His Dark Place
Chapter 10
Everything was a daze; mislead conclusions and wall hitting musings he flopped to his backside staring toward the ceiling, a vague thought of where he was sifted in through his muddy thinking. Lethargic and sore he brought his body forward and saw his surroundings that were bare yellow walls and head splitting sun light. He glanced to the back of him to see a large window one that blinded him and sent him cowering under covers of a bed. He gave a moaned of displeasure while he calmed his shaking body, examining under the blankets the many bruises that adorned his pale skin.
Slithering out from the covers, he crawled to the door of the bedroom and opened it to peer out into a hallway, void of light. He pulled himself upright and came out and shutting the door, he fell against it. Letting his body adjust he opened ruby eyes, red in the retinas from lack of sleep. He question when he got back to the apartment. Glancing down at his attire he wore only his boxers and the rest of his clothes he remembered faintly tossing them off in the hallway.
He glanced to the side and there were his clothes, toss and strewn about he returned his foggy mind to his body littered with bruises and cuts. Ones he hadn't the faintest idea of how he had gotten them. There was also blood, lots of it on his arm. The arm he used to fight with whenever things got a little too heavy for him, his blade arm he would like to call it. This maybe made him worry a little bit at what he did last night.
What terrible things did he do that he had no recollection of such events? But most importantly of all, whose blood was on his arm?
- -
Her father told her she was in shock and she agreed when she woke up the next morning on the floor, a bruise probably forming on her thigh when she kicked herself out of bed. She remembered bits and parts of last night but more than anything, it was all a fast blur. When she closed her eyes images would flash across her mind and make her squirm in bed.
She had trouble sleeping. Now here she was on the floor after several hours of trying to sleep only to wake up when forcing her self out of a nightmare, one she had to kick out of, to jerk herself out of and onto the floor where she now remained. Shaking…and wanting to hit herself so badly.
She didn't know why she hadn't said anything about that boy she saw, why she kept his appearance to herself when asked about what happened. She knew he did it yet she felt an overwhelming pressure to not say anything, to remain quiet. Was it shock? Some sort of defense against him, was she scared? Of what? Him? Well anyone would be scared if they saw a boy come out of the alley looking like some mad person with blood soaking their trembling arms. Anybody would be scared.
Yet she was only fascinated and that was what made her sick, that's what made her have nightmares…nightmares of what he did to those two boys. She wanted to know what he did.
"Get a grip Maka…don't go crazy." She murmured while prompting herself up on her bed, clutching the sheets fiercely. Afraid she would fall back down. She yelped when she did. "Damnit!"
- -
He walked out of the shower, relaxed and clean of blood. Wrapping a towel around his torso he went to the mirror and rubbed away the steam produced from his hot shower. Glancing over at himself, he made faces sticking his tongue out at his image. He walked out of the bathroom and with a loud yawn gave a stretch. Bones cracking and muscles relaxed he gave a sigh.
"I feel so good right now…nothing can make me mad!" He declared bravely, announcing it to his empty apartment daring someone to turn his mood sour. Good thing no one did. He grinned triumphant and walked to the kitchen preparing something for him to eat. He glanced inside the fridge to see some milk, fruit, vegetables and an assortment of different foods.
That's when he realized that he never cooked a day in his life. So not wanting to burn the apartment down he settled for some milk and cereal, Arachne buying him this really sweet cereal that made his mouth twitch into a smile while he savored the stuff.
"Fruit Loops?" He wondered aloud, looking the cereal box over he shrugged while placing his dirty dishes into the sink. On the stove that he passed, the clock read 7:26 and with school not starting until 9:00 he wondered if he should just head to school early. To scout the place out, map it out for future uses. It seemed like a good plan so he went back to his room to pull on some clothes.
After being awake for the past hour his eyes were finally at ease with the sun's rays that he casually walked into the room and head for the closet. He didn't know why he felt in such a happy mood that he swore he could have started humming and not thought it stupid. He opened the closet's doors.
