Soul Eater Forever in the Never After Chapter 4 Last Revised Wed February.2.2011.
It was quiet out on the roof. The sky was a gorgeous shade of blue and the clouds were parting as if they were being burst open. Soul leaned his head against the building drumming his fingers. It was a good spot to be alone.
"The great Black Star is here! Yahoo!"
Soul didn't look to see where the noise was coming from; he knew it would come to him.
"So much for being alone," he huffed.
"There you are!" Black Star cried, jumping off one of the spiked cones of the DWMA building and somersaulting onto the ground beside Soul.
"What are you doing here all alone?" he asked, jumping up and down to stretch his legs.
"I just don't understand how things got out of control so fast," Soul said tiredly rubbing the bridge of his nose, "I don't understand what's going on. Maka is giving me the cold shoulder and Kid… I'm not sure how I feel about her new closeness with him."
Black Star gave Soul a punch in the shoulder. "What, do you hate him or something?"
"No." Soul tapped his foot on one of the giant candles affixed to the building, leaving imprints on the soft wax.
"You should be! He broke the Dude Code, right?" Black Star said cheerfully.
"The Dude Code?" Soul looked at Black Star like he'd sprouted a second head.
"You know, the Dude Code. Or maybe a normal person like you hasn't heard of the Dude Code; maybe it's something only we stars know about. I thought all guys had to learn the dude code though." He rubbed his chin and looked puzzled.
Soul gathered that the Dude Code must be something that Black Star made up; possibly he was referring to his morals.
"So enlighten me on the Dude Code and which rule Kid broke." Soul snorted.
"The one that says you can't make a move on your friend's girl, idiot." Black Star said, grinning from ear to ear.
Soul had a moment of clarity. That was it: that's why he was so pissed with Kid. Maka wasn't actually his girlfriend or anything but Death the Kid had hit on his Meister. As far as he was concerned, nobody should hit on his Miester; that was forbidden territory, even to Soul. After all, what if something changed? What if Maka fell in love and couldn't resonate with him anymore, then what would happen? Easy, she she'd probably get killed. Soul thought. Without our resonance, I can't protect her. I can't let that happen.
"You get it now?" Black Star kneed Soul in the head and broke his concentration. "Or do I need to teach you the other sacred rules of dude-dom?"
"I guess you need to teach me, oh wise master." Soul laughed sarcastically, "I better learn the sacred rules so I don't accidently break one." He and Black Star never talked this way. It was like Black star had suddenly grown half a brain.
"Lemme try to remember them all," Black Star said dropping down to the ground and crossing his legs, "Number one: Don't eat the last of another dude's food. That includes drinks and the last slice of pie."
Soul stared at him. This was Black Star's deep moral philosophy?
"Number two: Never go all lovey-dovey with someone you consider a bro." Black Star rattled off,
"Number three: You don't date a friend's girl, even if the friend is just interested in her and not dating her or anything."
"Number four: Never call a friend's family member bad names, even though that friend might be doing it." Black Star was now counting on his fingers looking at the sky.
"Number five: Don't hit on your friend's mom."
"Number six: Don't hit on a dude's girlfriend's mom."
"Number seven: Don't hang out in cabaret clubs unless you're in a group, it just makes you look lonely and pathetic."
"Number eight: Don't drink alcohol unless you know Sid's not going to catch you."
"Number nine: Dudes don't drink fruity girly drinks, like things with fruit and umbrellas. Even though they taste good."
Black star was on a roll now. How the hell is he remembering all this crap when he studied for a week before our last test and got a zero? Soul thought, his jaw dropping open in amazement.
"Number ten: Never hit girls." Black Star let out a long breath and looked a little deflated.
"Before you go saying anything about me breaking the Dude Code and punching Maka, understand that I treat Maka like my equal. We've been friends a lot longer than you and her and no matter what you're just never going to understand. So don't get pissed at me, okay?" Black Star said putting his hand above his head like he was testifying, "I know I broke the Dude Code and Sid busted my ass so good I'll probably never do it again. But sometimes Maka makes the Dude Code hard to follow. She's always been that way even when two of us were just kids."
Soul interrupted Black Star's monologue. He didn't like where the conversation was heading. It sounded like Black Star had been thinking about breaking Rule Three of the Dude Code himself.
"So Sid taught you all this stuff?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at Black Star.
