7: My Friends

Christmas is approaching, but Death City doesn't feel as festive as most other years. A feeling of melancholy hangs over every citizen's tight-toothed smile as false cheers and laughter seam to dampen spirits more than raise them. Maka navigates the streets with the same solum face as every-other Death City resident. The smell of spiced, warm wines are sweet on the air, children, playing on the streets, are the only sources of genuine laughter. She's been called into the Academy, just her, no Soul, and she worries to herself as she approaches, pausing on Shibusten's steps. Not many have really seen Kid since his father's death, only Liz and Paddy, who report back to Maka on his progression; it's never positive news. At least she now gets a chance to talk to him herself, she thinks, entering Kid's dwelling.

"Death the Kid" Maka greets, bowing respectfully to acknowledge Kid's new rank.

"Maka." He rises from his chair looking tired.

"How are you?" She asks timidly.

Kid ignores her, "How are you?"

"I'm fine." a smile briefly drifts across her lips and quickly fades. Kid gestures to the cushion on the floor by a small table and she sits, Kid taking his place opposite.

"I'd offer you tea, but I never really shared my Father's taste for it." Kid explains un-easily.

"It's fine." The conversation feels awkward and jarring, which is unlike them, Maka thinks. The two sit in silence for a second, building confidence to talk. "It's been a while." Maka starts, trying to avoid whatever subject matter Kid has planned for this meeting.

"Yeah." Kid scratches his head, "You seam better."

"You know Stein, he'll stitch you back up in a second." Maka assures, "Though you have to make sure he puts everything in the right place." She jokes, earning a modest smile back from Kid.

"Maka..."

She swallows readying herself for what he has to say. "Kid, I..."

"I'm sorry to do this to you but I don't really have much choice left, considering Shinigami's... absence" He explains, fidgeting with the buttons on his jacket, his voice cracking slightly.

"I'm sure you're doing your best Kid." Maka reaches over the table and places a kind hand on Kid shoulder. "I'll do what ever you need."

Kid places his hand over hers and looks her dead in the eye, his eyes watery and ringed with gray. "I need you to stop coming into class." He explains, almost choking on his words.

"Alright..." Maka says suspiciously.

"I'm afraid you and Soul have to go into intense training."

Maka can see where this is going.

"I didn't want you to face the Kishin Maka," Kid looks to the hand on his shoulder and gently takes it off, "but there's no other choice now. I'm sorry." Kid is fighting tears, Maka can see that, It's funny how all this responsibility has suddenly fallen on children, she thinks, regarding Kid's pain. The weight of the whole world of the shoulder's of a young boy who's just lost his Papa, and the safety of thousands on mine. She wants to take away Kid's pain, and his guilt of putting this pressure onto her, but it's not like he should be carrying everything alone.

"Kid." She makes him look at her. "It's fine." She smiles. "I want to do this." She lies. Kid stands from the table and Maka copies, watching him, He's always been so strong, but now he looks so small. She wraps her arms around him, like he has done for her so many times in the past...


"Kid..." Five year-old Maka shuffles up to him, fidgeting with the hem of her checked dress.

Kid pats her on the head as if she were a lost puppy, crouches down to her and smiles. "What is it Maka?"

"I..." she starts, sniffing.

"What's wrong?" Kid sits her down on a step. Kid has no worry of order or symmetry at this young age, his hair is scruffy and shirt only half tucked just like a regular child. He puts his arm over her shoulders and holds her tightly.

Maka cries, drawing with her finger on the dusty floor. "People don't like me very much do they?" She asks with a childish naivety.

"I like you." Kid confirms.

"But..." She sniffs again, "But I don't go to school with you."

"Having trouble making friends in your new school?" Kid asks, inspecting her stick figure sand-drawing. Maka nods. "They just don't understand, is all." Kid says with confidence, standing and placing his hands on his hips with authority.

"Really?"

"Sure!" Kid nods, "They know you can beat them all up!"

Maka laughs, "Are people scared of you too?" She asks looking up to Kid, who sighs and sits by her again.

"Sometimes." He admits.

Maka sulks, "But you're no scary Kid!" She smiles, "You are this nice!" She exclaims holding her arms out as wide as she could.

"Well you are this nice!" Kid does the same, but his arms are longer then hers. Maka laughs. The two children fall silent, Maka leans her head on Kid's shoulder.

"Will you come to my school so I have a friend?" She asks.

