Almost a week had passed since Xylia came back. Chiaki was happier even though she ignored him. He kept joking around and goofing off with Soul and Black Star, something he never did before. A smile had replaced his usual blank expression. Soul and Maka went on a mission then, leaving Xylia with a choice. Stay close to Kid and Thompson sisters or try to withstand Black Star. To everyone's surprise, she chose the latter. The blue haired boy was shocked when she asked him if she could sit beside him in class.
"Of course! Anyone would want to sit by someone as great as me! Hahahahahaha!" He yelled out at her question.
Xylia, though, had another reason to move there. She couldn't stand it anymore, the way Kids wavelength got to her, asking her to come closer, to feel it again. She couldn't stand it. When Maka and Soul were there, there were waves in between them, so it wasn't a problem, but now, it really bothered her.
Chiaki helped her out with cleaning her room and digging out her old clothes. They didn't talk much, but he smiled all the time. It was refreshing for her, even though she hid the fact. She loved being back. She felt at home.
Xylia sat on her window, her feet dangling out. She was looking at the bright sun. This weather clashed with her mood. She decided to express that by wearing the 'night outfit' as Chiaki called it. Black baggy pants and a short, same colored, shirt. She pulled the shirt frowning at it. There was a red heart there, though if this character was Kid he'd frown at the unsymmetrical size between the two halves that could be seen from a mile away.
'What was I thinking? A heart? On someone who isn't supposed to have one? Pih!' She gripped the bricks and leaned out trying to catch some wind into her hair. She heard rushed footsteps. Her room door was opened violently causing it to slam against the wall.
"Xylia! Maka and Soul are back! Soul was brought to the nurse right away! It seamed serious!" Her weapon yelled out with worry. She turned around.
"What does that have to do with me?" Cold and distant. Yes, that was the only way she could keep this power and protect her from him. She wouldn't let him kill another soul! Not for something so selfish. Nor will she let her suffer. To protect everyone from him. That was her wish.
Chiaki stared at her for a second, his eyes wide, then his expression changed. He turned emotionless and laughed lightly.
"Oh, sorry I forgot." He covered his eyes with one of his hands while the other gripped the door frame.
"You have to be emotionless. You have to throw everything away. Why don't you stop for a second and take a look at yourself! Look what you have become! You wont be able to do anything the way you are now! You cant protect people you don't care about…..or at least people you try not to care about…"
He turned around and ran out slamming the door behind him. Xylia's eyes went wide from shock as she stared at the dark wooden door.
'He……was crying….' Something wet fell on her hand. She looked at it in shock.
'Water……no…..What's wrong with me?' She whipped the silver drops from her eyes. They were coming out again. She wasn't sad. She wasn't. It was just….frustrating. To see someone so precious…..so broken by her own actions. She threw her legs over the railing of the window and back into the room.
'This time ill admit it……youre right….you idiot.' A small smile played on her lips as she ran out of her room slamming the door with equal force as Chiaki.
Three hours later
Maka sat on the chair beside Soul's bed. Her head was a mess. She couldn't think straight. That bloody scene of Soul's chest being cut by that kid was replaying in her head. It was as if someone had hit 'repeat' on a player, forgetting the clip was hurting the person even more.
She couldn't believe it.
They were supposed to be strong. To get stronger together. That's what they were supposed to do. Yet she screwed up. She was so weak at that moment and now Soul got hurt. Because of her. Because she was weak. Because she wasn't good enough. She didn't deserve someone like that. Soul was far too good for her.
And they had that witch to worry about, too. When will she move again? Who is her target? What is her goal?
She didn't know anything. She was so weak.
Maka covered her face. She looked back to Soul's face again. He shouldn't be here now. She should.
A cup appeared in her sight. Maka looked over her shoulder. Xylia was standing there. Her eyes not showing any emotion. Maka took the cup thankfully. She sipped the hot liquid, recognizing it in that split second. Cocoa. Xylia's cocoa. The only thing that could calm her worries at any time.
She waned to thank the witch but wasn't fast enough.
"Calm down a bit. He wouldn't like to see you like this." The redhead undid Maka's messy pigtails.
It was the first time the blond noticed her own state. Her outfit was bloody and thorn in parts. Her hair was ruffled, parts sticking up. Well, it was to be expected. Maka did wait until the end of Soul's surgery and then she just rushed in there. She probably slept there for a while too.