"Yeah, the guy's like a father to me." Black Star said proudly, rocking back on his heels. "He said that he was going to be one of the little people I had to remember when I made it to stardom."
"I didn't realize you two were that close." Soul said.
"Well duh. Who do you think took care of me at the academy after Lord Death had both my parents killed?" Black Star asked, as though Soul was an idiot.
"Is that why you got a beef with Kid? Cause his old man killed yours?"
"Hell no, I don't even dislike Kid. I may talk smack about him but that's because I still feel like he's the guy I have to beat to get at the top." Black Star shrugged "I admit I'm not that happy with him right now, though. I just don't believe he broke Rule Three. The guy had to know. So why did he knowingly break the Dude Code?"
"Maybe he didn't realize he was breaking the Dude Code." Soul offered, "Maybe he's never heard of it either."
"Maybe. It amazes me you didn't know about it Soul. Don't you have an older brother?"
"Yeah, but we're like night and day. We don't get along at all. Maybe we should sit Kid down and explain the Dude Code to him" Soul said changing the subject, "I say we give him the benefit of the doubt. Wait a second, Black Star. Rule Three says you don't date another guy's girl…how do you know I even like Maka that way?"
"Jeeze Soul, you can be pretty thick. It's completely obvious". Black Star mimicked Soul's voice, "I won't let anyone touch my Miester. Wahhh." Black Star began rubbing his eyes and pretending to cry.
"I do not sound like that! Completely un-cool Black Star." Soul tried to whack Black Star in the back but his hand just hit hard muscle and Black Star didn't even flinch.
"Yeah you do. You're worse than a girl about it too. You probably secretly pine away for her when you're alone."
"What!" Soul yelled, baring his fangs, "Who the hell would pine away over that scrawny, flat-chested little…" A powerful impact met his jaw and he went spinning into the air. Black Star was on his feet looking miffed.
"Shit like that is what's completely uncool," Black Star huffed, "That's the stuff that pisses Maka off and makes her cry. You need to stop saying crap like that or you and I aren't going to be friends any more" Black Star nudged Soul with his shoe, making sure he was alive.
Soul twitched on the ground for a few more minutes a crumpled pile before trying to raise himself off the floor. Black Star's getting stronger. Damn he hits hard. Soul thought.
"Why do you care about how me and Maka act with each other anyway?" He yelled, annoyed.
"Because she was the first girl that ever noticed me!" Black star yelled back.**
"When I was little, I use to train every day with Sid. One day Spirit came by with Maka and she watched us. She went all gooey and told her dad that she thought I was cool."
Soul felt his stomach knot. He knew it. He just F-ing knew it. "So you're telling me you got a thing for Maka too, is that what I'm understanding?" He hollered, his calm slipping further away. "Why the hell are you telling me this, huh? Do you think I want to know that all my friends are crushing on my Meister? What about Tsubaki, does she know?"
"Just because you got a crush on someone doesn't mean you got to do anything about it. Like I told you before; I can't hit on her 'cause it breaks the Dude Code…" Black Star wiped a hand over his eyes and down his face, " I didn't even know I felt that way until I saw Maka in the hospital after that chain saw guy and Arachne ripped her up. Something about it just made me insane. "
"As for Tsubaki, I'd never make a move on Maka even if you were out of the picture. Not until she moved on and found someone better. I couldn't do that to her." Black Star said quietly, looking at the clouds. "Of course she's going to have a hard time finding a bigger star than me, and all other guys are going to be pale in comparison, but I want Tsubaki to be happy more than I want myself to be happy." Black Star's smile humbly, "Tsubaki is really special." he added and laughed gently.
Why can't I just say it? Black Star thought to himself. After all this time, was he really just going to give up on Maka because his friend had a thing for her and it violated the Dude Code? Black Star felt slightly nauseated. Sid was right, first loves are always the hardest to get over.
"Then I guess I broke the Dude Code first if you've been crushing on her since you were kids." Soul said. The Dude Code was making his head hurt.
"You don't have to worry about me, Soul. I'm not going to make a move on Maka. I'm not like Kid." Black Star said, trying to feel as resolute as he sounded, "You're my best friend, and I'm not going to end it because we like the same girl. You said you liked her first, so makes her off limits."
"Actually, you got something wrong Black Star. I'm not sure I really do feel that way about Maka." Soul reached up and grabbed a fist full of his hair. "I just don't like the thought of her liking another guy…No that's not it…It's the opposite of that. I don't want other guys liking my Miester. I've never said anything to her that would make her think I wanted her to be my girlfriend." Soul replied darkly.