"I don't go to school Maka." Kid explains, as he is home schooled by his father.

"Please Kid. I'll do anything!" Maka whines.

"Ok." Kid replies casually.

"Really?" Maka beams.

"Really, really." He confirms. Maka claps her hands and squeaks with glee. Kid grins, returning his friend's joy.

"You think Lord Death with let you?" She inquires.

"Yeah."

"Will you be in my class?"

"Yeah" Kid smiles.

"Wanna eat lunch together on Monday?"

"Of course!" Maka beams at Kid, but his smile fades. Maka notices and pats him on the head, copying his own actions. "I won't let you get hurt Maka." Kid says, with the same determined eyes as he has as a young adult.

"I know that silly." She giggles, "Can I pretend you're my brother at school?"

"You do anyway."

Maka jumps to a stand and clenches her fist in front of her, "Don't mess with me or I'll get my brother on you!" She shouts at her imaginary adversaries.

"That's right!" Kid bellows, joining Maka's side. "I'll get them for you!" He boasts.

Maka jumps up and down clapping cheerfully. "You always do Kid!"


Maka tightens her hold on Kid and talks into his hair. "We've all got your back Kid. All you have to do it ask." Maka sighs feeling a twinge of guilt for his sadness. "I think it's my turn to look after you."

Kid thanks her and she silently turns to leave, "Training tomorrow Maka, 5am." Maka turns back to Kid and nods, they exchange brief smiles and she leaves.


"No school. Cool" Soul stretches in his bed. "I'll catch a few more winks then I think" he turns over pulling the covers over his eyes.

"I don't think so Soul." Maka pulls his covers out of his hands, he groans.

"It's 4am, and if Kid says we don't need to go to school anymore, then I'm not going to argue."

"We have training at 5 today." Maka explains.

"What?" Soul sits up from his comfortable mattress.

"Yeah sorry." Maka, fully dressed and ready to go, perches on the edge of his bed. "We're in intense training now."

"How intense?" Soul asks.

"The fate of the world is up to us, intense." Maka sighs.

"That's really intense then." Soul half laughs. Maka doesn't share in his humour. Soul watches her, looking down into her lap, eyes sparkling half with repressed sadness and half with the first morning light, that is shining on her face, making the loose ends of her sandy hair glow like a halo. Soul soaks in the image, then takes one of her hands in his. "Don't worry Maka. You know we'll get the bastard Kishin." Maka looks up from her lap. "Let's be honest, if anyone can do it, it's you." He nudges her with his shoulder, "OK, Golden Girl?" He teases, Maka smiles. "Now piss off so I can get up would you?"

She rolls her eyes and saunters out of Soul's room. "By the way Soul, sheep print Pajamas's aren't cool." Soul throws a pillow at her as she disappears behind his closed door.


The training is grueling, the pair work from 6am to pm everyday, training with a range of skilled meisters and weapons from around the world. On weekends they go on missions, harvesting Kishin Egg souls, each soul is a step closer to being strong enough to take down Asura, but Maka is looking tired. Dark circles have appeared around sunken eyes, her skin paler than before and the spark of fierce energy she possessed has long since fizzled out. Today is strength and agility training, after lunch was wavelength control then Sophia control, which she finds the most tiring. Her alter ego is rebellious and bad tempered, and as Maka grew in exhaustion, Sophia gains more power over her. Because of this, her demon quarter has managed to claw her way out without Maka conceding, attacking at Soul and her exasperated mentors.

"Call Kid." sighs their current instructor, Tezca, a tall Death Scythe from South America, mainly distinguishable by his over-sized plaid bear mask.

Maka, now in possession by Sophia who jumps around the training arena laughing wildly. "You can't catch me!" She mockingly repeats.

Stein, who is supervising the lesson turns to run the short distance back to the Academy, "Don't let her out of your sight." He commands, hastily leaving.

The bear rubs the temples of his mask. "Every time. Every bloody time." He moans, then he attempts to catch Sophia in vein. Soul, in his human form, watches his partner bounce around the arena with an uncomfortable sense on déjà vu. Sophia starts to attack Tezca with multiple fire bullet attacks, but Tezca is now familiar with Sophia's attacks and is prepared to dodge.

"Maka get a hold of yourself." Soul commands from the arena floor.

"Why do you join me little Scythe?" She giggles.

"Because it's not cool to kill your instructor." Soul folds his arms.

"You're just no fun!" Sophia pouts, easily jumping away from Tezca. Soul mumbles.

