The Mission
Chapter 35: Maka's mask falls
We had been searching for Maka for days but we haven't found her yet. Today is the 17th and it is just ten days before the day of my family's death and the day witches will attack Shibusen.
Black*Star and Kid have been really amazing by helping me search for Maka. I had explained to them Maka wasn't bad and that all she wanted is to be with us. They had believed me since they too wanted Maka to be with us.
We had searched high and low for Maka all around Death City and even in other cities but it felt useless. We hadn't found a trace of her at all or anything. It was like she had disappeared from earth's surface.
Black*Star and Kid had started to lose hope about finding her but I couldn't lose hope. Maka has become so precious to me and I know I will find her if I continue searching for her. I just know I will find her. She believes in me finding her.
We were currently in a little village called Loew village. It is known to always be a calm village where enchanters make golem. They don't like it when strangers enter their village but I could feel their bad presence when they saw us entering. They may look not bothered but I can feel their disgust toward us as soon as we entered.
I was currently inside of a clock tower, looking out of the clock as the cogwheels behind me moved and hearing the pendulum move from side to side. The pointers on the giant clock moved slowly, sometimes blocking my view as I looked out at the streets where enchanters walked the street to get to their house.
The dirty glass on the clock blocked my vision at some places but I could still see the smoke coming up from the enchanters' houses. All the enchanters walking down the streets looked pretty similar. They all had the big brown gloves with jeans and a tank top. They were all in different colors but the styles were pretty similar. If Maka would appear here, I would spot her at once.
I continued to watch over Loew village, just waiting for something to happen, anything at all.
''We should go back. She is obviously not here,'' Kid said as he stood up from a box inside of the clock tower we had used as a bench.
''Kid is right, Soul. Maka is not here.'' Black*Star agreed, still sitting on the box with his hands clasped, elbows resting on his knees. ''We should go back to Shibusen and chose a new location.''
I know it is selfish of me to want to stay here in Loew village but I just know, something will happen really soon here. It is something in the air and I can just smell it. Soon, it is almost time for something to happen.
Kid sigh, ''look, I can't sense a witch's soul or anything out of the ordinary here. There are just enchanters and golems here. She isn't here-''
''Just one more day god damn it!'' I shouted at the top of my lungs, not taking my eyes off of the streets of Loew village. It is dumb to scream at them but I just need to be here one more day, for Maka's sake. ''Just one more day and then we leave in the morning for Shibusen.''
Kid sigh, ''alright fine. One more day but then we leave in the morning.'' As soon as he finished, he walked away from us and walked down the stairs.
Black*Star got up from his box and walked up to me, putting his hand on my shoulder. ''I hope you know what you are doing, Soul.''
Without even looking at Black*Star, I fearlessly replied. ''Believe me; I know what I'm doing. She will be here soon.'' He sighs before he brought back his hand and followed Kid downstairs.
I hadn't left my gaze not even once from the streets of Loew village. I might be foolish but I have to stay here. Something is in the air, she is close.
''Don't worry Maka. I will find you and bring you back home to Shibusen.''
Without leaving my gaze from the tiny enchanter village, I had watched the village until night fall. Nothing was out of the ordinary in this village. The enchanter continued to make their golems like nothing was wrong. Of course, with us hiding out in this clock tower, they can't know they have strangers in their village.
It was now night and the moon were up. The stars in the sky twinkled brightly and I could see the three stars in the sky who is my father, mother and older brother. Lately, I have become more found of the night than the day because only at night I can see them. It feels like I can touch them and feel them when I can see those three precious stars.
My heart feels so warm and whole at night. It is the only time at the day when I feel completely and utterly whole but with not Maka around, I had this burning desire to be beside Maka.
Suddenly something inside of me struck me like lightning and my gaze quickly turned from the stars to a figure walking down the street. This feeling… it felt like electricity coursed violently through my whole body but it wasn't in a painful or unbearable feeling. This was… satisfaction of being close to Maka.
''Maka is here!'' I yelled and immediately got up from the frame of the clock. The figure known as Maka was heading toward and alley when she had suddenly stopped. She must have felt it too.
Kid and Black*Star immediately woke up in their sleeping bags and looked dazed. ''She is out there! I can see her!'' I screamed one last time before I ran down the stairs of the clock tower. I used the railing to get me more momentum in the curves. There is no time to lose. I have to reach Maka as fast as I can.
Storming out of the clock tower, I immediately caught sight of Maka. She was wearing a black robe but I could see her blonde hair and emerald eyes shining like stars in the night. This feeling I have is only growing stronger the closer I get to her.
Her black robe swung quickly in the air as she started to run away from me. My eyes widen at her sudden escape but I quickly followed her. She continued to run and I followed her quickly, just a few feet away from her. She made a quick turn into a new alley and I was fast to follow her.
''Stop Maka! Listen to what I have to say!'' I yelled after her as I tried to catch her but she seemed to be out of my reach. I could almost grasp her robe so with pure instinct, I jumped and managed to knock her down to the ground.
