Cloudy Silver
She found herself, once again, walking in the rain. Like that scene a year ago, she walked with her hood covering her head. However, the hood did more than protect her dark brown hair; it also hid the tears slipping down her cheeks. She felt horrible, she didn't feel human, she felt like a monster. She shivered, remembering two amber eyes watching her every move as she left their apartment, 'I'm the worst,' She sniffled and wiped her face, 'I didn't even ask him why he wouldn't do it.' She suddenly stopped, finding herself at the door to her home, their home.
"Ah," A calm voice spoke from behind her, "back so soon?" His voice was even, no hint of malice, no trace of negativity. All she could do was gape at him, her hot tears still mixing with the rain. He withdrew his key and smoothly placed it in the slot, "Come on, there's no point in staying out in the rain." He made sure to cover her with his trusty umbrella, ignoring the fact that he was the one without any sort of protection.
She walked into the warm apartment silently, eyes downcast as he followed her inside. She remained still as he turned on the lights, adjusted the temperature, and went into the kitchen, "Azrael," Her voice sounded so small, she hated it when she was like this. He stopped whatever he was doing, his back facing her. She didn't wait for him to speak, instead flinging herself against him, crying into back, "I-I'm sorry," She blubbered, "I didn't know, I swear I didn't." She hugged him tighter, afraid his lack of response was out of dislike, "I promise, I won't kill a witch, I swear! Just please say something."
"Any ideas for dinner?"
Clair opened her eyes slowly, nuzzling her nose into her white hoodie. She turned on her back, using her hoodie as a makeshift pillow, 'That dream… why do I always have it when he's not near me?' She yawned and sat up, stretching as the moonlight bathed her body. She turned to the large window with drowsy eyes, 'It's always night here, this place is depressing.' Slapping her face gently, she put on a cheery face, "Alright," Her eyes danced with determination, "time to go save Azrael!"
xxx
"Hmmm," Death the Kid, son of the great Shinigami himself, was currently facing his latest foe. On a daily bases, he finds himself facing enemies of great proportions, but today, he was staring down… a vending machine, "this machine is an abomination." He turned his back on the device and folded his arms, "How can such a finely measured box hold such horrible symmetry inside."
"What are you going on about now?" Liz groaned and looked towards the vending machine. She shot a glare at Kid, remembering how difficult he made it to go to bed. At first, it was because the beds weren't evenly covered by the sheets, then it was the toilet paper in the bathroom. After hours of resisting the urge to strangle him, they all ended up sleeping in the same bed in a 'symmetrical' order, "You hate the machine," Liz started as her eye twitched, "because it doesn't have the same amount of Apple Danishes as Lemon." It was more a statement than a question.
Kid grinned at her, "So you understand my quandary."
"I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE AN IDIOT!" Liz jumped at Kid in a blind, exhaust driven, rage. Luckily, Patty was there to hold her back, laughing at her sibling and Kid as always. Sobering slightly, Patty looked to the stairs, seeing Maka and Soul make their way down.
"Good morning," She smiled happily and let go of Liz, confident she was calm once more. Patty made her way to the eating section of the hotel, taking a seat behind Soul when he flopped into a seat, "Have a good night?"
Soul looked at her with a mix of astonishment and anger, "Isn't it a bit early to be so hyper?" He yawned and looked over to Maka, "Hey, get me some orange juice."
Maka turned up her nose and continued gathering something to eat, "Get it yourself, I still haven't forgiven you."
Soul snorted, "I don't remember doing anything. Why would a cool guy like me make a move on someone who's as flat as a air-strip?"
BAM
Patty watched in awe as Maka tossed her food up off her trey, smacking Soul with it before catching every bit of her breakfast, "Wow, you're amazing Maka." She giggled at the large red mark on Soul's face and eyed the blueberry muffins, "I wonder how all this stuff stays fresh."
"Nobody ever said this world worked like ours." Stein calmly descended the stairs, Death Scythe following, "Unlike the real world, this place works on the theory that 'time is nothing but an illusion, thus it does not exist'. Because time was not wanted when this place was made, it does not exist here." He took up an apple and started eating, savoring the taste.
"Good morning Maka!" Death Scythe appeared next to his daughter, "Do you need Daddy to get you anything?"
"I'm good,"
"Then how about a nice conversation over breakfast?"
"Not in the mood to talk," Maka dodged and looked at Soul, "Soul, do you remember what I mentioned last night?"
Soul gave her a blank look, "I thought you were still mad at me."
