Destroying a Perfect Soul
Chapter 8: Grieve
"I saw a vision of Soul this morning..."
"And he...He looked like he wanted to kill me..."
The large door at the end of Shinigami hall opened and my Papa, Spirit, entered the large office we all called the "Death Room". Shuffling through some papers, he made his way towards the principle of Shibusen and passed under the many guillotines that lined up the path to the main part of the room. He went up the small set of steps, looked up and smiled to Shinigami-Sama. "Hello, sir, I've got those papers you wanted to look at…" He then said as he held up the papers within their files. The large cloaked man let out a happy noise and reached over to take them with his large white hands, and as soon as he had them, Papa had finally noticed me. "Sh-Shinigami-Sama…you do realize that m-my daughter is…"
"Oh, Maka-Chan~?" Shinigami-Sama asked as he flipped through the pages as well. Then, he as well looked my way with a saddened expression. "Oh, yes…she's been lying there for quite awhile…" He then said to Spirit as they watched me watch them with half closed eyes. Upon entering the room, I was on the right side of the platform Shinigami-Sama's chair was on. I was lying down, my sweatshirt's hood over my head and I had my hands laid out in front of me as I just tiredly stared at them. "She hasn't told me what's wrong…and she was crying when she first arrived…you can see that she's practically lying down in her own tears…"
Worried, my Papa made his way over to me and knelt down beside me; setting a hand on my left shoulder since my right was on the ground. "Maka? What happened…?" I heard him ask me as he then began to rub my arm in an attempt of comforting me. "Maka darling…are you alright?" I didn't feel like answering him…I just kept my tired eyes facing forward and watched Shinigami-Sama go through his papers quietly. "Did…Did Soul hurt you?" His name caused my eyes to widen. "'Cause if he did, Papa will go kick his ass—" He paused; noticing that tears had begun to poor down my cheeks and I had then begun to sob to myself. "M-Maka!"
"That's right…" Shinigami-Sama mumbled to himself silently as he watched the mess from over by his chair. "I mentioned Soul earlier, and she broke down just like that…" He set the papers down silently and got up from the chair to make his way over. Then he shrunk down in a kneeling position and set a large gloved hand on my head. "Maka, what has Soul done to you?" He then asked me as I cried nearly uncontrollably.
"He—He…asked me…to marry him!" I shouted between sobs; causing both of them to retract a little from shock. They both looked at each other and then back to me; mentioning something about it being a good thing…My Papa saying it in slight question and Shinigami-Sama saying proudly. "Let me finish!" I yelped; slapping Papa's hand away from my shoulder so I could sit up and wipe my soaked cheeks and eyes off. "I…I got a little…nervous…and…and went to the bathroom to think about…it." I then began; trying to calm my tears. "A-and when I went back to h-him…he…he…he was gone! Kidnapped! By someone that we don't even know! It's…a mystery…I just…I…"
"What…was your answer going to be—"
"I was going to say "yes", you idiot!" I cried in my Papa's direction as I fell into his arms to soak up his suit with my tears. For once, my Papa was calm while I cried, and he wrapped his arms around me to begin rubbing my back and stroking my hair with the other hand. "I-I got a little nervous and left him…f-for five minutes, and h-he got himself kidnapped!" I yelled between sobs and hiccups; Shinigami-Sama silently watching as Papa tried to comfort me. Then, as I cried, the Principal let out a cough in a way of clearing his throat, and Papa looked over his shoulder.
"I…I am terribly sorry to interrupt," Shinigami-Sama mumbled out as I kept crying within Papa's hold. "But, Spirit-Kun, can you go get Rachel-Chan from Kiddo-Kun's classroom?" He then asked him; setting down the files beside him on a file cabinet that had appeared out of nowhere. "And, also, bring Kiddo-Kun along…I want to speak with the both of them…"
"Y-Yes sir…"
Papa made sure to lie me back down on the ground where I had been before and stood to leave. Then, as he made his way to the guillotine hall, Shinigami-Sama set a hand on my head again and narrowed the holes in his mask that were supposed to be his eyes. "I'm terribly sorry, Maka-Chan…" He then said to me as I kept my eyes forward on a random cross that surrounded his chair's platform. Sadly, I then let my eyes drop to the floor as I lied sideways, and he stood tall again to make his way back over to his seat. And just as he sat down, the door at the end of the hall opened again.
"What is it that you need, Father?"
