It was the perfect day for a walk. The air felt crisp and pleasing with every intake. There were just enough clouds to dampen the sunlight to that perfect mixture of cool and warm. Cool enough to keep the body at just the right temperature to keep walking all day, and warm enough that light and easy clothes were all that were necessary. Irresistible was the perfect adjective to describe the weather today. How could anyone resist going outside to enjoy it? The very thought was simply absurd. All it took was a sticking her head out the window for a single second for her to decide that her feet needed to be shoed and on the path out her front door.

Maka was out for what felt like hours, simply walking around, street to street, until her feet did not want to take her any further. She had walked herself into a small bind, but it was not as troublesome as she might have expected it would be. She had lead herself to a street she did not recognize. It almost seemed like a different town entirely. Despite the fact that she had no idea where she was anymore, Maka was unwilling to allow it to shake her pleasant mood. Everything seemed so neutral and comfortable here.

Framed just at the end of the street from where she stopped was a sight that caught her attention almost immediately. The falling sun was illuminating and silhouetting a voluminous tree on a small hill just outside of town. It called to her just as the weather had and brought her feet into a walk again despite how they ached. In no time, she was looking up into the ample branches of what she now saw as an apple tree from its base. The light was dancing through the plentiful leaves throwing a pattern of stars on the ground beneath her and far behind her leading back toward town. Maka turned slowly in place to look at them all. The flickering light made the stars appear to twinkle at her feet.

Here... This place was different from all the rest. There was no neutrality, no simple existence. It was brilliant and beautiful. As if she had never known a real smile before Maka's lips curved upward to display her pure satisfaction and excitement.

Maka was no longer looking down at something that reflected dazzling stars on the ground, but was now staring longingly upward at the real things. She was lying in the grass beneath the tree and surrounded by fallen apples. Who could say how long she had been there? All that she really knew was that she had yet to think of a reason why she would ever leave.

Suddenly, she jumped in place, as if woken from a light sleep by a startling noise. Something had changed in her surroundings, and the only thing that marked it was a soft thudding sound against the earth. What was surprising was that whatever it was that had hit the ground was much larger than an apple. It also clearly had a different consistency. Plus, apples couldn't talk...

"Is this where you've been all day?" questioned the cool voice that tugged at every bit of her attention.

"Soul?..." Maka's head turned toward the snowy-haired and crimson-eyed man that was now lying next to her on the ground. He was on his side and balancing his head in his hand while his elbow supported its weight. He was staring at her with tired and secretively caring eyes.

"Maka?"

The very sight of him instilled a sort of smile on her lips unlike any other she had all day. Of course, how could it have slipped her mind? As beautiful as this place had seemed, any and every place would always be better with her partner around. He was the perfect weather, the beautiful sunrise, and the enchanting vista. At least, in her heart. Nothing and no one could ever replace him.

"For a little while," she finally answered, but her voice had suddenly failed her and she could only manage a whisper.

One corner of his mouth curved into that signature smirk of his. "Planning on coming home?"

"To you?"

"Well, yeah. It would be cool." Everything had to be 'cool'

"Well, I wouldn't want to be deemed uncool," Maka muttered; her words were followed by a giggle.

"You could never be uncool, Maka." His words made her feel as if her eyes were being opened for the first time. She could feel his hand brush her cheek while he moved aside her stray strands of hair from her face, but she could not see it. All she saw was his eyes... Those crimson orbs that stole into her soul. Her Soul.

Maka blinked, feeling as if darkness was trying to steal her vision away, but she was determined to see him. It couldn't be... She couldn't have him. "She's trying to take you from me, Soul..."

"No one could take me from you, Maka..."

The sound of his sweet voice danced into her ears as her eyes rolled shut. She was so suddenly sleepy and felt that her mind was being taken to another land while arms wrapped around her torso.


Yet another failure. Soul had run all around town looking for any kind of mirror, but at every turn he found more and more of...nothing. Even reflective surfaces like simple glass were hard to find. The villagers had sullied every single bit of glass so that nothing could possibly be reflected on their surfaces. It took two whole hours for the weapon to finally lose his cool. The situation was so outrageously uncool that he was no longer sure he could keep from breaking down doors and demanding assistance. He wanted to demand information from these secretive fools. How the hell were they supposed to help them if they did not help him!

