Ch: 10

"So that's it? They just went and decided they would kill Makoto and Chronos if we fail to save her in time?"

"Unfortunately, that is correct. I'm not liking this any more than you are Soul. If anything, I'm outright disgusted by the decision that was made."

"Will you two stop complaining already? We have to respect Shinigami-sama's wishes, but he never said that it was a complete loss."

As the group of students traveled to arrive at the latest destination that they heard about a 'Meister gone mad' striking, Maka crossed her arms over her chest as she drifted her gaze to stare out the window of the train they were sitting in. She and Soul, along with Death the Kid, the Thompson Sisters, Black Star, and Tsubaki, were the ones that had been chosen to go after Makoto and Chronos. She remembered that Dr. Stein had wanted to go with them and had actually gotten into a bit of an argument with Shinigami over his decision on who all would detain them...

{Flashback to the day before}

"Shinigami, I must insist that you let me go with them! Why are you keeping me off this mission?!"

Shinigami sighed softly at this as he drifted his gaze away from the young teen Meisters and Weapons before bringing his calm gaze onto Dr. Stein. He could easily see the frustration and anger within his gaze, but there was also something else. There was a sense of desperation within them that showed how much he wanted his daughter to be saved at any cost at all. He knew what that sort of desperation would lead to and he knew that it would be the very cause of him not thinking rationally... "Sending Kid-kun and his friends on this mission will be difficult enough due to them having been friends with Makoto-chan and Chronos-kun...If I sent you on this mission with them Stein, I know it would likely end badly..."

"What?! What are you talking about?! I've got much more experience in fighting than they do along with skill! I have a better chance than they do! She's my daughter, Shinigami!"

"I know...And it is because she's your daughter that I'm not letting you go on this mission..."

This caused Dr. Stein's eyes to widen from behind his glasses as he took a slight step back in shock. "Wh-What?"

To be honest, he wasn't the only one shocked by that reason. The surprise and confusion was also evident on the younger Meisters and Weapons present as well.

Sighing softly, Shinigami tilted his head down a bit and shook it before raising it once more to look at the still shocked teacher. "Stein, I'm taking a big enough risk as it is to send these youngsters after Makoto-chan and Chronos-kun due to their relationship with them. If I sent you as well, an even higher risk would rise. The reason I'm saying this is because I know how desperate you are to save your daughter, Stein...You would stop at nothing to save the girl and keep her alive...If they fail to get through to Makoto-chan, and make her see that she has to accept all of who she is before it's too late, you know full well what will need to be done..." As he watched the young man before him slowly relax before tilting his head down and off to the side in anguish, he knew that the Meister and teacher before him understood where he was going with this and the reason behind why he couldn't go on the mission with the children.

...He knew that Dr. Stein wouldn't beable to bring himself to kill her...

{End Flashback}

"Maka?...Hey Maka, stop zoning out already!"

"Huh?" Snapping out of it, Maka brought her gaze over towards Black Star as he stared at her for a moment before narrowing his eyes as he glanced out the window towards up ahead of them.

"We're almost there..."

Glancing ahead of themselves, just as the others were doing, Maka spotted the city they were brought to. It was completely in ruins and looked almost haunted, but then, it had been that way for a long time; way longer than they had been alive at least. "So that's it, huh?...The Forgotten City."

"Well, it certainly looks forgotten, that's for sure. You'd think they would've tried to rebuild the place, but I guess not what with it being one hell of a place for Kishin and all to live...Man, it'll be like walking into an all you can eat buffet, heh."

That...earned Soul a Maka Chop.

"Will you stop joking around Soul? This is serious business. We're Makoto and Chronos' only hope in saving them."

Rubbing his head from where he had been hit, Soul grumbled under his breath as he casted his crimson gaze onto his Meister irritably. "I know how serious this damn mission is Maka. All of us are so tense though, I was just tryin' ta lighten up the mood a bit. Being all wound up is not gonna help us ta save Makoto or that stupid pincushion."

Listening to their banter, Kid sighed softly and nodded his head a bit. "As much as I agree of the severity of this mission, I have to partly agree with Soul on this one...If we're too tense on this mission, it's bound to make us more vulnerable. Lan may have said that their attacks were more messy and predictable, but that doesn't mean her speed and power has been hindered. She's still dangerous and with the witch side of her in control, she's likely to try and take advantage of our weaknesses. Being too tense will often leave us more prone to her striking out at said weaknesses when we become distracted..."

"Why are you guys even talking about this? You're making way too big of a deal over it all. We find Makoto and Chronos and we knock some sense into them in a fight. Stop making a stupid complicated mess out of something so simple."

Blinking slightly, the group glanced over at Black Star as he held an annoyed look to his features while he was talking. It honestly wasn't often when the assassin actually had a point...And it was even rarer when he said something that was actually pretty smart.

"Heh...Black Star's got a point...There's nothing hard about this mission. We save Makoto and the pincushion she calls a Weapon no matter what. That's all there is to it."

Smiling lightly at this, they all nodded their heads once in agreement. They would all save their friends...And they would fight them to get through if needed...

As the train slowed to a halt, the group stepped out and onto the streets as they glanced around at their surroundings. As they did though, a laugh suddenly caught their attention as they quickly jerked their gazes towards the top of a broken building that was tilted over. Squatting there on the edge of it was none other than Makoto and Chronos as they stared down at them with a slightly maddening look in their gazes. Just as it was in the short fight against Lan, Chronos was still under Makoto's witch side's thrawl; leaving him with no mind of his own.

"Well, if it isn't Makoto's so called friends...Guess playtime's finally over..."

To be continued.

Little Tsu: Yeah, I ended the chap at a cliffhanger. I seem ta do that often in a number of my stories. Anyways, as I said in the previous chap, this story is finally nearin' its close. In fact, it only has two more chaps ta go before the end. Hope you've enjoyed the ride up till now cause the biggest & final battle is now about ta begin...Will they beable to save Makoto & Chronos?...Or will they be forced to say goodbye to their friends & put an end to their pain...?