I didn't even budge when I heard Kid's voice and the clatter of his fancy dress shoes that he always wore. Next to him I could hear a soft pitter patter of a young girl probably in the High School stage, while my Papa lazily dragged his feet behind them. "I need you and Rachel-Chan~" Shinigami-Sama sang as both the teacher and student were finally in my view. It didn't seem like they noticed me yet… "Rachel-Chan…I noticed that your grades in Biology have gone down greatly…I'd like you to find yourself a tutor." The skinny teenager beside Kid with short brown hair took a step back and mumbled out something about working hard, but Shinigami-Sama only shook his head. "You've been doing poorly on your tests…and it is in my understanding that you have a report on a certain animal, fish, or reptile coming soon…right?" The girl known as Rachel nodded, and the Principal nodded back to her and pointed in my direction. "That there is Maka Albarn. She's a former student of Shibusen and I'd like to say that she was one of our top students…If Maka-Chan doesn't mind, I'd like her to be your tutor…She will help you with your report."
"O-ok…" Rachel stuttered; eyeing me with nervous brown eyes. "Is…she ok?" She then asked quietly as she watched my nearly lifeless eyes travel up from the floor and over to them. Kid finally looked at me and let out a small gasp before glancing away in anguish. They all knew what happened…Natalie had to tell everyone there at the party… "She's…crying…"
Shinigami-Sama looked away from me and let out a small sigh. "Her fiancé has been kidnapped." He then told the teenage girl; causing her to gasp in response and looked at him. As she did that, the Principal looked at his son. "Kiddo-Kun…Can you please escort Maka-Chan to the main entrance…or maybe even home…She's not even allowed to be here without a visitor's pass…she's lucky I let her stay this long…"
"Yes Father," Kid said with a bow of his head. He then made his way over to me and brushed my Papa away as if he was some kind of vulture feeding on the dead, and knelt down to set a hand on my shoulder. "Maka-San…common, I'll take you home…" He then said to me as I tried to sit up with lots of effort. I heard Shinigami-Sama telling Rachel where the apartment was and when it was ok to go for tutoring as Kid and I stumbled away from the room. We both made our way down the Guillotine hall and out into the regular school hallway to make our way towards the main doors. I could feel Kid's soul shaking beside me…I wasn't the only one upset about what had happened the night before.
As we made our way down the hall, a door in the distance opened and I immediately knew what door it was. It was the one that led to the gym…Just as I was about to think about being in that large room again like I was back in school, someone walked out and held the door open so a student dressed as a basket ball player could run out and get a drink from the nearest fountain. The person standing at the door though, was who had caught my eye…It was Black*Star! Was this that new job of his he was gloating about before? …A P.E. Teacher?
It definitely fit him...
While the student gulped down the many gallons of water he was drinking, Black*Star finally opened his eyes as he leaned on the door, and immediately, he spotted us. "Oh! H-Hey!" He greeted as Kid and I paused near the door way; the sound of bouncing basketballs and squeaking sneakers flooding out from within the gym. He seemed to be giving us a smile…but I could see how fake it really was…
"He probably won't stop unless something big happens…Like something bigger than him all together."
I looked away from the blue haired idiot and stared out into the gym. "Maka…" I heard Black*Star say to me; a hand being set on my shoulder. I flinched on impact, but I didn't jump away. That would be cruel… "How are you doing…?" He then asked. I looked at him in the corner of my eyes and saw an expressionless, yet, painful look on his face. "You holding up alright?"
What kind of question was that?
My eyes narrowed slightly and I looked at his chest. Then taking a deep breath, I shut my eyes, concentrated, and opened them again. Black*Star's soul was normally bright and shiny; his ego radiating off of it like one of the sun's beams. But this time….now that I looked at it, his soul was dull and gloomy…lost and confused. I didn't just loose the man I loved…but he also lost his brother…his best friend…
"I should ask you the same thing."
Black*Star seemed to gasp quietly to himself as he pulled his hand away from my shoulder, and for a moment, before the pain returned to his face, he let a small smile twitch into existence. "O-Oh…well…I'm fine…" He stuttered out as the student ran back inside the gym to play with his fellow classmates. "Really…" Finally the pain returned to his face and he glanced down to the ground as Kid watched us silently from the side; Rachel finally catching up and making her way towards the classroom on her own. "H-Hey…if you wanna spend some time with Tsubaki, she…well…she doesn't work till after hours…so…" His green eyes found themselves inside. "I…gotta go…some of these kids need to learn how to dribble the ball correctly…"
As Black*Star slowly made his way back into the gym to teach the P.E class, Kid set his hand on my back to lead me down the hall a little more. He probably knew I wasn't in the mood to move on my own at the moment. Something about seeing that man in such a state really changed how I looked at him. A person with that big of an ego could get broken too, huh? Never thought about it…never knew it was possible…especially with Black*Star…
"Please, get some rest Maka-San…"
I stepped out of the school entrance and turned slightly to see Kid smile towards me lightly. "Good day, Kid…" I breathed out quietly to him with a small pathetic wave before turning around. I heard the large school doors shut as soon as I reached the end of the Courtyard, but instead of continuing down the steps, I looked over my shoulder. Before me, the place seemed younger, while I remembered what had happened there when Black*Star and Soul became friends again…I could see it…all of us standing there in the middle saying our goodbyes to Kid as he and the sisters walked home together…
-"The girls and I will be going then, good day"
"Ok Bye!"