"Why hello…"
"AHH!" He slammed the door shut and stood rigid before it, questioning if his eyes were fooling him. Calm yourself Soul, he reassured himself and opened his closet's doors again.
"Um…" He slammed it shut again…maybe he was dreaming? He wondered while pinching himself. He opened it again.
"Soul…" He slammed it shut a third time. He wished he were dreaming.
"If you shut that door one more time…" He did and couldn't help snickering. Now on the other side of the door he felt killer intent that he slowly backed away telling himself if he ignored the little…problem it would go away. Unfortunately it didn't.
"That's it!" The person hiding in his closet sent it flying off it's hinges and into the wall he immediately sauntered out of the room and shut the door again. Wondering if he was pushing his luck.
"SOUL EATER!" He probably was.
- -
Maka was getting ready dressing, even though school did not start for another hour. She always had this inane habit of waking herself up at 7:00 every morning even on weekends, her father told her it must be her internal clock or something, oh how she wished she could sleep in till noon even if her mind never did allow her. Pulling a yellow top over her white undershirt she glanced at herself in the mirror, stuck out her tongue at her image, and briskly strolled out of her room.
"Maka!" Her father said enthusiastic as always with a charming smile while he pushed a chair out for her. She gave a timid smile in return while sitting down across from him. A plate of food place out for her, she stared down at the bacon's and eggs and push them around rolling her eyes at the smile it formed. She turned the bacon's crust upside down. "How…are you?"
"Fine." She replied stabbing the yolk of the eggs. She reached across the table for ketchup and slathered it on making them scrabbled on her plate while she ate the bacon, tearing into it fiercely while her father watched her slightly scared she presumed while she started on the eggs.
"You sure sweetie…I mean with what happened last night…" He purposively didn't finish his sentence, probably wanting her to elaborate on the events of last night. Which she didn't, she just shrugged.
"I don't remember much at the moment so you don't have to be worried alright?" She offered kindly making her voice all sweet and daughterly that he gave a large smile.
"Well that's good that your okay. Do you need a ride to school?" He offered and she gave a shake of her head.
"Nah, I think I'll walk…the exercise will probably do me good, physically and mentally." She added while he nodded in agreement. Taking her finished plate and washing it in the sink. Sauntering back to her room to grab her notebook she glanced outside her window and prepared to walk to school.
- -
"Now, now Soul Eater why did you shut the door on me…five times, hmm?" Arachne asked her voice harsh and sweet to the ears while she stood before him…well below him he was hanging on the ceiling.
"You know most people don't always want to see a face like yours this early in the morning…" He replied offhandedly while looking out the window ignoring her glares.
"I see and nobody wants to see that either." She motioned towards his towel that was slowly in danger of falling off him. He blushed.
"You'd be surprised." He murmured while she scoffed as she released her webbings holding him and he fell ten feet. "You know the neighbors probably don't appreciate all this ruckus!" He snarled while prompting his body up, making sure the towel stayed where it was suppose to stay.
"I'm sure they would have complained last night when you came home, leaving all those bloody hand prints on the wall…" She replied while stepping around him to glance outside.
"Eh?"
"Soul, Soul as much as I enjoyed your little episode last night you endangered yourself by releasing such insanity levels upon the area you fought in…well just be glad Auntie Arachne was here for you."
"What do you mean…what happened last night?" He questioned his mood suddenly serious while carefully watching the spider witch.
"Hmpth no recollection eh? Well here." She placed a slim hand upon his head and images flashed in his mind's eyes. For what felt like an eternity she released him and he fell backwards. A weird smile force on his face while his chest rose rapidly in and out. He shakily placed a hand to his mouth afraid laughter would leave him. "I can see why you did so; you've been stuck in that place ever since you were born, never aloud to have the fun that your soul yearned for but understand this. Jeopardize this mission and I'll show you true insanity, hmm?" She whispered while giving his head a shake he gave an involuntary chuckle.