Xylia's fingers went trough Maka's hair, smoothing it out. The blonde sipped her cocoa again. Just like the old days. This was what happened when Maka got upset and cried. Xylia always helped her. Maka smiled. The witch was still her friend. Whatever happened, she didn't care. Friendship is one of the most precious things in the world. She wasn't going to give up someone like Xylia just because of some power.
"Thank you, Xylia." Maka whispered.
The red head looked at the boy in the bed. His face wasn't showing any pain, but he must feel it. A ghost of a smile passed her lips. She moved away from the two heading for the door.
"Thank him, not me, for you would have been long gone if hadn't had the heart he has." Her whispers were barely heard. But a smile had spread on the blond woman's face. The nurse in the office was grinning. Her next plan was about to be set in motion.
Xylia walked down a hallway. Her head was messy. Ever since Leviathan had made a move she felt uneasy. Like he was watching her every motion. Like he was going to grab her any time.
But her thoughts weren't sent into one direction only. She was worried too about the little one. About her younger sister who was a second target to Leviathan. She had told herself that that man would be enough to keep her safe, he was wise, strong and determined. But she couldn't stop worrying. Her sister was her only family that had not abandoned her.
A sharp turn and the old stairs. Xylia grinned. She hadn't been here for a long time. This place used to help her cool off. She walked onto the balcony and sat on the edge.
'Leviathan…'
A man who destroyed her life. A man who took everything from her and is trying to take everything she has right now.
The wielder of The Flame of Burning Water. She heard rumors that he could split his own soul and control people. And that man was after her. Who wouldn't want to get stronger?
It passed trough her a few times. All those painful days. When she searched for the flame. When she fought its guardian. She wasn't able to recover for three months after that. But she got it. She got it and she was going to do her best now to keep them safe.
Xylia slowly rolled away from the edge and onto her back. Chiaki's words bothered her. She stared into the white clouds and started spacing out. Memories were flowing before her like a river.
"She went that way!"
Two guys in black suits ran down alleys trying to catch a kid. A small girl with short brown hair. She was doing her best to run away from them. She stopped. A dead end. Turning around her eyes wide she hoped for help. The men neared her and one reached out his hand, but he quickly drew it back. Red flames were all around the little girl.
"Y-you said she cannot use it!" One of them panicked.
"She isn't using it. Her witchcraft that is." A cheery voice came from above.
All of them looked for the person wielding those flames. A red head was grinning a wide grin. Her hair messy, her arms and legs barely out from her baggy clothes. This girl couldn't have had more than 11 years.
The small girl stared in awe at the one above.
"I suggest you go now. ~ You wouldn't want to make me angry would you?" The girl asked curiously. One of the man laughed.
"And why should we be afraid of you? You are half our size!" He laughed pointing his gun at her. The girl looked with curiosity. Then she grinned again.
"Well, Im really not in the mood. But you are threatening me, and you tried to kill my sister as I saw. So you leave me no choice." She took a deep breath. "Ill show you how dangerous fire can be!"
With that everything went on fire. The red head jumped down, taking the little girls hand.
"Sister?" The small witch asked. The taller one nodded.
"Yep. Im your sister. And im here to keep you safe and sound. Leave it to me!"
A grin on the olders face was contagious to the younger witch. They ran off the street laughing.
Xylia smiled at the memory. When she finally found her sister. She would never forget the joy of the next few days. Xylia went to a witch school and her sister would come to pick her up. Xylia kept telling her not to, but the little witch was stubborn, so the redhead gave up soon enough. She was worried about her naïve sister. She trusted too many people.
There were also more meetings very important for her.
Xylia entered a room with a blank look. Then, after seeing all the people inside she grinned. Finally! She was there! Shibusen preparation class!
Looking around, noting Meisters and Weapons , she noticed a blonde girl fidgeting in her dress and trying to hide behind the piano. A smile that was already on Xylia's face widened. She closed the distance between herself and the timid girl.
"Hi, my name is Xylia Leon, nice to meet you." A hand extended for the blonde.
"Uh, hi, um Im eh my name is, I mean…" A giggle escaped the red head. The blonde blushed.
"Ill tell you something, shuttering and being uncertain has a certain way of making boys think that you are cute." The blonde looked at her, the blush deepening.
"But I never got that anyway." Xylia shrugged.
"Im Maka, Maka Albarn." A barely hearable voice said.
