Chapter 12: Appreciated

Little Falcon: With my muse leashed, I can finally update! Hooray! Oh, this story is about to end in a few chapters so please give me your reviews okay?

Standard Disclaimer: I only own the idea that's all. If I did own this series I'll be the happiest person on earth!

"What? Tired already?" No longer able to maintain her weapon form for just a few minutes, Maka tried to drag air back to her lungs in an attempt to remember how to breathe. How many days has it been? Or was it just hours since they entered Endless Night? Time was irrelevant in this forsaken place.

Her meister tugged roughly on her hand as she sank panting on the ground. In the limited illumination they had, she saw countless more shadows circling them dangerously. Her fingers trembled before they formed a tight fist. Resting even for a short while wasn't an option, especially not when her meister's life depends on it. Gathering what's left of her strength, Maka returned to her double scythe form.

Why am I doing this? The weapon ripped through their opponents like they were made from paper. That's right… I want to be forgiven. Soul's last music echoed in her ears, blacking out all the noises from the battle happening at that moment. Redemption… who am I fooling? The moment I saw Skhai at my door, I knew forgiveness was the last thing he'll give. I knew he can never forget what I've done…because, if that happened to me… I won't even an idea of pardon to the one who took Soul away.

With every moment, she felt like falling down a bottomless pit. Too tired to struggle. Too hopeless to shout help. The only thing she was looking forward to was hitting the ground… but when will that be?

"Hey Soul, are you sure we can trust her?" The self-proclaimed assassin asked as he stared pointedly at the stranger leading their group. Even Shinigami-sama's son had to agree with him. They only met a few hours ago and now they're following her like she's someone superior.

His crimson eyes wandered from his friends' anxious faces and towards Rika. For a brief moment, he contemplated then he nodded his head. "Yeah," this time there was no doubt in his mind as he replied.

"What made you so sure?" Death the Kid inquired.

"Because no sane person would volunteer to enter Endless Night," his skin crawled upon remembering the suffocating despair that ate his very being the moment he stepped inside that damned darkness. Cold sweat trickled down his forehead at the thought of reliving the experience. However, his fear for his safety was completely overwhelmed by his fear for HIS woman's existence- every second that passed is a countdown for her oblivion.

Black Star and Kid exchanged knowing looks. If Soul Eater is this affected by what Endless Night did… then it must be something worse than hell.

Rika threw her head over her shoulder and watched the others keeping a safe distance in between them. Her amber eyes fell on the white haired weapon. The pain in his eyes gave an iron grip in her heart. Somehow, he reminded her of Skhai. Truthfully, both were on the same boat- being the one who was left behind. But whose pain was greater?

A dark cave came into view. Unconsciously, everyone slowed their pace except for Rika who seemed to have gone faster. Her amber eyes stared at the threatening darkness innocently while waiting for the others to arrive. Hearing them approach, she turned around and looked only at Soul.

"I'm not asking you to forgive him," tears welled up in her eyes but she tried to blink them away. "But I'm begging you to understand," her words were shaking, barely audible.

"I just want her back. I'm willing to do anything to have her in my arms again," coming into terms with his stern statement. The pair stepped into the cave and the others followed.

Hours ago…

"I can't hold you as my weapon and neither can you. I hate to say this but Maka Albarn is the only one in the world who was able to pull it off despite the hundred of people, who shared heredity from a meister and a weapon, who tried. Just let me get near him, enough to touch him," the red haired weapon said.

"How will we be sure that we don't get lost inside? From what I heard, staying in contact with each other, even if they were just right beside you, is impossible," Death the Kid inquired after he heard the details from their new professor.

"That's right, when I was inside… I felt nothing- not the beating of my heart, the breathing of my lungs… I can't even feel the tip of my fingers," Soul threw in.

"Do you have something in your ears? Or haven't I made myself clear just a moment ago?" Rika arched her brow haughtily. "I was one of the creators of Endless Night so as long as you keep me alive, getting lost or losing yourself in despair won't be a problem."

The only meister, who wasn't speaking, had his eyebrows twitching in both confusion and annoyance. "I don't get it. If you're able to pull that one off, why not just lead us straight towards Maka?" Black Star exasperated as he scratched his silver head.

"Because the other maker didn't invite us to come over," Kid watched the other two weapons nod in agreement.

Now…

Light radiated from their bodies as they took the first step inside. Everything was completely quiet- even their footfalls were soundless. Then an invisible wave swept over them, utter despair filled their minds, robbing them of their breaths.

"He knows we're here," Rika seems to be the only one unaffected as she looked directly ahead as if she was seeing something they could not.

"Oh really, you think?" The demon blade master held his weapon tightly as he saw formless shadows surrounding them. Battle ensued immediately.

