Maka stood outside Shibusen in the middle of the square, the sun was just barely rising as the group of fighters stood ready to take on the end of the world as they know it, the sun began to shine on them casting shadows, "glad to see you all came" Maka and the others turned toward the voice, there standing on top of a pillar from a broken building, the same one as last time was soul. Maka turned toward Chrona "get inside the school now" soul grinned wider bowing low and exaggerated "there's no time for that it's time to start the show"
Soul jumped down from the pillar landing in front of Maka who quickly entered a defensive stance drawing her two signature blades from her arms and crossing them in front of her body. Maka jumped forward pressing one to his neck as his hand touched her shoulder "well now…" he began softly feeling the blade on his neck "you shouldn't be so mean to me Maka-Chan" a disgusting grin formed across his face "after all I have your boyfriend inside me, you know you wouldn't want to hurt him would you?"
"I've heard enough of this…..tsubaki, demon blade mode" black*star reached his hand over taking Tsubaki's "but black*star you shouldn't so early in the fight….you could hurt yourself!" black*star gave tsubaki a warning look "we don't have the luxury of holding back….we have a time limit remember?" tsubaki hung her head and nodded before the white light surrounded her and she morphed into a demon blade. Black*star's hand wrapped around the hilt of the sword and the markings of fear and power covered his face.
Maka nodded to him and then looked at kid "we'll keep him busy, power up" he nodded and Maka and black*star got into a defensive stance giving one last look to make sure Chrona got into the school. Maka looked at black star creating a mental connection via soul links 'black*star, tsubaki can you hear me?' black*star looked at Maka from the corner of his eyes making sure it was her seeing her do the same to him he decided it wasn't a trick 'yeah Maka I can hear ya loud and clear' he answered 'here's the plan, I have a pendant that can increase a soul's power I'm going to use it to power up soul's soul enough that he can expel the Kishin and Kidd can blast till next century….for this to work I need you and tsubaki to distract him long enough for me to get close and then hold him when I get there.'
Black*star glared at the Kishin 'any other plans….I don't like the idea of you being too close to him' Maka sighed 'sorry black*star the only other option is to kill him….none of us want that' black*star nodded 'alright then…..let's do this' the pair let their feet move swiftly giving enough warning to each other to move before they sprung off toward him. As they were close enough the Kishin let off an attack of red energy, Maka and black*star jumped opposite directions. Black*star went left yelling "YOHOO" and Maka went right crossing each other's paths. Maka pounced toward the Kishin as he watched black*star lifting her leg as she spun in the air landing a kick on the kishin's chest pushing him back "tsubaki demon scythe mode!" black*star yelled loudly. Before the Kishin could realize what was happening he was tied up by chains and black star had a blade to his throat.
"Now Maka!" Black*star yelled hurriedly Maka ran forward with the pendant in her hand she closed her eyes as she got closer tuning into soul's wavelength, she felt the pendant touch his chest and a warm darkness settled into Maka's skin. When she opened her eyes she was in the black and red room that housed soul, the large black piano stood in the middle of the room but the paint was chipping from it, keys were missing and one leg had broken leaving it tilted on its side, the couch had tears and rips in it, cotton stuffing littering the floor.
Maka looked up the chandelier that normally lit the room was on the floor dim and broken, glass shattered everywhere, the wallpaper was peeling and Maka could literally feel the cold seeping in around her. "It's you" a wheezing voice gasped out. Maka looked left "chibi oni! *translates too little ogre* she rushed over finding him on the floor. Maka lifted up the small red demon in the black suit "what happened here?" he coughed a couple times blood spewing from him as he hacked and wheezed "don't worry about me…I'll survive, go find the boy…..he won't last much longer"
Maka nodded setting him down on the shredded couch "I'll come back for you" she promised rushing toward the door where she had found soul last time. As the little demon watched her go he smiled slightly letting off a small whisper "there will be nothing to come back for my dear" with that said he began to fade into dust carried off by a mysterious wind. Maka paused in mid step….soul just got a lot weaker, 'the oni?' she wanted to turn back but couldn't 'no…..soul comes first….I'm sorry' with that she wiped the small tears that had gathered in her eyes and ran forward determined to save soul.
"SOUL WHERE ARE YOU?" Maka yelled, she'd been running for a while now with no sign of him and she was getting tired. Maka fell to her knees gasping for breath "where are you" "Maka?" a soft voice asked. Maka stood back up swiftly "soul?" she walked forward feeling the glass barrier. She concentrated her wavelength into the bubble clearing the thick haze leaving a thin blackness, Maka could see soul perfectly. His whole body was skin and bones…..his soul was almost too weak to move.
Maka's eyes got wide at the horrid sight, he gave off a groan of pain and Maka could see his feet begin to dissinagrate into ashes. "Soul!" she cried in fear rushing forward, the glass bubble accepted her easily. She pulled the pendant from her pocket and poured all the energy she could muster into it placing it around his neck as quickly as she could. Soul looked at her curiously "this should increase the power of your soul….it'll save you….." she answered. soul shook his head sadly…."it's too late for that Maka…..that pendant won't help me….I'm sorry" Maka fell to her knees, tears rolling down her face. "what do you mean it won't work…You can't just die on me"
Soul wrapped his arms around her "I'm sorry Maka…..I couldn't protect you…..but please don't fear….you have a part of me with you right now….use it Maka….I will be watching over you" Maka looked up at him, her eyes red and puffy, her face twisted in pain. He was as she remembered, the red eyes staring at her confidently, the smile that would seem deadly to anyone other than her, and the snow white hair that Maka had always wanted to run her hand through. "I love you Maka"
That smile was last sight she saw, her mind blanked out as she saw soul disappear into ashes, she could feel the weight of her body and hear screams all around her but Maka couldn't bring herself to move, she knew that when she opened her eyes she would see a world where soul didn't exist…..the world of her dream