Spirit shot Soul a look, "Come again, why would Maka be mad at you?"
Maka shrugged, "I'm over it, now do you remember?"
"I thought you didn't want to talk," Spirit slumped in disappointment, "and stop acting like I'm not here."
Soul sighed heavily, "Yeah, yeah, I remember. You said something about getting Black Star back or something. Only problem is, you don't have a single clue how to prank somebody." He grinned at her glare.
"There you go again, did I miss something last night?"
Maka continued to eye Soul, "Excuse me for not being a delinquent; I have little time for idiotic behavior between studying and keeping you out of trouble." She shot back.
"That's right, my Maka isn't some slacker like you."
Soul grunted, "So how do you plan on getting them back? That trick last night was pretty steep."
"I ask again, what happened!?"
Maka blushed deeply, "Don't remind me."
Death Scythe looked from Soul to Maka, his mind slowly piecing together its own twisted version of last night's occurrences. Little did he know, he was playing into Black Star's hands. Spirit pointed an accusing finger at Soul, "YOU BEAST! You tried to indecently touch my little girl didn't you!?"
…
…
…
"Oh my," Stein hopped behind the front desk while everyone else took cover. He nonchalantly ate his apple, "It was nice knowing you senpai." An explosion went off, Death Scythe slamming into the wall. Everyone carefully peeked out, seeing Maka holding her dictionary in a shaking hand.
The red girl stomped off, "I'll be waiting outside!"
Everyone laughed at the scene, however, as the seconds ticked by, the laughter died. The absence of a certain loud laugh seemed to suck the merry out of the atmosphere, eyes either going to the floor or upwards. Soul's jaw tightened, "Black Star,"
xxx
Tsubaki was at a loss. She'd tried talking to Black Star the night before, but he simply dug under the covers and went to sleep. Luckily, as Clair predicted, the rain sped up his healing, at least physically. She knew that seeing another Star ninja was a shock, but to be mercilessly beaten by him so easily was a blow all its own, 'Black Star,' Tsubaki withdrew into the bathroom, still not knowing how approach him as he looked out the window. He hadn't spoken a word, he hadn't even looked at her, 'Are you mad at me for not being able to help?' She wished to be able to actually ask him such a question, but she was too uncertain of herself.
It was the way they were. They never went past their surface problems. The closest they ever came was when she fought her brother. Black Star had subtly offered her what little comfort he could give, and that, within itself, did wonders. Now, as he was facing an emotional trial of his own, she felt powerless to help, 'I'm a terrible partner.' Tsubaki bit her lip as the hot water of the shower poured over her.
In the room, Black Star was deep in thought. He had lost, plain and simple. Dark had outclassed him on all terms, especially terms he boasted about, 'He knew me like the back of his hand.' His eyes sharpened in anger, 'Who does he think I am, some pest to be observed on glass!?' His angered expression lowered into a blank one, realizing he had little room to puff himself up. He sighed and looked towards the closed bathroom door, hearing the water running, 'I should talk to Tsubaki. Knowing her, she's probably finding some way to blame herself for this.' Black Star returned to looking out the window, waiting for his partner to exit the bathroom. In a few minutes, she did, steam lightly flowing out into the room.
Silence hung among the pair as Tsubaki dried her hair, preparing to tie it up in her usual fashion. She watched Black Star in shock when he suddenly stood up, grabbing a towel and started into the bathroom. Before he closed the door, he looked back at her, his eyes holding more of an apology than any accusation.
"It ain't your fault, quit worrying about it."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Yet again!?" Nero looked at the lounging Dark with a snarl, "You had that boy in your clutches and you let him live!? What kind of killer are you, what are we paying you for!?" Nero punched the nearest pillar, cracking the white material.
Dark shrugged, "His pals showed up. I told you, I only kill those who I'm hired to kill, no one else."
"You filthy pig!" Nero took a threatening step, but Caligula stopped him.
Caligula shook his head, "Leave it alone Nero, their time will come."
In a few seconds, the masked warrior calmed, looking back to Dark with a hidden scowl, "When they arrive, I'll show how a real murderer kills their prey."
"Arguing as always I see." The mirror hanging above the altar came to life, the Thorn King's shadow appearing inside, "Have they begun to move yet?"
Dark grunted, "Yeah, they just started towards the center of the city. They'll pass the clock-tower in a few minutes most likely." He glanced behind him when Ayame yawned dramatically and flung her arms around him, eyes looking drowsy, "Don't lean on me."