"Well then Maka, lets be great friends." Xylia grinned shaking hands with the timid girl.
The feeling of her own soul waves going crazy. How she wanted to go back to that time. To smile like that. To make new friends. To joke around. But that had to wait. First she'd have to finish what she started. She'd need to win and to free herself of these black chains of hers.
"You two are twins?"
"NO!!!" Maka fell on the floor giggling. "ITS NOT FUNNY!!!"
For the tenth time that week someone had asked Xylia and Chiaki if they were siblings. They had the same reaction every time. In one voice they would deny it. They kept arguing and bickering all the time. After all their weird friendship began with Chiaki insulting Xylia.
In reality they had gotten pretty close. After all, when someone said Chiaki, Xylia and Maka were the names following his. The first two would argue, the blond would calm them down and then they would all laugh.
Three kids with happy futures. Looking forward to Shibusen.
Xylia sighed. She was getting depressed by looking into her own memories.
'Im such a dope.' She stood up, brushing her clothes off and went towards her room. Her mouth was opening with a yawn for the sixth time in the past few moments.
-A few days later-
Maka thought that after that chat Xylia would go back to normal. She thought that the witch would laugh just like she used to. But she found out that was an illusion. The redhead had distanced herself even more from the others, if that was possible.
Earlier Maka was able to see a few emotions pass the steady eyes, but now all she could see was a blank green color. Not a flicker of emotion to anything.
That was the down side. But the good side was, Black Star and Tsubaki successfully completed a mission. They had achieved a new mode. The hyper boy was jumping around and telling everyone how cool he was.
But what made those few days best for her was Soul. He was recovering well from the wound on his chest. He joked about it as if it were nothing, but she new better. He had been afraid even more than she had.
About that witch that she saw she asked Xylia. But the girl was unable to tell her anything. She said 'I would require more information than just 'a powerful witch'' in a monotone. Maka got really irritated at the attitude sometimes. She looked forward to spending more time with her long time friend, but now, she found herself avoiding the witch. It pained her to see such a drastic change.
Maka also noted that Xylia was seemingly avoiding Kid. She was ok with being near Liz and Patty, but when Kid came she'd either just walk away or give some lame excuse to. Those actions sent the blonde Meister into wondering.
"You really should work on your social skills, they are getting worse with each day." Chiaki said taking a seat by Xylia in the library.
She had just ignored a few kids trying to make friends with her. No reaction to her weapon whatsoever. The boy sighed.
"I feel like Im talking to a wall." He said. "Remember, how you used to be afraid to sleep alone at night, and how Id come to your room? And then youd wake me up at the middle of the night telling me that you have to go to the toilet and that you are afraid of the dark? And Id have to talk to you while you were in there so that you know that I haven't left?"
By now he was noticing the pinkish color of her cheeks. She was listening after all.
"And then one night Maka's father saw me in front of the girls toilet talking to myself, and tomorrow the whole class knew about it."
He finished their memory laughing at the end. He still remembered the gossip. Xylia lowered her book. Her gaze shifted onto Chiaki.
"Why are you talking to me? Do you know how to read?"
"Eghhh, yeah, Im pretty sure I know how to read….." Now she had him confused.
"Then read!" Xylia was frustrated. She grabbed his head turning it to the red sign on the door. 'Please be silent' it said. A grin grew on Chiaki's face as the witch went back to her reading. He stood up heading for the door.
"Bye bye!" He sent that towards Xylia, getting the cold shoulder. On the other hand, every other occupant of the library glared at him. He could see Oxford's eyebrow twitching too.
After closing the library door Chiaki snickered. This was probably the 11th time this week that he had ignored the rule and interrupted Oxford's silent reading. The guy pretty much hated him anyway.
Xylia sat in her usual spot in the library. She was trying to do some research but failing miserably. All books here were the ones related to Shibusen. All were made for Shibusen. She could only get little pieces out and use them.
Then, suddenly, she felt it. The all familiar wavelength. She thought she wouldn't sense those for a while.
Her book fell on the ground abandoned as she ran out in a hurry. Why were they here? Xylia jumped down the stars carelessly. Did they find her? She ran out of Shibusen and into the Death City. Which one of them was it? She stumbled over a fence but kept running.
Finally she could feel them clearly, two witch souls. Xylia leached onto the lowest building window and climbed up hastily. She had no time to waste and she had to ne careful not to be seen.