No, he had to keep his cool and he knew it. If he could keep a calm head he could think of how to help her. Still, he was not a hundred percent sure that Maka was in danger at all. He could not go barging into people's homes if there was nothing wrong. Having determined this, Soul returned to his meister. She was alone in a strange town and he was meandering around uselessly. The least he could do is keep her company and wait till morning.

Upon returning to the room and finding her rolled over on her side with her back to the door, he was reassured with the possibility that all was still okay. After all, the only thing that seemed suspicious was the way she had fallen asleep. Soul had to kneel on the edge of the bed and lean over the unconscious meister's body to see her face. There was no sign of pain. In fact, she seemed rather peaceful – even happy. Placing his hand on her forehead only told him that she was a healthy temperature. By no means did she appear to be in danger. Unless, of course, one counted his growing affections for her a danger. It was something that had bothered him for a while. It was something that was effecting their connection already. They needed to understand one another in order to resonate. They needed...honesty. But, being honest about this matter only seemed like it would be more trouble than help. There were far too many what ifs to risk their friendship.

Maka stirred beneath him, catching Soul's attention. Blinking away his thoughts, he watched his meister for a few moments longer. She seemed even happier than she had when he got back. Surely nothing could be seriously wrong. She simply seemed to be dreaming. Whatever the dream was, it was apparently enjoyable.

Soul rolled back to sit on the edge of the bed. What more was there to do aside from let her rest? Nothing came to mind, so he adjusted his jacket to cover her shoulders again and then slid down to sit next to the bed with his back against the frame. It wouldn't be the most comfortable place to sleep, but he would take the rest where he could get it. Just minutes after he finally began drifting off to sleep an angelic voice found its way into his mind.

"Soul?..." It seemed questioning somehow. As if she was wondering if it was him who was really there. But, why would his imagination procure this tone to her voice? It was too peculiar to be his own mind. It just had to be...

Crimson eyes glanced up at the ashy blonde haired girl that faced the wall. Was she awake?

"Maka?" he called. He had hoped that she would respond and turn to him, but he was greeted only by silence. She must have been talking in her sleep again. Whatever she was dreaming, he was involved, but he was not sure whether to be flattered or bothered.

"I wouldn't want to be...uncool," she mumbled against the bed. He could just barely make out her words.

Heh... Uncool? She was definitely thinking about him. Thus, his attention was taken by her once again. Soul got up and sat on the edge of the bed again. "You could never be uncool, Maka," he admitted to the unconscious woman. It seemed somehow wrong to listen to everything she said in her sleep, like he was watching her dreams without permission, but he could not help but follow along. While waiting for the next thing she might say, assuming it would be any time soon, Soul leaned over his partner to see her face and brushed stray hair behind her ear. He was shocked by what he saw then.

Her expressions had suddenly become forlorn in a way. Something was bothering her after all...

"She's trying to take you from me, Soul," she muttered in an agitated whisper.

What? What kind of dream was this?

Soul pulled his partner over onto her back and leaned further, hoping her expression would change to something less bleak. Still, she seemed lost and distraught. Wrapping his arms around her back, Soul lifted Maka off the bed slightly and pulled her against his chest.

"No one could take me from you, Maka," he whispered into her hair as the room faded from around him.


Maka pressed her back firmly against the cold stone wall. It was the only thing that seemed inviting here. It was solid and unmoving, unlike the rest of the room. It felt like her entire world was closing in on her, but the door... That door across from her kept getting farther and farther away. She had bolted it shut, afraid of what might come through it, but clearly whatever force that lay beyond it was somehow getting through. It was like a leak in the roof that was letting the unknown power pour in drip by drip. Maka had no idea how to stop it.

Then, a knock sounded from the door. Maka jumped, trying to walk backwards but only finding the wall ever still behind her.

Another knock. "GO AWAY!" she screamed. Her own voice brought pain to her ears, echoing off the walls around her. It sounded like a hundred Makas were screaming all around her. Who was it anyway? Who wanted into her mind now?

A louder knock. "What do you want?!" She shouted at the door.

All sound seemed to stop for a moment. Even the furniture stopped scooting toward her.

"Maka..." cried Soul's voice from behind the thick wooden door. His voice was like music to her ears.