I walked into the living room, holding Maka's hand. As soon as I saw all of my friends, I couldn't help but let loose a giant, ear-to-ear grin.
"Happy Birthday!" They all shouted at once. I got gifts from everybody, some of them surprising:
Kid got me a Les Paul with Shinigami-san's mask on it.
Patti gave me Mr. Giraffe Junior.
Liz gave me a revolver (the look on my face was, apparently, priceless. I literally dropped it, then jumped back, expecting to get shot. It wasn't loaded, and I ended up looking like an idiot.)
Tsubaki and, supposedly, Black Star gave me money.
Black Star actually gave me his signature.
Soul and Kylie gave me money.
And Maka didn't have to give me anything, but she insisted on giving me money that I promised (to myself) I would sneak into her purse sometime later, or spend on her, or something like that.
"Thanks guys." I smiled. "I have to admit, you're the best friends anyone could-"
The phone rang, and I answered it. I really, really, really wish I just let it ring. But I didn't.
"Is Riley there?" Ms. Marie said.
"Hey Ms. Marie. What's going on?" I asked. She didn't sound like her usual, cheery self. She sounded serious, like someone had just died.
"Eruka wants to meet you, alone, on the bridge Maka fought Free on." Ms. Marie said.
"Where?" I asked. "Who's Free?"
"You don't know about what happened before you got here?" Ms. Marie asked, then said "It doesn't matter right now. The bridge is London."
"So, she wants to meet me alone? Screw that. I want my friends to have my back. We just need to make sure their not seen." I said. "Where should I go?"
"Come to Stein's house. We'll provide transportation, and help." Ms. Marie said.
"Alright. I'll tell my friends the plan and see who's coming, then I'll rush over. Bye." I hung the phone up. "Guys, you are not going to believe what Ms. Marie just told me."
London, England, on a freezing cold bridge.
I listened to my iPod, waiting for Eruka to come to the bridge. We'd see what she wanted, then my friends would run out of their hiding places and capture her. Easy, right?
'Will we make a mark this time?/Will we always say we tried?/Standing on the rooftops/Everybody scream your heart out./Standing on the rooftops/Everybody scream your heart out.'
Maka hadn't been happy when I told her about Eruka kissing me, but she understood that I couldn't stop her, and was happy that I told her.
Eruka landed, her heavy boots crunching in the snow. I quickly put up my iPod and looked at her.
"You don't look very good in a parka." Eruka said.
"The Irish don't like the cold." I said, my gloved hands in my pockets. "What do you want?"
"I just wanted to see you." Eruka said.
"No more half-truths. No more lies. What do you want?" I asked.
"I want to see how well my experiment works." Eruka said. "Get your Weapon and attack me."
"I'm here alone, like you said." I said.
"The DWMA wouldn't allow you to come here alone." Eruka said. Reluctantly, I said "Kylie, c'mere."
Kylie walked out from inside of a closed store in her parka. She took my hand and transformed into her weapon form.
"Attack." Eruka said. I lifted Kylie and rushed at her. Eruka tossed a bomb at me, but I quickly hit it away before spinning and slicing her stomach. I barely hit her when she jumped and kicked me in the face, giving me an instant nose-bleed.
"She couldn't just let you come here for a fight. Something's up, Rye." Kylie said as I charged at Eruka.
Kylie was, of course, right. Eruka shouted "Black-blood, activate!" and I felt overwhelming pain. I dropped Kylie and shouted, randomly swinging my arms around, blinded by the pain. Someone shouted something, but I couldn't hear them over the pain.
Then, a voice cut through the pain. Eruka said "I can take the pain away. Just follow my voice." It sounded like the voice of a savior, a voice I could fall in love with.
'No!' I thought (or said. I couldn't tell.) 'I love Maka!'
'But it will take away the pain.' I argued.
'I'd rather die than betray the DWMA!' I yelled to myself. I felt me hit something in my blind rage, and I instinctively knew that I hurt someone.
'Would you? Really?' I asked.
'Choose your direction now, and deal with it.' I thought. 'Go towards Eruka, stop the pain and gain control of yourself before you hurt yourself, or...you know the other option.'
I chose in an instant.