A big jump and she landed onto a roof from where she could perfectly see. But what she saw wasn't what she expected. Medusa, Stein and Maka. Sensing for the witch souls she found them both gone.
'Must have been to absorbed into getting here to notice them gone.'
She glanced down. Soul had come over and Maka was talking to him. With no further thoughts she stood up and went for Shibusen again, this time in no hurry at all.
Medusa looked up just in time to see some red hair retreating. She grinned.
'Arent you falling into my trap just like you should, little fox?'
-Later ( yet again )-
The most terrifying experience had passed. The test. Chiaki had somehow gotten Xylia to tutor him and he got 10th. Though she was much better and took the 5th place. Well no one really cared. Everyone was either devastated, Kid, Black Star and Soul are in this group, or overjoyed like Maka.
The thing that bothered Xylia the most was, the mission that Shinigami-sama told her about. She would go with an available Meister to check out a location of a witch. They were to stop her supposed 'rampage'. The witch was, as report said, kidnapping people.
She knew that that didn't make any possible sense. After all a witch wouldn't just kidnap someone, shed kill him or take his soul or something, at least shed make him her puppet. Oh, well, she had to agree, maybe Leviathan was involved into this? If he was, it concerned her more than anyone.
But what bothered her even more, was the fact that he told her about the mission and then said that she'd go after the founding party. She was devastated. Xylia snorted at the site before her. A dress. They were going to make her wear a dress.
A soft knock was heard and Chiaki came in. He looked at the wet witch in wonder. Dressed only in a towel, her hair completely straight from water, Xylia was standing and glaring at the dress on her bed.
A chuckle escaped his throat. He came closer taking a tower from her wardrobe. He put it onto her head and rubbed.
"Youre going to catch a cold." He told her the obvious fact, but that wasn't heard by the witch.
"What the hell is this supposed to be?" She growled at him.
'Maybe I went to far this time.' His inner self sweat dropped.
"Youre supposed to look like a girl for once. Don't you think that suites the occasion?"
Xylia sharply turned, which caused them to bump into each other. Her eyes were full of murderous intent. Chiaki laughed it off, removing the towel on her head. She looked like a fluffy red ball now and they both knew it.
"Im not wearing that." She stated. Chiaki, though, did what she had been doing to him for the past few days, he ignored her. Putting the towel away, he turned to her.
"Are you going to get dressed, or should I help you out?" A blush spread across Xylia's face. She glared yet again.
"Well, its not as if I haven't seen you naked, I mean we practicly grew up together." He shrugged, withstanding the look that would freeze a desert. But he didn't see a boot coming his way. It hit him fare across his forehead.
"Now that, was just mean." He smirked and threw himself onto the bed next to her dress. His eyes were closed so he didn't notice Xylia changing.
Chiaki's eyelids jerked up in surprise as he felt something warm and heavy climbing onto him. He opened his eyes to see Xylia lying down onto him. She was wearing the dress he had gotten her. Simple, black, that reached her knees. Probably the only thing that made her hate the clothing was the fact that it had a V neck. The straps on her shoulders weren't thin and they made her built up figure more feminine.
He allowed her to lie there admiring his choice. The only thing that bothered him was that her wet hair was making his evening clothes wet.
"It looks good on you." Chiaki whispered, his arms going around the witch.
Xylia stood up from him slowly. Her green eyes starred into his of the same color. Then she said something he thought she'd never say again.
"Im glad Im back. Even if I have to withstand your idiocy." Her expression was dull, but those words more than the world to him. A grin spread onto his face.
"Well, then, why don't you grab those shoes of yours and we can go to the party."
She did as instructed and tried her wet hair upwards in a ponytail. Chiaki caught her hand, leading her away. They ran down a bunch of stairs and headed for the main room. Xylia found the warmth of Chiaki's hand nostalgic. She hated to admit it, but she really was happy to be back.
Thank you on your patent ( or not patent ^^) waiting 4 this chap. I gotta tell you guys that
1 no matter how this part looks like, Xylia does NOT love Chiaki, they just share a weird relationship….Im trying to describe it.
2 Im not lazy, I just have a lot of school work to do, so I probably wont be writing till new year or so……
3 There will be a loooot more explaining in the next few chapters….. I hope I haven't confused you with this one and its flashbacks……
4 Can you guess who Xylia's sister is? :P
5 By sending me reviews, even flames, you make me update faster ^^
Thank you for listening to my selfish self XDD