Meanwhile, Maka's blood froze as she felt a particular presence out of nowhere. Trying to open her half-lidded eyes, her vision remained unreliably cloudy. It can't be… her arms shook as she struggled to push herself off the ground put they gave way in an instant. The air she dragged in burned their way to her throat before they settled in her lungs. Why do you have to come here… tears trickled down her face while she tried and tried to get up.

A pair of shitkickers stood in front of her. As she raised her olive green eyes, Maka saw the sadistic smile on her meister's handsome face. Skhai sat on his heels, brushed away the strands of hair from her ear before he whispered "If you don't hurry up and die, I might end up killing him," her pupils dilated in reaction as fear took away her voice.

No! Let them go! Get out of here, SOUL! Silent screams left her mouth as she watched her meister's form vanish.

At that moment, he heard her voice as clear as a bell. The Death Scythe wheeled towards a certain direction and searched the darkness ahead. Instinctively, he jumped out of the way, just in time before a blast of white light erupted from that very direction.

He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists as he saw the person who took his woman away. His crimson eyes waited for another person to appear but to no avail. "Where is she?" His words seeped through his tight jaw.

Skhai tilted his head mockingly together with an arrogant smirk. "Dying… I left her somewhere here," he waved his hand dismissively, displaying his lack of interest.

"YOU BASTARD!" Soul was prepared to go all-out when someone stood in between them.

"Hi, Skhai," there was a weak smile on her beautiful face as she faced her meister.

His sapphire eyes trembled in shock as his face was drained of color. "W…what kind of trickery is this?"

"I'm no illusion," Rika's tears ran down her chin as she draws nearer.

Shaking his head repeatedly, Skhai retreated each time his weapon attempted to close their distance.

"What the hell's wrong with him?" Black Star asked as he was in the middle of fighting.

"Denial… he refuses to believe what he's seeing is the truth," Kid squeezed the trigger systematically, bringing down several opponents but they just reformed and attacked again.

The two creators of Endless Night stared long and hard at each other before the girl spoke "I'm Rika… your weapon," she placed her hand over her heart in an act in pure sincerity.

The meister's bright blue eyes hardened. "Weapon? I already have my weapon," with a wave of his hand all the shadows vanished but in their place a more familiar figure took shape.

"What the hell is this?" Black Star hardly evaded an attack from his new opponent who held the splitting image of his weapon, Tsubaki, in human form.

"These are not illusions. That's for sure," he was almost taken by the way the two copy-cats of Thompson sisters moved as if it was coordinated.

Soul stared directly at Skhai's eyes. "Maka NEVER belonged to you," he growled before he lunged at him with his bladed arms but even before he can touch him, his doppelganger parried his advances.

The tables were turned in a flash. These perfect reflections of the Death Scythes were not just mere copies. They knew the ways to combine an attack and evade effortlessly as if they knew what their attackers were about to do next.

"We don't have time for this," Soul stood back to back with Black Star they tried to catch their breath despite the major injuries they already sustained.

"These are not just shadows. It contains all the moves and techniques, Skhai have seen you made," Rika, too, seems to be having a hard time against herself. "One touch… that's all I need," her amber eyes started to lose hope when her meister turned around.

"SKHAI!" In her desperate attempt to get him to stop, she made a lethal opening for her enemy. Her eyes widened in shock. Within mere seconds everything will be over.

Out of nowhere, a double scythe appeared slashing through the air in a deadly circular motion. It ran through each of their opponent then turned in human form, just in time to catch the released arrow with her hand. The ones hit shriveled back into being formless and then dissolved into nothingness.

With her back against the others, her long light brown hair settled on her back, barely covered by a halter red gown that reached her ankles. Her hands wore black gloves as one still held the offending weapon. "Go, Rika… I can no longer take your place," she said under her breath as the arrow also dissolved under her touch.

"M…Maka Alabarn," Rika got to her feet and nodded then ran towards the direction she saw her meister last. "Thank you," she whispered as she passed by her.

Like being under the warm sun, she felt his gaze on her but she didn't turn around.

"Maka-" Soul stepped forward.

"Otsukaresama (Good job), you brought her back here," she prayed that somehow they believe she sounded casual. Because right now, she can count the remaining beats her heart will take before it stops. What she used to help them wasn't just her strength… it was her life energy. Somehow she had grown used to the intolerable pain within her that she was able to speak audibly and still stand.

"What are you talking about, Maka? Yeah, we did bring her here but we came here to save you!" Black Star raised his clenched fist but Kid pulled up his hand to silence him.

"I'm beyond saving," she bowed her head in shame.

"It's okay. I understand everything now. Nothing needs to be forgiven. Just please… come back to me," the Death Scythe pleaded as he reached for her hand. His heart stopped and his eyes froze as his hand passed through hers as if she was nothing but air. "No, no, no!"

Little Falcon: Read and review please…