"So what're we going to do about them?" Ayame ignored Dark and held on a bit tighter, mentally grinning, "We can't make it too easy for them."
The Thorn King chuckled darkly, "Yes, indeed. Fortunately, I have already prepared their next challenger. You are to remain idle until I give the order, the swine must be held for two more days before my armies can move once more."
Nero bowed respectfully, "Understood my lord, but," His eyes traveled to a figure chained down to a chair, "what do we do with him?"
"Isn't it obvious Nero?" Caligula shot a taunting glance to the man in the chair, "He is to be the power-source for the machine. It'll take a few more hours, but as soon as it's activated, we'll be more than ready to move."
From the other side of the mirror, in a blank world covered in dark thorns, the Thorn King sat on his throne. It was the only object in view, a large throne made of dark trees, twisting into a grotesque shape. Long, sharp thorns protruded from the throne, the bark they came from looking like the screaming faces of dead men. His body was large, covered by a dark cape that hid all but his head. His face was a white mask, a twisted and evil version of Shinigami's mask, "Oh sacred blade of the Golden Army," He withdrew a golden sword, the blade shining in the darkened realm, "I command the soldier sealed within to do my bidding, fulfill the promise of absolute obedience!"
The blade began to glow even brighter, the Thorn King raising it. He brought the sword down, slashing open a gate that hung in the air. He waited silently, watching as a man pulled himself out of the golden gate that appeared. The warrior wore all black: a black short-sleeved shirt, black pants, and black boots. Strapped over the black outfit was golden armor, sheets covering his thighs, wrists, and the top of his boots. From his belt, a cloth hung to the ground, "So, who used the sword this time?" He ran a hand though his black hair, making sure to straighten the single streak of blue. His coal-colored eyes rested on the Thorn King and he sighed heavily, "Honestly, you'd think those stupid people would've added a 'Malevolence check' feature or something."
"Warrior of Gold," The Thorn King dramatically started.
"Leon,"
The darkly dressed king stopped in mid breath to look down at Leon, "I beg your pardon?"
"My name numb nuts," Leon folded his arms and rolled his eyes, "it's Leon."
The Thorn King hid a scowl behind his mask, "Very well, Leon," He spat the name with venom, "I have a job for you." He didn't give the warrior time to respond, "You are to hunt down a Scythe Meister by the name of Maka Albarn. Find her, then kill her without question."
"What's wrong oh mighty king," Leon smirked, "scared of a little girl?"
The Thorn King glared at Leon, "For your sake, your sword best be as sharp as your rebellious tongue!" He made a sweeping motion with his hand, a black portal opening, "NOW GO, and do not fail me!"
Leon snorted and walked towards the gate, waving nonchalantly, "Yeah, yeah, rape, pillage, and burn. Why don't you evil types come up with something original for once?" Leon felt the darkness envelope and transport him. He allowed a deep scowl to form on his face, a bitter taste on his tongue, 'I hate this, how come this guy got hold of the sword? I warned those fools that our power could be misused.' Leon stretched and relaxed, running his palms over the handles of the weapons at his hips. Before long, he found himself standing next to a clock-tower, the cool night kissing his freshly awakened body, 'Might as well get comfortable,' Leon walked over to the steps leading up to the tower's entrance, taking a seat and sighing yet again.
xxx
"So are we all ready to go?" Clair looked back at everyone, seeing them nod. Stein and Death scythe took point, followed by the other Meisters with their Weapons. Clair took up the rear, instructing them down a street that looked familiar to Soul and Maka.
Stein hummed with curiosity, feeling a slight eeriness to the air. It was something he seldom felt, but it was definitely there, 'Something's off,' He continued to jog in the direction Clair instructed, "Everyone stay on guard, we know that the enemy has some members that can still attack at anytime."
Everyone took in the information, easing themselves into a full out sprint rather than a jog. After a couple blocks, they came upon the clock-tower, the center of enigmatic city. They rounded the corner and came to a halt, seeing a man lounging on the steps of the clock-tower. If not for his loud, golden armor, he would've gone unnoticed in the night. The strange man adjusted his lounging position so that he was sitting up, facing the group of Meisters and Weapons. His coal-colored eyes examined each of them, immediately ignoring the males. He raised his hand, seeing all of them tense into defensive positions. He then brought his hand down, pointing to none other than… Clair, "I'll assume you're Maka?"
Clair looked around and pointed to herself, "Uh, no I'm not."