"You're a real idiot Soul. I guess I've been worried over nothing then. If you don't know how you feel and you're scared to say anything to her, then you don't deserve her." Black Star said and took a running leap off the roof. "Don't talk to me again till you grow a pair Soul. Yahoo!" he screamed over his shoulder.
Black Star loved the way the wind ripped past him when he was falling. That's why one of his favorite past times was jumping off dangerously high places. This kind of high can give a man real clarity. Maybe I should have shoved Soul off so he could experience it. Black Star thought, feeling the wind race through his hair. I hope he realizes that wanting Maka to be alone just so he won't be alone is just plain selfish.
Black Star reached out and grabbed onto a nearby wire. His fingers wrapped around it easily and he realized he could probably do this move with his eyes closed. The wire was a long thick one that ended right next to the windowsill outside Professor Stein's office. If you caught the wire just right you could use your own weight to bounce yourself up and land on it feet first. Then all you had to do was walk through the open window straight onto Stein's desk. Stein had tried locking the window, but every time Black Star found it locked he'd just kicked the damn thing in. It was really no big deal; after all, what could the school do to a big star like him? Black Star jumped through the open window to find the professor sitting at his desk. Oops, he thought.
"Is there a particular reason you missed my class today Black Star?" Dr. Stein asked in a creepy voice - the one where you couldn't tell if he was bored or angry.
"Too nice of a day to be stuck in doors." Black Star said without hesitation.
Over in the corner a goat was bleating in a cage. Black Star watched as Dr. Stein began to pull out a marker and a few surgical tools out of his top drawer. The room smelled like a barn yard and Black Star covered his nose.
"As long as you're here maybe you could knock that goat out for me. Then I won't have to steal anesthesia from the nurses office again!" Stein said, smiling at his good fortune.
"Why does the goat have to be knocked out, Dr. Stein?" Black Star put his hand in the cage and rubbed the goat's nose.
"Even I'm not that sadistic." Stein sounded offended. He pulled out an old fashioned straight razor and added it to the pile of scalpels and syringes he was gathering.
"Uh…What are you planning to do to the goat." Black Star asked, pretty sure he already knew. His face suddenly felt hot and he pulled his collar away from his neck, trying to get more air to breathe.
"Well, Tsubaki said something interesting in class today about using a goat to bring back the dead. It gave me a great idea – If I can bring back a person like Professor Sid as a zombie, than why couldn't I bring back a goat as a zombie?" Stein gave the wheel on his head a few cranks and then pushed it into a spin.
"Zombie…Goat." Black Star repeated nervously before his anger stomped out his fear of the professor. Black Star had never understood why Dr. Stein had gotten away with zombifying Sid. Sure Sid was still around, which was a good thing, but the fact that he'd been one of Dr. Stein's experiments made Black Star blood boil.
"You know, a goat's gotta have a lot of blood in it. Ain't it going to be kind of messy dissecting it while it's still alive?" Black Star asked, trying to distract Stein.
"You know, that's a very good point, Black Star. I should go get a bucket. No. Maybe I need something bigger, like a washtub." Stein said wandering back into his storage room.
Black Star grimaced and opened the cage. "Hey you!" He poked the goat and the goat bit his finger. "Owie!" The ninja cried and bit his tongue to swallow the noise.
"I'm trying to save you and this is how you treat me"" He hissed, pointing a finger at the goat, who promptly bit him again.
"Black Star bring the goat in here, will you?" Professor Stein called out.
Black star scooped up the goat and held it to his chest. He heard Stein rummaging around in the other room. The goat bit Black Star's ear as the boy leapt up on the desk and out the window. The goat screamed and pressed itself against Black Star as they tore through the sky.
Black Star landed adeptly on his feet just as Maka, Death the Kid and the Thompson sisters exited the school.
"Black Star what are you doing with that goat?" Kid asked, pointing a finger at the animal.
"Dude, don't point at the goat; it hates that! Professor Stein was going to make it into a zombie." Black Star shot back, trying to keep the goat from licking the inside of his ear. Evidently the goat was grateful to be alive and had declared a truce.
Kid, Maka and Liz were dumbstruck and didn't know what to say. Patty broke their silence.
"Zombie Goat!" she cackled and laughed until her eyes watered.
