"Hey Soul, catch!" Black Star said as he threw Maka's book at him. Soul caught it just before it fell into the lake behind him.
"Hey you guys! I really like that book please don't ruin it!" Maka yelled at them.
"Maka, you are always reading something when we're all trying to have fun, so not cool." Soul looked at her and gave her his classic grin. This was the smile he saved just for her. Soul set her book down and was about to walk over to her when Black Star pushed him into the lake. With that, an epic water fight started amongst the group.
Maka was woken up by the chattering of people in her apartment. The sun was peeking its way through her curtain shades and she looked over to see Crona's sleeping bag empty. She sat on the edge of the bed and looked at herself in the mirror. Her pig tails were uneven; Soul's clothes looked like they were hanging on her. She took a deep breath and stood up. Moving closer to the mirror she started to fix her appearance but nothing worked. With losing a considerable amount of weight, she just did not look healthy. She hadn't eaten a full meal in weeks. 'Why didn't you fight harder for him' she thought to herself.
She opened her bedroom door and saw Liz and Patty taking boxes out of Soul's room. She took a few steps back and shut her door again. "Maka..? Is everything okay?" asked Crona through the door. She felt her heart beat slow down clenched his shirt in her fists. 'They have no right' she thought to herself.
Kid was helping carry items to a moving truck downstairs when he heard a commotion coming his way. He turned around just in time to find Maka crying and angry. She knocked the boxes out of his hands and spoke to her friends, more than a few sentences then she'd been able to in a few weeks.
"GIVE IT BACK! IT'S NOT YOURS TO TAKE IT BELONGS TO ME AND SOUL-"She screamed. Her friends watched her fall to the ground and cry. Kid looked down at Maka and felt a knot in his chest. He could barely look at her sad soft green eyes.
"Maka, we all love you and are here for you. We're not going anywhere. We're moving his things for a little bit okay? It's all going to my place and when you're ready you can look at it and pick out what you want. We lost him too Maka." By that point Liz and Patty were loading more boxes into the truck and Crona and Tsubaki were holding Maka while kid was directing his attention back to the truck.
"I just keep thinking about that day. How it all started. I keep going over what I should have done, how I could have saved him. I don't feel his soul anymore, Kid; I don't feel him at all." Maka whispered. Crona grasped his best friend closer to him as he felt the pain that she felt too. They all did, not a single one of them was coping well with the events that had transpired; the Kishin that attacked black star, Tsubaki, Maka and killed Soul.
Kid directed his attention back to her and kneeled down. He moved a piece of her hair from her face and wiped the tears away. "Maka, we're going to get through this together. Please do not blame yourself for any of it. No one is to blame, we were all surprised to find out a Kishin was there." He whispered back to her. 'How am I going to pull us out of this?' he thought to himself.
Dr. Stein was in the hospital ward attending to Black Star, checking his vitals in the process. He began the process of removing the breathing apparatus.
"He can breathe on his own now." Dr. Stein said looking to the mirror adjacent to him. "I believe he should wake up within the next few days as well." Stein got up from Black Star's bedside and sat in front of his desk to file things away. A file fell onto the ground and Miss Marie picked it up, it was Soul's file, a picture of him was in it with his shark looking grin.
"I can't believe it Stein; he was such a good young man." Miss Marie closed the file and handed it to him.
"I know, I keep thinking we should go back one last time but I'm afraid it won't do any good." He replied. Miss Marie picked up her bag and walked back to her house where she bumped into Tsubaki.
"Miss Marie, can I ask a favor of you?" she asked?
"Hello Tsubaki! Of course you can!"
"Well, you have been so helpful with me and the whole situation I was wondering if you could maybe help Maka now too? She isn't ready quite yet but I think I could get her here eventually."
"Yes, I think that is a fantastic idea, let me know when you plan on bringing her in. Also Stein said that Black Star is improving very fast! He should be awake soon!"
"Thank you! I will let you know about Maka after things settle!" Tsubaki left Stein and Marie's house and walked towards Maka's apartment. She knew her friend was in need but she needed to see Black Star first.
"Father, I told Tsubaki that Maka should see Miss Marie with her. I think it would be good for her to talk now."
The Shinigami nodded his head in acknowledgment and turned his attention back to the wounded Black Star with Tsubaki at his side. It wouldn't be long now until their peace would be interrupted again by the Kishin that attacked the students. He needed them to all be in full health, physically and mentally…
A few days later…
Stein had been checking Black Stars vitals all day and looked into the mirror "I think he'll wake up any minute now. Send for Tsubaki."