''Let go of me!'' She struggled as I pinned her down to the ground with her hands above her head. The hood fell of her head as she continued to squirm in my grasp.
''No, listen to me. Lord Death wants to talk to you. He doesn't blame you for what you did. You can come home Maka.'' I tried to calm her down but she was just too worked up to be calmed down. There is something wrong here. Why would she be fighting me like this and trying to run away from me?
''Get away from me! You don't understand, do you? I am a witch and I used you to get what I wanted!'' My heart stopped for a second and I just looked into her cold emerald eyes. ''Don't you get it? I used you to complete my mission. I don't want to go back to that scum hole.'' Her eyes turned even more cold at she spat her next words at me, ''and I don't want to ever see your monstrous face. You are a freak albino boy.''
What is this feeling? It feels like I have been run over by a truck repeatedly and then being crushed by a piano. My heart feels so crushed and ruined.
''What?'' I couldn't say anything else than that tiny little word.
Without knowing it, I had loosened my grip around her wrists and she had freed her wrists and punched me right in the face. Surprisingly, the pain in my heart was far greater than the pain in my face.
Landing on my back, Maka got up on her feet and brushed off the dirt from her robe. ''You don't get it, you dumbass. Nobody can love a freak like you. You are a monster with those shark teeth and with your albino look make you look from one of my scariest nightmares. You are a disgusting human being- no. You aren't even human. You are a mutant who belongs in the grave.''
''You don't talk to Soul like that!'' Black*Star screamed as he threw a punch at Maka. She expertly avoided Black*Star's fist and backed away from him, ''Soul has a much bigger heart than you do! You are the one being a monster by telling Soul that!''
''Black*Star-''
''Shut up!'' Black*Star interrupted me, ''Soul may not look like the norm but he isn't a freak because of it! He is extraordinary and an awesome friend! It is not the shape or form that matters, it is the soul!'' My eyes widen when Black*Star used my own words. I have always thought of them but I had always liked a good looks but it is the soul that truly matters. Staying for someone's looks and not the personality is wrong. ''I may not see souls like you, but your soul disgusts me. You are the worst human being on earth.''
Maka's face didn't change at all of his insults. It was expressionless, cold and dead. This was completely unlike Maka. She usually wore her heart on her sleeves but now she was all locked up like a safe. It is tragic seeing her like this, seeing her all cold and hard. This is like seeing the last leaf on a tree. It is all alone and looks utterly tragic when it do fall.
''Is that all you got to say?'' Maka's eyes were a plain and cold color of emerald. It wasn't like the bright and playful eyes they once were. This isn't the Maka I knew; can this be her real self? What about the night of the winter ball? She had been like the Maka I knew but was she just continuing her mission? Was it something needed from me that night?
''Maka, please, come home-''
''Can't you understand Soul?! I am home! The witches have always been my home and there was never anything between us! I used you for my mission!'' She yelled at me and I slowly got up on my feet. I took a step toward her and Black*Star was about to stop me when I shot him a glare. Taking another step toward her, I noticed a purple bruise on her jaw.
My eyes widen as I took another step. ''Who did that to you? Who gave you that bruise?'' She looked startled and quickly covered her cheek.
''That is none of your business now if you excuse me, I have to return home.'' She turned on my heel and I quickly made a leap toward her. Unfortunately she expected it. ''Don't get in my way!'' She released her soul protect and a huge fire ball shot toward Black*Star and me.
The fire ball took up the whole alley and it was no time for us to run back out of it. The only way out was up. I jumped up and made my feet and hands into scythes and stuck them right in the wall. With a blow to my head, Black*Star landed on my head. ''That was a close one, wasn't it?'' The fire ball crashed at the end of the alley.
A vein popped on my forehead as all my muscles in my body tightened. ''Black*Star, you are standing on my head.'' I changed my blades back and we both got down on the ground and I was about to stop Maka before she took a paper out and got sucked into it. It was almost like she got sucked into the book of Eibon like black*Star had been.
Unfortunately for us, the paper burned up and nothing was left of Maka.
Black*Star and I was left staring at the spot where Maka had once stood. The only thing I had now was the feeling of being rejected of Maka. It was an awful feeling but I will have to question everything about us. Had it been real or just one-side relationship? What I know now is that it was. Stein was right, she was only here to use me and she had done a great job. She had managed to wrap me around her god damned pinky finger.
I unclenched and clenched my hands repeatedly, gritting my teeth. How could I stay mad at Maka? I still love her but I can't let myself fall for her tricks. Witches are known to be good at tricking and faking everything. Medusa and Maka are great examples of that.
Black*Star put his hand on my shoulder, ''let's go back to the clock tower. Kid is still there guarding our things. Our mission is over. We have to report this to Lord Death when we get back to Death City tomorrow.''
Turning on my heel, Black*Star retrieve his hand as we walked back to the clock tower. ''This mission is far from over. I'm going to get her back to Shibusen.'' I meant every word. I might not get together with her but she belongs at Shibusen. She is just confused and don't know what to do but her home will always be at Shibusen.