"I didn't know that it could be like that…" He murmured the grin still on his face, oh how he wished to rip it off.
"You know this causes a problem for us. Shibusen knows that someone in their little city is on a rampage, or so they would think seeing the state those two boys were in and all." He didn't know his grin could go any wider. "So I'm providing you with a cover, a spell if you will."
"What's it suppose to do?"
"Hide your wave length from prying eyes so that if they do look upon your soul all they would see is just a simple soul. Not the tainted red it's becoming…" She whispered.
"My soul's red?"
"It's erratic and pulse's once and awhile but your going to be around Shibusen staff most of the day. We don't want them seeing anything that would cause you a first class trip to the Death God."
"What does red mean, how does a soul usually look?" He questioned everything becoming muddled for him.
"Well usually a good person's soul is a faint blue, boring yes but a tainted one is a reddish color, oddly beautiful. I prefer your soul red any how Soul even if dwindles between the two colors."
"Eh?"
"Never mind that! You my boy have your first day of school to worry about which is the reason why I have graced you with my presence."
"Yeah, um…school…" He murmured.
"Let's go back to your room."
"Let me get dress first lady!" He yelled not wanting her any where near him when he was still in a towel.
"Oh that's why I came Soul Eater to help you dress, now let's see something classy should do."
"What the hell lady you ain't helping me dress!"
"Oh Soul you have no say in this, I AM helping you get dress if you like it or not." Soul watched crazed while she did something with her hands, pulling him toward his room.
- -
An electronic song played vibrantly in her ears, a recent song she got from Boom Boom Satellites. She loved it and couldn't help but let her mood be risen from the song as she watched the vary passerby, it was early for other students to be heading to school so she had no doubt she would be one of the first to arrive at Shibusen, not that she cared.
- -
"I'm not wearing this, no way in hell. I would always wear this kind of set up at home, I rather be comfortable you get my drift witch?" He spat while shrugging in the coat.
"You have to make an impression on this girl and this makes you look a little classy got that?"
"Okay lady I'm going to ask you, WHO WEARS SUITS TO SCHOOL!?"
- -
"Ah, perfectly symmetrical in every way." Kid said breezily examining his closet. Eight tailor suits lined perfectly together in a row he sighed.
- -
"Only stiff's that's who." He scoffed trying to undo the red blood tie; Arachne practically choked him in when she put it on for him. He shuddered in the memory.
"No, people who get things done wear suits."
"Stiff's."
"Gentlemen." She hissed.
"Stiff's." He replied evenly.
"Do you honestly want to argue with me? You know where it got you last time." She pointed an index finger to the roof and he shuddered.
"Fine."
"Good now about that little spell…"
- -
Pausing in thought before the steps of the school, she let her eyes wandered upwards toward a light blue sky. Clouds obscuring the sun from her she gave out a relaxing sigh approached the steps and took them two at a time while she ran. She didn't know why she was in a hurry, nobody was waiting for her and she doubted today that anybody would be. Such a lonely place and what a haven it was for her even if it contradicted all reasoning's.
- -
The witch happened to be very nice to him today if he had to say. Nice in her own little psychotic way of course, but nice all the same. He could say that she provided assistance to his every day needs meaning that if he ever needed money he would only need to talk to a spider. Even as crazy as that sounds she told him that many of the tiny eight legged freaks were her minions and my God did her minions go far! He felt like chuckling.
Still she creep the hell out of him when she disappeared into a million of those tiny little arachnids, leaving his apartment and him with the heebies jeebies. Of course, while he casually walked to where his school was he had help getting there. When he left the front steps, of his apartment, a bulky limo came before him and he was ushered in. Now while walking up the large steps he admitted he might be the first at school but he didn't mind as he mused before he needed to scout the place. It would be absurd to go walking into enemy territory without knowing of it's interior and exterior.
