Chapter 2

Two days had passed since Maka's disappearance from Death City. During this time, Soul had poured every ounce of his determination into hunting down his meister. He sought through every street, park, and home of people that knew Maka. He went up to DWMA and inquired Lord Death of his partner's whereabouts.

"She is not in Death City, Soul. I suggest you stop looking and get back to your classes and wait patiently for your meister to return." Maka's father spoke before Lord Death could answer.

"What do you mean? Where would she go on a mission without me?" Soul snapped, looking directly at the overseer of DWMA.

The Shinigami stared back at Soul for a long moment, before finally stating, "Who knows? Maybe she ran away from home, eh?"

"Lord Death! What are you talking about!" Maka's father shouted, thoughts of his only daughter roaming the world like her mother filling his mind.

"Aiyaa, it was only a joke!" Lord Death yelled, throwing his arms into the air.

"Even so, sir! You won't even tell ME where she went! Of course I would assume that it's a possibility!"

Soul sighed heavily. He himself knew that Maka wasn't the type to purposefully make others worry for her. She wouldn't just pack up and leave without telling anyone.

"Agh! Look, do you know where she is or NOT!" Soul burst out, infuriated.

"Ermm…" Lord Death began to whistle obnoxiously, and Soul turned back the way he came.

"Fine then! I'll wait for her to return! But she better be safe!" Soul snarled at the two adults.

Meanwhile, Maka Albarn drew near to a desolate, abandoned town just outside London. The famous London bridge could be seen from where she stood, even through the thick, swirling downfall of snow. She wrapped her jacket tighter around herself, and trudged forward to where her mission would begin.

"This witch organization has been plotting to attack Death City and DWMA for some time now." Lord Death explained to Maka before she left. "To complete your orders, you must become one with the witches. You must give in to insanity, and allow them to take you in. They will know you're a meister, and therefore think that they can use you for their benefit. You, on the other hand, will be completely lost in madness."

"How will I be able to help DWMA if I don't know myself?" Maka had asked.

"How indeed. Maka, I believe you know how to escape insanity subconsciously."

"Huh?"

"Think. Both you and Soul had been infected with Chrona's black blood. You somehow escaped its effects, while Soul could not."

"But Soul was hit directly! He protected me!" Maka interrupted, unpleasant memories rushing through her head.

"That is irrelevant. Both you and your weapon are as one. When he's hurt, so are you, even if you don't feel it at first."

"Then you really believe that I have this…ability? To separate myself from insanity?"

"I do."

"How is that going to help anyone though? What do you want me to DO?" Maka impatiently asked.

"Retrieve the "Forbidden Magic of the Witches" book. It is the only remaining copy of its kind. If we can get our hands on this item, it will severely limit the witches of their abilities. Thus, they will be unable to defeat us. When they trust that you are completely under the control of insanity and they decide to attack Death City, the book will not be too heavily protected. That is when you must break from insanity and steal the book."

She trusted Lord Death, and hoped for her sake that he was correct in his high hope of her.

Night was falling, and Maka could feel a dark presence of insanity thickening around her. She swallowed hard, choking down her anxiousness. She had to gather all the courage she had. She had to be brave.

"Think of why you're doing this…" Maka whispered to herself, forming a tight fist as she walked further into the dense fog of madness.

Black Star's cold, harsh voice filled her head with all the insults he had spoken a few days earlier. She pictured Tsubaki's pitying expressions and Soul's consoling gestures. She remembered her burning desire to prove all of them wrong.

"I will do this." Maka spoke in a low, clear tone.

She truly believed she could succeed in her mission. But as time went on, and the aura of insanity became nearly intoxicating, her instincts began to take over. Heavy with quickly intensifying doubts, she came to a stop, her breathing uneven and labored. She could not continue for fear that madness would overcome her. Unaware of how long she stood out in the mounting snow, her body grew numb from the low temperature.

"What a weakling…" Black Star hissed in her ear. She gasped, waking abruptly from her stupor.

"No…I…I'm not weak!" Maka found herself yelling out, straightening up once more, and taking a step forward.

"Well why is it that you seem to be drowning in fear then?"

Maka whirled around, looking for the source the menacing voice that seemed so close.

"Silly child…you cannot see me. I am inside of you…"

"W-Who are you!" Maka stammered, her guard up. The voice chuckled in response.

"Who am I?" It snickered, "You humans call me insane, crazy, mad…any of those are accurate enough."

"Liar! Show yourself!"

"Oh, yes, I see…you want to be strong…I can tell…. Like your…weapon?"

"Be quiet!"

Do you want power, young meister? I can give it to you, you know. Just let me into your soul…"

"Don't take me for a fool! I will die if I give in to you, won't I?"

"Maybe…but won't it be worth it? To show those friends of yours who the true weak ones are?"

Maka swallowed, a cold sweat gathering along her brow. She was barely aware that she was sprawled in the snow, on her back, as she answered, "Yes…I suppose it would be…"

"Good…"

She was falling. Falling somewhere so dark she felt as though she would never see the light of day again. She wanted so much to be back home. Safe and sound in her apartment. At the same time, she hated herself for wishing this. It made her look weak and vulnerable.

"In the end, I really am pathetic, useless, and alone." Maka thought, before she landed with a soft thump in a cushy chair. "An empty room..? I suppose I may be here a while… Perhaps I'll be here forever… Who knows..?"

"You can watch from here." A new voice spoke in a high, melodious tone, as a door opened to Maka's right. When she laid her eyes on what stood in the threshold, she felt her heart-beat slow considerably. What had appeared before her seemed to be nothing more than a young girl adorned in a frilly snow-white dress, knee-length socks, and a pair of minute Alice shoes. The child's hair hung by her ears in pigtails, and her large eyes shone a powerfully bright shade of blue.

"Who are you?" Maka found her words were cold as she faced the young girl.

"Not important. Stop making such a ruckus and go to sleep…" The child's voice rang in Maka's ears before raising her hand.

Before she could even react, Maka's world went dark, and she relaxed into her chair as if she had fallen into an irreversible, unconscious state.

first of all: I AM SO SORRY 4 THE WAIT. i just had such issues with this chapter! i just kept putting it off until my conscious was utterly ridden with guilt of making other people wait...I hope this wasn't 2 confusing for anyone. it seemed to make sense in my head but idk if its that easy 4 everyone else.

i promise i'll update as much as possible b4 i leave for a 10 day mission trip with my bible study group! i leave on the 9th, so don't expect updates until at least the 21st. I LUV U ALL AND AGAIN, I'M SORRY! .