They managed to get a last minute flight to the Yukon Territory of North West Canada. Kid made the flight reservations while Black Star distracted Stein and Marie.

The three meisters damn near trampled over a family of five on their way to the terminal. In retrospect they should've taken a private jet. Coach was not cutting it.

Maka sat in the middle of their row, knee bouncing in anticipation. Her coat was too stuffy. The crying baby in the back was too loud. The flight attendants were too slow.

Only Kid was able to hold his composure - though barely. Black Star was a second away from commandeering the plane himself.

After a torturous 5 hours they set off on foot. According to Kid they were somewhere in the forest. The dense, pathless, huge Canadian forest. Maka and Black Star were ready to explode.

They would've kept going for the whole night; but Kid and Maka's constant Soul Search radar was taking a toll on their bodies and despite the fact that Black Star insisted that he was okay, his lips were starting to match his hair.

"This is stupid," Black Star muttered grudgingly while he and Maka dug out a pit of snow to shield them from the wind.

"I know but Kid's right. If we keep going we're gonna pass out… Again," she murmured behind her scarf. "Like the desert except it will be too late for our weapons and we'll freeze to death before someone comes looking."

"A god like me wouldn't freeze to death."

Maka narrowed her eyes. "Look. I hate it as much as you do. Just keep digging."

Black Star grumbled, but did as she said.

Half an hour and a tiny twig fire later, the meisters huddled together in the small half-igloo. It was just big enough for the three of them, a carved out pod in the snow with a wall to break the wind. Kid and Black Star sandwiched Maka on either side.

"You're a twig, Maka, you're going to get cold."

She would've jabbed him in the ribs had it not been for the last part. As obnoxious as he was, she just didn't have it in her to argue anymore, especially when he meant well… In his own annoying way.

Maka tipped her head back, staring longingly at the deep blue sky. Her breath made small puffs of steam as she sighed. The adrenaline was finally running low and a huge wave of exhaustion had slammed her in the face.

"I'm going to find her," Black Star declared after a while of silence. He slouched against his icy backrest, hands cushioning his head. "I have to find her."

Kid crossed his arms across his chest, humming in acknowledgement.

"I'm going to find her," Black Star repeated, this time softer and with less of his usual bravado. Matching Maka's pose, he looked up at the murky clouds.

Maka exhaled. "Black Star…"

"I need to find her. I need her."

His words echoed against the frosty trees, whistling through the forest. The fire helped, but it did little against the frigid wind.

Maka shivered and shrank down into her coat as best she could.

Black Star's voice came again. "Do you think she's been thinking about me?"

Maka smiled sadly beneath her scarf. "Of course."

"...I really miss her."

"I know."

For a brief second he and Maka made eye contact.

"Bet Soul's missing you too."

Maka quickly looked away, feeling her skin tingle while tears brimmed in her eyes. Just hearing his name hurt.

"He's probably given up on me by now," she murmured into her sleeve.

"Wha? Pssh. That's bullshit," Black Star scoffed. "The poor guy would kill a man just for a kiss on the cheek." He chuckled softly, gaze returning to the sky. "You're into him too, huh?"

Maka glared at him. "It's not like that."

"Oh c'mon I've seen -"

"Black Star. No."

"You two practically -"

"Black Star, shut up!" Maka screeched.

Kid's gaze flickered over to them. Black Star blinked. "Uhm."

Maka pulled her scarf over her face and choked back a sob. "It's not like that," she repeated, "just 'into him.'" She sniffled and gave Black Star an angry slap on the chest. "It's more than that, stupid."

"So… do you guys not want to bang each other?"

Her cheeks burned in the cold. "Shut up."

Kid hummed softly. "Calm down, you two. Get some sleep. We'll find them in the morning."

Black Star huffed, still annoyed that they had to stop for the night, but complied and shifted into a more comfortable position. He took one last look at the sky before closing his eyes. The assassin was out within seconds, his snores rumbling gently underneath the hat he'd pulled over his face.

Maka felt Kid shift on her left.

"Maka?" His hand rested lightly over hers.

"...what."

"I'm sorry."

"For what."

"Nothing. Everything. I… just. I understand," Kid told her, "what it's like to love someone so much that it hurts." He sighed heavily and a weary smile crossed his lips. "What it's like to love your weapon."

Maka peeked up from her scarf, eyes glistening in the silvery moonlight.

"Liz," he said, smiling growing.

"You want to be with her?"

