with a layer of sweat. He didn't want to believe it, but his face has slimmed down. He had lost weight.
"Soul." Wes hurried to his brother's side. "I'm so relieved to see you alive. I thought you had passed away when it was Maka making the call."
"Sorry. I would've called you myself if I hadn't fallen asleep."
"Don't apologize. You're obviously sick and you need your rest."
Soul chuckled and grabbed the cloth on his forehead to wipe his face before he placed it in a bowl of water next to the bed. "If it's something I'm getting it's rest. Maka refuses to let me get up or even sit up on my own."
"My son." His father entered with their bags and acknowledging nodded toward him. "I must say you do look rather grey."
"Perceptive as always, father." Soul cleared his throat and it immediately turned to an uncontrollable fit of coughing. Maka immediately dived to his side and helped him direct his head to the side as she murmured comforting words. "Where is mom?" he asked as soon as it ceased.
"She's on her way. Father and I were on business a state away. She'll be here in a couple of hours."
"I'll get started then." Soul patted Maka's hand reassuringly, convincing her his coughing wouldn't return within a soon future. Maka acknowledged and relaxed just a little. Something weren't good with his health. "Yesterday we got some news about my health. Stein said the reconstructive surgeries aren't working and putting me through another one would only worsen it."
"What are you saying, my son?" Mr. Evans took a step forward as if his words enchanted him.
"The point is, without an intestine transplant, I won't survive to the next year."
"This is unacceptable!" Mr. Evans exclaimed and stomped his foot. Both the brother's eyes blow up in size at the outburst of their usually collected father. "I will not accept my son dying!"
"Father―" Wes tried to control his father unexpected outburst but he shook his arm away. Instead he dived to Soul's side and grasped his hands.
"I swear to you I will get you the transplant you need or else I will grant you my own. I refuse to let my son pass away before I do." Mr. Evans's hands turned white from grasping his son's hands so tightly. "Mark my words, son, you may not under any circumstances die. I'll make sure you will live. You hear me, you will live!" He repelled away as if Soul's hands had shocked him. "Now if you may excuse me, I must leave."
Wes could only stare at his father with awe just as tears slipped from his eyes and cheeks puffed red with anger and sorrow. His father grabbed his bag and exited the apartment and slammed the door shut.
"Does he do this often since left for Shibusen?" Soul asked after moments passed and the shock wore off.
"No." Wes had never seen his father so, so upset and angry. Even when businessmen were playing hard or his suggestions were denied, he never even as much as moved a muscle. His neutral facade never even wavered. Even him in his youth doubted his father ever loved them. "He never has."