Leon's face fell, 'But every other female is so… young,' He looked to Tsubaki and Liz, "One of you two then?" Once again, he received a 'no', "Don't tell me it's you." He looked at Patty, silently relieved when she shook her head 'no'. He did a once over, staring at them all for a full three minutes. Suddenly, he returned to a lounging position, "Must have the wrong folks," He waved his hand, "move along."
Now, any person with common sense would take this opportunity to simply leave. However, among the band of Shibusen Meisters was a lad who was… a bit on the blunt-slash-slow side. Without a second thought, Black Star grabbed Maka's wrist and raised her hand, "Oi, she's right here!"
"BLACK STAR!"
Leon squinted and looked to a rather angry girl with pig-tails, "Well I'll be," He chuckled and scratched the back of his head, "I could've sworn she was an overly skinny, sexually confused guy." When Maka's rage shifted to him, Leon straightened, "I have a feeling that I should've kept that to myself."
Soul bit back a snicker, "Yeah, that probably would've been a good idea." He yelped when a gloved hand gripped his shirt, his crimson eyes meeting the flaming emerald orbs of his partner, "Alright, alright, I get the point." He changed into a scythe, noticing that Maka was gripping a bit harder than usual.
"Good idea," Stein took off his glasses and put them in his coat-pocket, "the rest of us will go on ahead." Stein started forward, the others hesitantly following. As they ran down the street, Stein allowed a ghost of a smirk, 'It's strange, but this guy might be her most challenging opponent so far.'
"Everyone," Clair called for their attention, "be prepared to break off. I have a feeling this will happen for each of us." She offered a reassuring smile after saying that, hoping to ease any rising anxiety.
Back with Maka and Leon, things were surprisingly calm. Leon remained aloof, his body language practically screaming that he really didn't care for this. Maka caught this fact and gave him a slightly perplexed look, "You don't seem like you want to be here. Why are you after me?"
"My, my, my," The man in gold armor stretched, "I should've put a restriction on that stupid sword when I had the chance." He put his hands on the pistol-swords that hung at his hips, "Sorry, but it looks like I'll have to kill you." He drew them, spinning around and stopping in a loose stance, "No hard feelings, Maka was it?" He completely ignored her question. He stood out of his stance and held one of his pistol-swords backwards. Smirking, he raised his other weapon, pulling the trigger.
Maka easily saw the bullet and dodged, spinning Soul as she went on the counterattack. She quickly closed the distance between them, ascending the steps with a single leap. She twirled around, bringing Soul around to make a slash at his head, only to have Leon duck under it and slam his shoulder into her. Maka was pushed back by his superior size, but she was nimble enough to close the distance once more.
"Fine," Leon drove one of his pistol-swords, the one that was strangely larger, into the cement and retaliated. Maka and Leon engaged in a maelstrom of strikes, parries, and dodges. They were equal in speed, proven by Maka's dodging of his combinations of slashing and shooting. On the flip side, Leon was able to weave past the swipes of her Weapon. However, his size became apparent when he managed to dodge yet another attack, ducking down once again. This time, he kicked upwards, pushing Maka back. Maka tried to keep her balance when she went airborne, but the still slippery cement caused her to fall.
She rolled to her feet as soon as she hit the ground, looking up towards Leon, "Maka," Soul forced her attention to Leon, the once left out pistol-sword pointed at her. Maka swallowed the lump in her throat, close enough to see the rounds held within the sword. Unlike its counterpart, it was loaded with explosive rounds, a grenade launcher.
"Soul," Maka spun her partner once more, time seeming to slow as Leon pulled the trigger.
"RESONANCE OF SOULS!"
Soul began to glow, his blade enlarging and forming the shape of a grinning, bloodthirsty crescent moon. She blocked with her Witch Hunt, the grenade round exploding harmlessly upon impact.
Leon watched her as the smoke began to clear, a smirk on his face, 'This girl is impressive, this might not be as easy as I thought.' He drove the explosive pistol-sword in the cement once more and got into a loose stance. In the distance, thunder roared through the air, a dry storm looming over the city stuck in perpetual night.
PREVIEW OF NEXT CHAPTER:
She looked more like an angel of death, a morbidly beautiful sight that made him welcome death. It was interesting, stunning, and yet the stuff that makes you shiver upon thinking of it. As his own Witch Hunt neared hers, the golden light and the cool glow of Soul clashed. For a split second, it was as if day had finally come to the city. The fight… was over.
A/N: Funny yet intensely action packed, that's why I like Soul Eater and that's how I write. I really appreciate the kind reviews, you guys are a real inspiration. Please continue to read and review!