"Mmm." Kid nodded but blushed and averted his gaze to the fire. "All the time. Even if we're not doing anything I want to be with her. I want to share my life with her. I need her. But most importantly, I want her to be happy, over anything else in the world." He turned back to Maka. "That's what love is, isn't it?"

A tear rolled down Maka's cheek.

Soul put his hand on her shoulder, completing the circle. A shaky chain resonance formed between the weapons.

Their souls hummed with newfound power, pulsing in time with Tsubaki's heartbeat.

Electricity exploded in Maka's soul and shot through her body. Fire ripped through her veins and bombs went off behind her eyes. Maka lurched forward, hand clutching her chest as the sharp shocks continued.

Kid felt it too - whatever it was. He doubled over and broke into a coughing fit.

Black Star slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes in confusion. "Fnnnmuh… What's going on, you guys?"

Maka wheezed. "Something… Not right."

"Damn, what is this?" Kid rasped, body heaving. "It feels like something in my soul was rearranged."

Realization felt like liquid nitrogen poured into her blood. "Soul," Maka gasped. "Soul, the weapons, something must've happened to them." She scrambled to her feet, kicking up snow and discarded leaves and branches. "C'MON WE HAVE TO GO!"

Black Star cursed, already on his feet. "Let's go, Kid, you heard her!" He hoisted his still recovering friend off the ground and practically dragged him through the snow.

"Maka where are you going?" Kid called after her.

Maka put her head down, biting her lip against the ache in her muscles, the pain in her still healing injuries. She didn't stop to answer Kid, didn't stop to catch her breath or find her missing glove because something happened to Soul and she was seeing tunnel vision.

She lost him once, had him literally ripped from her hands as her arm snapped like a twig. After Kid and Black Star found him - and the other weapons - again in Canada, she was determined not to let him slip from her grasp again.

Maka stumbled over fallen trees and protruding rocks. She sliced open her bare hand on a branch she didn't see and almost broke her nose after a slip on ice, but no matter what she kept her eyes forward and her legs moving.

A tiny root was her downfall. It snagged her boot and sent her careening through the air, landing face first in the snow.

Maka lay there panting, crying, fighting to get back up but too frantic - and frankly, too exhausted - to do much.

Kid and Black Star caught up to her within a minute.

"Damn… Maka…" Black Star panted. "Didn't you… hear us…?"

"Nnnngghhh."

"You passed a town… few hundred meters back," Kid told her. "Might be able to help us."

When she didn't move Black Star grabbed her by the arms and hoisted her on his back. "C'mon, Maka. Don't tell me you're giving up now."

She mumbled against his shoulder.

Black Star grinned. "Let's go find our friends. Okay?"

"Okay."

It was still dark out, barely past midnight. Black Star and Kid kept a steady jog into the small town, coming to a brisk walk as they circled the tiny cabins on the outskirts.

"Look." Maka reached over Black Star's shoulder, still in piggy-back mode, and pointed. "We could use those."

"You mean steal them?" Kid whispered unsurely.

Two shiny black snowmobiles were chained against one of the cabins. Maka eyed them eagerly. The chains looked thin enough. Maybe if Black Star used his soul force he would be able to break them. Another thought crossed her mind - Black Star's ego, sometimes annoyingly valid - that made her roll her eyes.

As if he had the same thought, Black Star suddenly shot forward - Maka still on his back. He took the chains between his fingers and snapped them like they were made of styrofoam.

Black Star slid onto the first one and Maka linked her fingers around his waist. The knife in her heart twisted, memories of her and Soul on his motorcycle flooding her head.

"That one's yours," Black Star said to Kid. He motioned with his chin and revved the engine.

"Hey someone's going to hear us!" Maka hissed.

Black Star chuckled. "S'ok. We'll be gone by then." He glanced back at her with a smirk. "Better hold on tight."

Snow exploded from the wheels as Black Star floored the gas pedal. Kid followed suit on his own.

As Maka clung to her friend's back something odd filled her veins, something she hadn't felt in a long time.

Hope.

Maka squeezed her eyes shut and focused on her soul perception, willing it with everything she had left.

She and Black Star light up in a bright glow as the assassin lent his assistance. The connection was shaky, both of their souls anxious and head strong, barreling towards their goal without hesitance, but the added presence gave Maka strength.

Kid joined in too, adding to the roaring chain resonance as they raced through the dark.

"Take the lead, Maka," Kid's voice encouraged.

Maka nodded, focus zeroing on one thing and one thing only.

"I'm not letting you go this time. I promise"