Glancing up at the lumbering doors of the school, he knew he would have trouble finding his way around the place especially without a map. Then again, he could come to class late, stylishly late. He gave a laugh while straightening his tie it fitted him perfectly now and he didn't mind walking around in the tux. He push back a lock of his silver hair in the dim lighting of Shibusen and strolled out of the foyer into a random hallway unknown to it's path and location.
Shibusen was a classy place for a school. The decorating modern with a deformed ancestry of death looming about the place. With high ceilings and wide hallways, he wondered how many students strolled down these very hallways, rather if Maka had.
Maka…
Strange, he thought that he would have to introduce himself to her. That he would need to get close to her actually he contemplated why her exactly. Such irrevocable thoughts always eluded his mind until now and while thinking of it he cautiously to himself wondered was this all plan? He didn't know how he came to such a conclusion maybe the deluded whispering in the far corners of his mind popped such a question. Then again how could it be all planned and why? Such musings were discarded as he reached the end of the hallway he was walking in. Glancing toward the door that stood before him he pushed against it to see if it would open and it did.
Jarring the door agape, he slid in guarded of the surroundings to see a vast music room. Peeking behind him to see if anyone was strolling about he closed the door becoming unnoticed that it was not fully closed. He step in to see it was dimly lit, all around him were lamps hanging against the dark purple walls and the curtains that hid large windows were pulled over leaving behind a black canopy, causing an eeriness to the room. Now he was presuming it to be a music room because in the corner was a grand piano, shimmering a listless black and making his fingers itch unwillingly.
He gave a slight exhale as he brought forward his hands and held them together. Suddenly the room becoming zapped of warmth and unconsciously he started forward toward the piano with intent unknown to him. He paused and glanced behind him while he sat down on the seat relaxing into the favored position he tenderly ran a finger down the keys listening to the notes he flimsily produced. A shaky sigh came over him as his chest heaved.
Why was it so cold?
Whispers overtook his mind telling him sweet nothings and of a place where everything was a warm feeling of nothingness. Only such things would arise if he played the keys, if he played with his heartstrings and began a tune on the piano. An instrument he hadn't touched in two months. Eyes dazed while they landed on the floor tiles, black and white a rhythmic arrangement on the cold ground below him he closed his red orbs.
Why was he so tired?
The feeling enveloped him and his senses. So maybe that's why he was distant to the sudden footsteps behind him. Head rolling to the side he cracked his tense neck, glanced to the side of him, and looked upon a wall of photographs. Odd shapes and sizes they littered the wall with old and new pictures, cracked and polished ones of faces. Faces that were happy and optimistic with some had their hands raised to a peace sign they made with their middle and index fingers. He gave a crooked smile back and caught a reflection of a face one he pictured secretly in his mind for days.
A shiver of excitement ran up his spine in pure joy as he straightened himself and with a grin, he pressed down on a note, G.
Maka…
- -
Black Star awoke very early and it was a habit of his to work out before he officially would go out for the day. Therefore, it wasn't pass Tsubaki why she would wake up late, it being 8:30.
"Black Star!" She yelled out while grabbing a towel and bathroom accessories. "I'm going to have a quick shower!" She hurriedly rushed to where the bathrooms were located. With her hair in a disarray and clothes sloppily falling off as she was wearing a tank. She pushed open the doors.
"Wait! I'll have one two!" She heard him yell but ignored him.
"Black Star go use the boy's bathrooms!" She retorted blushing, honestly having a shower together…she gave a shake of her head as she untangled the elastic and threw off her shirt.
"But I'm already in here…" He whined and Tsubaki turn around to see him standing behind her with a childish look on him. She face faulted.
"GET OUT, this is the girl's bathrooms, the boy's are down the hallway!" She tried to hide from him but he just followed her.
"COME ON, we always used to take bathes together when we were kids."
"THAT'S WHEN WE WERE KIDS!" She threw her soap at him, he fell backwards, and with a push, he was out the door. She slammed it shut.
"Tsubaki, my pants!"