The door to Maka's apartment opened slowly and Patty poked her head in. "Hey guys! Black Star should be waking up soon! Let's go!" She said with a smile.
Crona and Maka followed a very happy Tsubaki up to the hospital ward to find the whole group huddled around their friend. Tsubaki sat on one side of Black Star and Stein on the other. Kid was more towards the back of the room so he could keep an eye on everyone. He looked as the last two entered. Crona holding the hand of Maka who seemed barely aware that she'd left her apartment at all; still lost in her feelings. He turned his attention back to Black Star who began to stir. He felt his hand around Tsubaki's and slowly squeezed his fingers around her slender hand. He opened his eyes and saw her smile beaming down upon him. He looked around the room at all his friends, He saw Kid in the back, Sid and Nygus too. Miss Marie was in tears as she and Stein sat on his other side. Besides all the other faces he looked for one in particular. He was missing.
"What a welcoming committee, it will take more to defeat a big man like me, huh Tsubaki?" He looked at her and laughed… until he realized that laughing hurt him. She smiled at him as tears streamed down her face. "Oh Black Star, I always believed in you!"
One by one, friends hugged Black Star and made their way out of the room, happiness was all around. Kid kept his eyes on Maka as the room started to clear.
"So you're okay Tsubaki?" Black Star asked
"Yes, I'm just fine!" She said
Black Star looked over at Crona, still holding Maka's hand. She would look up every now and again to smile but never met his eyes fully. He used all the strength he had to sit up. "Maka come here." Maka looked up at the blue haired boy in bed. She looked over to Kid and he nodded his head. She obliged Black Star's request, let go of Crona's hand and walked over.
The whole room kept their eyes on the two, waiting for the break down. Black Star grabbed Maka's hands and looked up at her. Her head was down, still avoiding eye contact.
"I. Am. So. So very sorry that I couldn't do more for you Maka. It's my entire fault." Black Star's words were barely audible. Maka's green teary eyes shot up and looked at Black Star.
"No. It's my fault." She said as she began to pull away.
Black Star quickly pulled her into a hug and they both thought of their last few moments with Soul. Maka found a bit of comfort being held in Black Star's embrace. Black Star himself felt a little better knowing he was helping a hurt friend. Kid looked up at the mirror and left the room with Patty and Liz in tow.
Maka and Crona left after them leaving Stein, Black Star, Tsubaki and Miss Marie in the hospital room.
The Shinigami was incredibly sad but he knew that the best thing to do was keep his distance until Maka reached out to him. When he first heard the news of the Kishin attacking his students, while they were on vacation, he called upon spirit and stein and sent the reinforcements. Nothing Nygus and Sid were close to follow after but it was no use. Black Star was the first to fall, saving Tsubaki in the process as she was in weapon form. That left Maka and Soul to fend for themselves and per usual Soul protected his Meister but this time, lost his own life in the process.
When the group returned it was chaotic. Tsubaki and Black Star were quickly taken to the hospital ward and Maka was completely inconsolable. She begged the Shinigami to take her back until she couldn't cry anymore. Spirit took her home and Crona was called upon to watch over her. The Shinigami knew that the Kishin could very well still be in that area awaiting their return or it could be on its way to death city. Only time would heal the wounds and show the Kishin's plan.
"I think I'll be okay tonight Crona. I think I need to be alone tonight." Maka said as they approached her apartment.
"Okay Maka, but if you need me please call me right away." He said, He hugged Maka and left her at her apartment entrance. She walked up the stairs and into her apartment. She walked into her room and turned on the light. She pulled out Soul's favorite orange t-shirt and put it on. His smell was starting to fade but she still loved it. She fell back onto her bed and closed her eyes. A sweet memory of him began and she quickly fell asleep.
After their water fight Maka was laying next to the fire in the cabin, reading her book. "Such a book worm" Soul said from behind her.
He had just gotten out of the shower and sat down next to her. He played with her hair as it was in a array down her back still drying from her shower. Her green eyes flashed at him as she looked up from her book. It was a really simple moment that they hadn't had in a while.
"I'm really happy we get this little break though. It's nice to be kids if it's only for a little while." He said as he looked at Maka.
She placed her book down and sat up so she could lean on soul. "I'm happy when we're together." She giggled.
"You're so cheesy Maka, so not cool." He gave her the smile he saved just for her and put his arm around her.