Kid shook his head and raised his hand in front of his face. "Say no more. I don't want to know."
"Maka, you're still going to show me how to do laundry today right?" Black star asked, shoving the goat under his arm while it struggled to get down.
"Of course!" Maka said happily, scratching the goat on the head, "It's so cute." she cried.
as the goat began to lick her. All three girls fell crowded around Black Star.
"Good thing you rescued it from Dr. Stein" Liz said as the goat licked her chin.
"Zombie Goat." Patty snickered and looked at the goat adoringly. "Can we have one Kiddo-kun?"
"Absolutely not! Barn animals are meant to be kept outside." Kid said objected using his arms to make a "no" sign. Both the Thomson sisters looked at Kid with pleading eyes.
"Can I borrow you belt Patty?" Maka asked.
"Sure!" Patty began stripped off her belt and handed it to Maka. "Whatcha need it for?"
Maka wrapped the belt around the goat's neck and fashioned a leash with it. Kid's eyebrow began to twitch. Now Patty wasn't wearing a belt and Liz still was. They're unbalanced! He thought, panicking.
"Liz give her yours too, the leash isn't long enough with just one belt." He commanded, averting his eyes.
Liz gave him a knowing smile and handed her belt over to Maka. "Oh, sure, just worried about the length, were you?" she cooed into Kid's ear.
"Okay I think that's good" Maka decided making sure the goat couldn't slip the makeshift leash, "Let's go get that laundry before Tsubaki gets home."
"What are you going to do with it Black Star?" Kid asked as they started following Black Star down the street.
"Got no clue, just knew I couldn't leave it with Stein." He said giving the goat a tug so it would follow along.
"Animals need food and medical attention and a lot of care." Death the Kid said, anticipating another wave of begging from the Thompson sisters.
"Well Tsubaki is the most caring person in the world so I guess we got that covered." Black Star said stopping at what looked to be an abandoned lot. Weeds and grass grew higher than the fence, but a roof could be seen from the road. Mounds of advertisements had fallen out of the mailbox and were tossed haphazardly on the sidewalk. A hose ran into some sort of sinkhole next to the door step, which had sunken halfway into the ground.
Kid took it all in and the world began spinning. "This is a disgusting mess! Horrible! Disgusting…disgusting…I can't stand it!" he hyperventilated, his finger dancing around and pointing at all that was wrong with the house. Finally he just blacked out.
"What's his problem?" Black Star wondered, rubbing his head in confusion as he looked at Kid's limp form. The goat butted Kid's leg and looked confused as well.
Liz poked Kid's side with her shoe and Patty exclaimed, "Wow! That's the longest I've seen him last here."
"Kid-kun!" Maka cried, checking his forehead and trying to wake him up.
Black Star looked down to see that the goat had chewed through the belts. It was dancing around happily in his yard and chewing on a high patch of grass. The goat ripped greedily at it in utter bliss. "Dude, look! It's better than a lawn mower!" he said, elbowing Patty.
Patty grabbed her stomach, "Lawn mower, oh yeah! Zombie Lawnmower Goat! I love it!" She shrieked. "It's so happy!"
"It does look pretty happy. Guess that answers the question of Black Star being able feed the goat." Liz mused. She looked back at Maka, who was anxiously fanning Kid with her hand.
"Here Maka let's drag him inside. If he wakes up out here he'll just pass out again." Kid's flipped out in front of Maka a hundred times. Why is she freaking out all of a sudden? Liz wondered. She grabbed one of Kid's arms and Maka took the other as Black Star opened the door.
"You don't lock it?" Patty questioned Black Star.
"Who would want to break into this dump?" Black Star asked, holding the door open for Liz and Maka.
"True." Patty said following the trio in.
The living room always gave Liz the creeps. It was just the way she and Patty had lived once. Though it was very neat, thanks to Tsubaki, the small house was crammed with mismatched furniture and the discarded hand me downs of other people.
"Wait here guys, I'll get a trash bag and stuff all the dirty laundry in it." Black Star said.
Patty dropped down on the couch nearest to her. "Feels like home, don't it Liz?" she mused.
Liz laid Kid down on another sofa and Maka put his head in her lap. "I'd ask for a clean rag but they probably don't have one." Maka said, undoing her tie and holding it out to Liz. "I don't want to move him. Can you wet this for me please?"
Liz smirked, "Sure."
"So how long?" Patty asked interestedly, and staring at Maka.