"Hey! Don't walk away without addressing the great me first-OW!"
"Black*Star..."
I glanced up from where I was staring and saw that Kid and the Thompson Sisters were gone, leaving me alone in the courtyard with Tsubaki and Black*Star. The blue haired boy was rubbing the top of his head while sitting down as Tsubaki looked my way with a smile."Maka," She said; getting my full attention. "Do you think we could have that tea today?" She then asked me soon after. I smiled and nodded to her. I was defiantly up for some tea after that long day.
Black*Star gasped.
"B-But what will the great me do?"
"I'm up for a game of Basketball if you are?"
All of us looked at the Shibusen entrance and saw Soul lazily making his way over; his hands shoved deep into his pockets. I lifted a brow. He could play basketball? "Soul?" Black*Star yelped as he rose to his feet with a wide and bright smile. "Does this mean we're friends again?" He then yelled in curiosity.
"Since when were we 'not' friends?" Soul lazily asked as he stopped near me. He looked at the blue haired boy and shrugged. "Just because I stopped talking to you, doesn't mean I stopped being your friend." He sighed and shut his eyes; shaking his head. "You know...you could have spoken to me at anytime." Black*Star tilted his head to the side as Soul opened his eyes again. "You just assumed that I wouldn't talk to you at all." Black*Star huffed and looked away and Tsubaki let out a small laugh. I could even feel myself lightly laughing too. "Alright then," Soul then said as he brought his hand out of his pocket to run through his hair. "I'll need to get some better clothes. Come on Maka."
Hearing my name, my eyes snapped open and I looked at him. "Actually Soul," I grabbed the inside of his elbow as he began walking away, and he looked at me from over his shoulder; his crimson eyes somehow curious. "I'm going over to Tsubaki and Black*Star's place for tea." I then said. I pointed at the god-wanna-be with my head. "That's why Black*Star was curious on what he was going to do today...he didn't want to sit around and have tea with us girls..."
Soul looked at me with his crimson eyes a little while longer, before shutting them; his crooked grin now spreading across his face. "Alright then" He opened his eyes again and looked at Black*Star. "I'll meet you at the Basketball court and..." Trailing off, he looked at me again. Crap...I think I was blushing! I didn't even realize I still had his arm in my hand. "Don't get home too late," He said to me; making me look up to his face. "I'm not in the mood to die from hunger."-
They were official friends again after that…I had blushed right in his face for the first time then too…
Fighting back tears, and shaking the images of the scene from my head, I turned back around and made my way back down the steps so I could start walking in the direction of Tsubaki and Black*Star's apartment. I really didn't feel like being alone at the moment…and when I couldn't be with Soul…Tsubaki was always my next option. I paused in my walk and narrowed my eyes at the sky; thinking about Tsubaki's warm smile and her wonderful tasting tea…
Why didn't I just go to her in the first place?
"M-Maka-Chan! What are you doing here?"
Tsubaki seemed surprised as she opened the door for me. She didn't look like she was doing anything so I hadn't interrupted her…the only thing that I could tell she was doing was her daily cleaning of the apartment since she was wearing an apron and had a duster in one hand. "Tsubaki…" I breathed out as I stood in her doorway; my lifeless eyes staring somewhere I couldn't really make out. "I…Can we…do something together…"
Her eyes narrowed and I caught sight of her setting the duster down so she could untie the apron. After tossing the apron somewhere she stepped outside and shut the door; the other hand lightly sweeping some of my bangs to the side. "Your lost without him…aren't you?" She asked me with concern as I kept my eyes away from hers. I didn't have to say anything for her to hear my answer, so quickly she embraced me in a tight, but comforting hug. She didn't say anything…but I could hear her sniffle as if she was crying…and once I felt the wet on the top of my head, I knew she was…there was no mistaking it…Tsubaki was crying for me…
And really…she didn't need to be…
"Tsubaki…please…stop."