"Come here you little..." Tezca growls.

"Now, now, now, no need for name calling." Sophia teases, realizing a wall of hell fire as the young daemon calls it.

Kid storms into the arena scowling. "Sophia!" He calls with the demeanor of an angry parent, hands on hips and tapping his foot impatiently. "Come down from up there." Remarkably she does, shuffling her feet like a child. Kid seams to be the only one who she'll listen to.

"I didn't do anything wrong." She whines, fidgeting with her pigtails.

Kid can't help but smile, finding Sophia's childish mannerisms nostalgic from when they were children. He hides his grin under his authority. "I think the burn marks on the walls tell a different story."

"Sorry Kiddo, I was just..."

"Please. no excuses Sophia, let Maka back out." He demands.

"No way." she says shaking her head and folding her arms.

"Sophie..."

Sophia laughs, summoning her wings and taking off around the arena. Kid sighs, Tezca joins his side. "There's little telling that one."

"You've got that right." Kid replies.

"You think you can teach Soul to control her?"

"I'm sure I can. Soul's wavelength seams to be quite adaptable to Maka's... multitude of waves." Kid tries to find the polite words. They watch Soul chase Sophia around for a moment.

"You guys going to help or just stand there?" He whines trying to snatch at her ankle. Kid focuses his wavelength, trying to match and resonate with Maka's weapon quarter. Their wavelengths connect, Sophia glows and is forced into her weapon form, plummeting to the floor. Soul sighs in relief, catching his breath.

"Better the weapon quarter than the daemon." Kid picks up Maka, she appears with one of the blades of the butterfly sword, Kid regards her reflection; it's tired and pale.

"Thanks Kid." She says, relieved. A wave of concern for Maka washes over Kid, he finds it hard to look at her looking like this. She transforms back into her human form, apologizing profusely to everyone.

"I say we call that a day today." Kid says casually leaving the stadium.

"What?" Maka says, surprised.

"I think you guys have done enough for a day, I'm going to order some pizza, I'll make sure there is enough for you and Soul." Maka watches Kid leave looking puzzled, "See you in the Death Room once you've both cleaned up, say thirty minutes?"

"Sure." Maka nods, and Kid leaves. "How long was I gone?" She ponders.

"Only ten, fifteen minutes." Soul confirms.

"Then why are we finishing training now?" Soul stands by Maka, copying her gaze on the door Kid just left through.

"I wouldn't complain, I think you need the rest."

Maka shrugs and leaves for the showers.


The three friends sit around the table in the Death Room, boxes of steaming pizza sit open and half eaten in the middle. Maka smiles, cherishing the time off for socialization. Soul and Kid exchange satisfied looks.

"Phew, I'm full." Maka beams patting her stomach.

"Me too." Soul grins.

"I hope you guys aren't too full for tomorrow." Kid chimes in.

"No, I'm sure we'll be fine for training." Maka assures, forcing another bite of pizza down.

"Training?" Kid asks.

"Yeah, like everyday." Maka says still chewing.

Soul laughs, "You've forgotten what day it is tomorrow haven't you?"

Maka stares at him blankly, then her face breaks into shock. "Oh shit, it's Christmas isn't it?"

Soul nods, grinning.

"I've been so wrapped up in everything I've forgotten. I'm so sorry I haven't brought any food or anything, Soul!"

"We'll it's just as well you guys are spending it with us then." Kid nudges Maka's shoulder.

"Really?" She asks, stunned.

"Really, really." Kid says fondly. "You don't need to worry about cooking or anything; me, Liz and Patty have it covered."

"Thanks Kid." Soul punches him playfully.

"Got to go." Maka stands up and runs for the exit.

"Where are you going?" Kid asks.

"Got to go somewhere. Thanks for the pizza!" With that, she's gone.

"What was that about?" Kid rubs his chin.

"She hasn't got anyone gifts yet."

Kid laughs.


Nothing is as good as Christmas with friends, everyone thought, nursing their full bellies.

"I don't think I'll eat again!" Liz exclaims, slouching on an arm chair.

"I could still eat." Patty says sitting on the floor by her sister, licking her lips.

"I think you ate more than your body weight already." Kid states.

"No, I defiantly have some space left."

"You need a lot of gas to fuel all her energy." Soul stretches out his legs on the cool marble floor of Kid's living room.

Everyone sighs in satisfaction. Kid raises a glass of mulled wine for a toast, from his horizontal position in front of the grand fire. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas." The rest toast.