- -
There he was…sitting on a piano bench with loose shoulders and head rolling side to side. From behind him, she stared toward his backside taking in his figure, lank and scrawny under a white pin stripe suit. He looked far better than he did yesterday she mused. A glimmer of light hit his shiny black shoes and everything about him seemed dark. The only thing that brightened up his whole visage was the snowy white hair. It strange on such a person. Her having never seeing such a candescence color vibrantly stand out against so much black. It was all intense and she couldn't form any words.
She just watched him unnoticed she presumed as she wondered what kind of person he was. Was he really crazy? Or could yesterday night be all a nightmare? A ridiculous conclusion she questioned why she was lying to herself, why she was trying to lie for him. She didn't even know him, did not know what kind of guy he was.
Lonely.
That word was suddenly the conclusion to all her deliberation. Something whispered to her in the darkest part of her mind and which had hit her with all its meaning. Maybe that's why he was crying then again was he? Questions she would never have answered unless she asked him much less if she could even try to talk to him. His very presence made her shaky and scared. Fingers gloved in leather white she pursed her lips and stopped at a sound that seemingly vibrated in the empty room filled with two souls. He had pressed down one of the piano's keys and straightened himself.
"I…" She began suddenly embarrassed.
"Shh…" He hushed out breezily the noise odd coming from him as he remained forward. She fidgeted and decided to remain quiet as she watched his movements while he pressed what she guessed was the same note again.
"This is what kind of guy I am."
- -
She showed some sort of indecisiveness while she approached him and she stared at him for a good minute without saying anything so he contemplated if she was going to jump him but no…she was scared it seemed and of what he had no clue. They hadn't meet yet and they haven't even said a word to one another. Maybe she was just the shy type he mused. Such a notion could work wonders if she was shy, just sweet talk her into becoming partners with him.
Only with a finally look back to her he realized that maybe she was so shy because she didn't know how to approach him. I mean he was just that cool and all; he mulled halfheartedly knowing he was joking to himself. How to break her out of her shell. For a second he thought and pressed down on the note again and as it slowly died, did he realize that music was something of the soul. It brought out some rather relaxed symptom to people. It made a party lively depending on the mood and it made someone sleepy depending on the tone. It could even make one comfortable enough to talk.
"This is what kind of guy I am." He lifted his fingers, played a couple of notes, and found a rhythm, a sort of hidden song hiding behind the keys and his hands searched to play them. With that beginning, a song came to fruition. His emotions spilling uncontrollably out and into the piano's keys did they slowly connect while he dared to play with his very own heartstrings. They tore into him and a sickening feeling that would cause ones heart to break only made him euphorically reach for it wanting it to fill his bones his very well-being. Mere shadow's dance in the room and enveloped around him as he created a tune of heart and bones.
Memories flashed in his mind's eyes as he played and the longer he played the deeper the emotions became and it made everything around him a surreal glow. He was playing out his emotions, he was telling them in a song. One that the girl, entranced behind him may well never understand. One that he hoped no one could ever understand. The rips and tears mended and the notes played to a finish. His soul gave a cry with the last note dying in the now ethereal room. His heart closed up again and he turned to face the girl who wavered behind him.
He grinned in merriment at her lost look as her eyes came into focus on him. He stuffed his hands into his pockets, stood up, and placed out his hand.
"Soul." He murmured bright red orbs connecting to even brighter green eyes the irony of such mirror's as she glanced down to his hand.
"Maka." She placed her hand forward and clasped onto his fingers and with a shake of unified hands he let slip a grin of insane proportions. He realized his mistake when she flinched.
- -
FINALLY! Say hi everyone! LOL, ah what a place to end it eh? Well I like where I left it and hope you enjoyed I had some nice inspiration from Deftones, Anniversary of an Uninteresting Event for the piano part and I think I did well with it, what do you guys say?
One more thing I have no knowledge of the piano what so ever so I hope I did well with it.