Said woman pulled away from me and looked me in the eyes with tearful ones of her own. For a moment she seemed to be confused about what I had said, but when it set in, she gave me a small smile and used a finger to wipe the tears away. "I-I'm sorry, Maka-Chan," She then said to me. "But…I do miss him too." As soon as she said that to me, I looked at the ground quickly, but she hurriedly set a hand under my chin to make me look back up and then set her hands on both my shoulders. "O-Ok…let's go do something…" She then said to me; looking at me with a real smile. "Let's go get our nails done! We can have Liz and Patty give us a friend discount, for a massage too. What do you say?"
Weakly, I smiled and she took my hand to begin walking down the road and towards the nail salon the sisters worked at. I knew that a simple massage and hair combing wouldn't bring a normal smile to my face again. Maybe if Soul suddenly turned up there in a chair getting his hair trimmed would make me smile…but then I'd probably get angry and beat him for acting so casual and not coming to me first to tell me he was fine…I frowned…Who was I kidding? Soul was gone…he wasn't going to be there getting his hair cut…he wasn't going to be there to grin his crooked smile my way and tell me to stop crying like an uncool bookworm. He wasn't going to be there to tell me to shut up while I yelled at him in despair…
"And because of me…you're four years late to reply…"
"Shut up Maka, and just cook."
That's when I realized that…I probably wasn't going to hear Soul speak to me ever again…
"You know, I watch the news every day before I go to work." Liz said as she combed my wet hair with her special cosmetologist comb. My sad eyes barely looked up to see her expression as did her work and it seemed that she had a little hope in it. "And there are stories every other week about kidnappings…they go on forever; every day starting out with a "still no sign of little Susie" and you know what…" She stopped combing and smiled at my reflection. "Little Susie always turns up in the end, so trust me…" There was a hand set on my shoulder and I was sure it was hers. "Soul will come home, very soon…maybe sooner than you think."
"Thanks Liz…but…I don't think—"
Tsubaki swung a hand over and set it on my own with a stern yet sympathetic expression which shut me up. Then, without a word, she glanced at Liz's reflection and gave her a small frown. "Liz…I know your trying to help…" She breathed out; glancing my way quickly before eyeing the eldest sister again. "But…Maka really needs to get her mind off of him for awhile…"
"Sorry…I was just—" Liz began but suddenly fell silent since something had caught her eye in the mirror. I glanced at the reflection of the fish tanks in the back ground and spotted a certain person walking on the other side of them; making their way up the platform on which both Thompson sisters worked. Who it was, I couldn't tell at first…but soon they were out in the open and easy to see. That person was Tod, and he had a suit on so he was probably on some kind of lunch break from work. "T-Tod!" Liz spun around and smiled as he came up to her with a smile. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to see how you were doing," Tod answered; leaning in to kiss her on the cheek. She smiled lightly before looking my way again and nearly choked on some unknown substance. "Are you alright, Hun?" He asked her quickly as she turned away to keep working on my hair. Her eyes seemed to narrow as she picked up a pair of scissors and cut a half inch off the end of my sandy blond locks. That's probably when Tod realized what was wrong. "Is this about Soul?" His hazel green eyes met mine for a moment before looking back at Liz. "I know he's gone…but you need to get over that—"
"Excuse me?" Liz snapped before I could say anything to him in my own frustration. She pulled everything she had near my head away and set them down to face him with an irritated glare. "We're going to have a talk…right now." She took his hand and began dragging him away from the sight; leaving me to sit in the chair with no one to touch up my hair at all. Patty paused as she braided Tsubaki's hair and glanced over to the doorway her sister and Tod disappeared. Then with a sigh, she took a step to the side and began to do the finishing touches to my hair for her.
But I didn't think I could take it for much longer…
I just needed to be alone now.
"Sorry…" I reached up with my right hand and tore the large plastic clothe around my neck and stood up from the chair; causing Patty to take a few confused step back. Tsubaki gave me a look of puzzlement as well as I snatched up the brush on the counter and combed it through my hair to make it even. "I just…need to be alone for a little while…" I then said; setting it back down and turning around to walk away. My bangs, in which had been trimmed to be a little shorter, blew across my face as soon as I opened the door to go outside. I'm sure a few loose strands of hair fell and were carried off in the wind as well…and I knew they weren't the only things falling right then…My tears were too.
I cried myself to sleep that night. And I was left with the discomfort of having an empty spot in the bed next to me…the dent that Soul left in the soft mattress…slowly beginning to turn cold…
Yeah…I was just a little bit broken.