"First one of many together!" Tsubaki sings.

"The first of many!" Everyone toasts again, Maka catches Kid's guilty gaze and her smile falters.

"You are all so blessed to be sharing your Christmas with me." Black Star beams, rubbing his belly, which bulges out of his shirt. There is a collective eye roll followed by laughter.

The group play Christmas games and enjoy the warm, sweet mulled wine, allowing them to forget (or at least ignore) the battles and worries ahead, not mentioning the thickening madness in the atmosphere.

"Giraffe!" Patty shouts.

"There's no movie called Giraffe, Patty!" Liz explains. The group play a game of charades, Black Star dances clumsily in the centre of the room, trying to act out a movie title.

"Well there should be!"

Black Star carries on fumbling about, using most of his -little- restraint not to talk. The group senses this and starts pushing his limits.

"Kettle?"

"Push-chair."

"Mentalist?" Soul sniggers.

"Twat?" Liz chimes. "Is it twat? It is isn't it?"

"Potato?"

Black Star seams to be steaming from the ears.

"Did I say twat? I don't think I did. Is it twat?"

"Does it look like I'm acting out twat?" Black Star shouts.

"I was just saying what I saw." Liz says innocently. Black Star takes a deep breath in, turning a shade of red no one had ever seen on a face before, and opens his mouth to shout. Soul quickly hushes him and gestures to Maka who is sound asleep on his shoulder.

"She must be shattered." Kid sympathizes.

"Yeah." Soul whispers, fondly looking at the sleeping meister. "You mind if I take her somewhere she can sleep?"

"Yeah she can have the spare room."

Soul lifts her carefully and takes her upstairs, laying her under the covers of the generous sized bed. He sits with her for a second, brushing strands of hair out of her face. He is distracted by the sudden change of light, and turns to see Kid hovering at the door.

"How's she doing?"

"She's fine, just tired." Soul rises from the bed.

"How are you doing?"

"We're fine. Improving a lot."

"Good." Silence falls between the two. Kid finds the courage to speak first. "I thought you would be angrier with me."

Soul shrugs, "We could probably do with a day off every now and again."

"Not about the training." Kid shuffles uncomfortably. "About making you fight Asura."

"I have faith she'll win." Soul sinks his hands into his pockets and slides past Kid into the hall way.

Kid angers slightly. "You want her to win?"

"Sure I do. Would be cool to be the weapon of the meister who killed the Kishin God." Soul smirks, not reading Kid's tone.

Kid clenches his fists. "You want her to fight to be cool?" Kid's tone is dark.

"Chill out Kiddo," Soul crosses his arms behind his head. "I'm aware of the dangers, but all this negativity is bad for Maka, she needs to know her friends have faith in her." Soul speaks in a low laid back tone. "It's Christmas, let's just change the subject."

"How are you so relaxed about this!" Kid whispers angrily.

"I can't do anything about it right now Kid." Soul rolls his eyes. "I don't like you on wine, you get pissy."

Kid growls and pins Soul against the walls of the hall way. "How dare you say you care about her. How dare you write her off this way."

Soul pushes Kid off him. "I'm not the one writing her off, it sounds like you're the one doubting her."

"Me? I'm not the one wishing my partner an early death." Kid is now shouting.

"God Kid, lay off, you're the one who asked her to fight him." Soul rolls his eyes.

"I had no choice, but I expected more from you!"

"Listen Kid, we're going to train hard, like you asked, kill Asura, like you asked, and go on with our lives." Soul turns to leave.

"You don't have a clue do you?" Kid's voice more now startled than angry.

"A clue about what?" Soul says bitterly, fed up of this fight ruining the night.

"She's going to..."

"Kid stop." Maka interrupts, sheepishly standing in the door way.

"She's going to what?" Soul pushes, concern laced in his voice.

"Please Kid." She begs, tears welling in her eyes.

"Tell me Kid." Soul demands.

"Didn't you read the damn book?" Kid exasperates.

"Screw the book." the Scythe states.

"She's a sacrifice Soul..."


Sorry I made it depressing again, and on Christmas! SOWIE!

I have listened to your feed back and put a little of Maka's child hood. :) PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Review! I need to know what I'm doing wrong/right and what you want me to tell you all about in the next chapter. For now, enjoy the slight cliff hanger.

Thanks for reading! I hope I haven't destroyed Soul Eater for you too much. HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU ALL!