"Huh? How long what?" Maka asked, not looking away from Kid.
"How long have the two of you been sneaking around?" Liz explained as she came back from the kitchen and handed Maka the wet tie.
"We haven't been sneaking around at all." Maka protested.
"Meaning?" Patty demanded, her blue eyes focusing on Maka's green ones. Liz knew this trick; it was how Patty sized people up and could tell if they were lying.
"Meaning that it's all new to me." Maka said quietly, "I didn't even know that he knew I existed."
Black Star was listening and watching long before he entered the room with the first garbage bag full of dirty clothes. Good, he thought to himself, they haven't been seeing each other behind everybody's backs. That will make things a little easier. He watched as Maka dabbed at Kids forehead and neck with her brow knitted in concern, and felt a twinge of jealousy. He remembered how many times Maka had bandaged him up when they were kids and the memory spilled over him like warm water. Black Star grabbed another garbage bag and began fetching Tsubaki's things.
"You're going to exhaust yourself if you start doing that every time he breaks down." Liz said, enjoying herself immensely. Kiddo's growing up. He's got his first girlfriend, how sweet she thought to herself. Long overdue, too. Maybe Maka's bravery will rub off on him a little and help him stand up to his OCD.
"Yeah! You baby him like that he's going to get spoiled." Patty smiled warmly at Maka. "It's best to just force him out of it!" she said, cracking her knuckles and getting up off the sofa.
"Force him?" Maka shifted a nervously. She let go of Kid, who rolled face down into her lap. He gave a tiny groan and rubbed his cheek against Maka's thigh. Maka was frozen in embarrassment, and didn't know what to do.
Liz smiled evilly, "Damn! I wish I had a camera right now. I could blackmail him for a month."
Patty pulled Kid's cell phone out of her school bag and passed it to her sister.
"He, he, say cheese Kiddo!" Liz chortled, snapping away.
Patty pulled Kid up by the collar and began yelling in his ear. "Wake up idiot and quit sexually harassing Maka! She shook him until he regained consciousness and dumped him in the floor. "You pervert!" She giggled gleefully. Maka fell over on the couch and covered her face
"What's going on out here?" Black Star burst in. Only thing he had heard was Patty calling Kid a pervert.
"Nothing?" Kid said raising his hand to his soaked collar. He began gulping in air.
"Pervert, pervert, pervert!" Patty howled
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Kid rasped, trying to figure out how he ended up at what looked to be a garage sale or a flea market
"And after poor Maka was so sweet to you and dabbed at your forehead with her little wet tie." Liz said with mock sympathy.
"Someone please tell me what the hell is going on!" Kid yelled
"That's what I'd like to know." Black Star scowled.
"You're an enemy to women Kiddo-kun." Liz said with mock severity.
"What the hell did you do?" Black Star said looking at Maka who was lying on his couch with her eyes covered. He stalked over to Kid with a menacing glare.
Elizabeth flicked the camera phone into Kid's hand. "Just look! We took pictures."
Kid found five new pictures on his phone and began flipping through them. His eyes darted over each, his face growing redder and redder as he went.
That's what you get for trying to keep secrets from your sisters" Liz told him.
"I am an enemy to women." Kid repeated in a suicidal tone. "Go ahead Black Star, go ahead and kill me."
"Okay!" Black Star said cheerily, tackling Kid and knocking him backwards.
"Stop it!" Maka yelled as Black Star slapped Kid upside the head. Furious, she yelled "Maka Chop!" and let fly with a hardcover dictionary off of the coffee table. The book missed Black Star entirely and hit Kid square in the forehead. Maka gasped in horror and covered her mouth with her hands.
"Soul, you are a strong man." Kid mumbled, curling up on the rug. Patty and Liz came and stood over him like vultures.
"You still alive?" Liz asked curiously.
"He's still alive!" Patty answered excitedly.
"I'm sorry Kid-kun! I'm so sorry! Are you okay? I'm so sorry!" Maka gabbled. Liz and Patty put their arms around her.
"See, he's fine! That's the way you force him out of it! She handles him like she's one of us, huh Sis?" Patty said proudly. She hugged Liz, trapping Maka's head between their breasts.
Black Star watched the sight with interest. "This is almost better than pay per view! Keep doing that!"
"Maka Chop!" A scream that could have lifted the roof off the house echoed though Death City and for Black Star all the world went dark.