Disclaimer: Soul Eater is copyrighted to Atsushi Okubo and all other third parties (characters, series, and concepts). I and HopeDiamond101 of DeviantArt claim no ownership to it. We do, however, own the original characters and content presented in this story.
A First-Hand Experience
The Other Side Gang did all they could to keep the S.W.A.T. Team from entering. Their barricades were closed off to the world, they made every threat in the book, and some desperately shouted ultimatums. But it became obvious to them the S.W. weren't leaving without their heads.
And, soon enough, they broke through.
A checkpoint blew open and S.W.A.T. vehicles rolled right in. The Other Side gangsters either ran for their lives or shot indiscriminately like people with nothing else to live for.
"Form a parameter!" a commander barked into a two-way as he drove his armored vehicle. "This whole territory should be surrounded on all sides! Show them home-field advantage means nothing to us!"
Within minutes, the S.W.A.T. Team filled the whole of the stronghold. Once that was done, soldiers rushed from inside their vehicles, taking cover and returning enemy fire. Better equipped and better trained, they started pushing them back in no time.
"All right, precinct, bring 'em in so the arrests can start," the same commander said. Then, he yelled to the back of his vehicle, "That's your cue, DWMA! Let's see what you got!"
The doors flew open as Enrique and Marvin ran out, releasing loud battle cries. "And thus we strike, silent and deadly!" Spotting several gangsters, Marvin stabbed the ground with his ice spear, coating it in a sheet of ice. The gangsters' legs were frozen in place. Trapped, yes; helpless, no. They whipped out their guns and took aim. Marvin quickly repeated the motion, erecting a thick ice wall to take cover behind right as the firing began.
"Enrique will take it from here, Marvin!" Shrieking like the primate he was, Enrique swooped amid the immobilized shooters, striking them with kicks to the faces and knocking their firearms out from their grips.
Meanwhile, Il Sung casually approached a barrack where gangsters engaged in a firefight with S.W. . "M-Master Il Sung!" Eun Ae cried out from within her weapon form, "Y-You're walking straight into it!"
"I am aware of that," he replied unconcernedly. As the light of the full moon reflected off his glasses, his eyes matched its color. On the darkened battlefield, luminescent lines dotted it at various points, all going in different arcs. Seconds later, the barracks were sliced open, the gangsters were subdued, and the S.W. ceased return fire at the sight. Il Sung stood at the opposite end, still in his same upright position. "Barely worth my time."
Before she filed out, Meredith took out two hairsticks, drew up her hair with the same hand, and pinned it with the hairsticks in seconds flat. She then noticed Klemens standing in the back looking like a deer in headlights. His grip around his claymore was loose and shaky. As someone who knew a lot about combat, she also knew of the more negative aspects of it. "Is this your first time on a mission like this?"
Klemens flinched at her voice and managed to give her a confirmatory nod. "Honestly, yes. I'm… nervous."
Meredith closed one of the bidirectional doors to hide Klemens in the vehicle. "Then stay back and only intervene when necessary. Don't let inexperience get you hurt."
Luther chuckled humorlessly. "Though, I wonder why you're even here in the first place."
A fierce growled escaped Madeline, her reflection appearing on her weapon form, her glare boring into Luther. "Because Klemens deserves to be here. He's just got cold feet, that's all. We'll be outta here in no time."
Luther chuckled some more. "Oh my. A go-getter paired with a rookie. That's just laughable."
Meredith rolled her eyes, wrapping the chain around one of her arms. "Oh, stop, Luther. You know were like that once." She giggled lightly when her brother gasped and growled defensively. "I think it's nice to have a healthy enthusiasm to perform your duty."
The Demon Chain rolled his eyes as well. "Oh, dear sister, I love you dearly, but you can be so naïve sometimes."
Finally, the Olmett exited the vehicle, quickly identifying where she was needed the most. A squadron surrounded a building, taking cover from the frontline gangsters trying to keep them at bay and whatever inside safe. "There." Meredith adopted a track runner's stance as Luther snaked around her face, forming a makeshift helmet to protect her from stray bullets for her next attack.
"Soul Fist, go!" Her soul wavelength exploded out of her, taking the shape of trumpeting mastodon. She sprinted forward at a rapid pace, her aura stampeding in unison, tearing through the concrete. Seeing that, the S.W. got out of the way while gangsters directed fire to her. The Soul Fist aura was strong enough to stop the bullets. Rearing her fist back, Meredith threw a punch right as she crashed into the frontline. Strengthened by Soul Fist, she destroyed the face of the building in an instant and threw gangsters about.
Taking everything in stride, the S.W.A.T Team moved into the defaced building, picking off enemy stragglers hiding out in there.
Little by little, every square inch of the Other Side Gang's stronghold was taken over by the combined might of the S.W.A.T Team and the DWMA. Soon, Chicago PD filed in to make arrests of the subjugated gangsters.
A police officer closed the back doors of a patrol wagon, signaling another filled to capacity with gang members. "Finally. We can put these criminals to justice. Today marks the end of the OGs."
"So you think."
A rag of chloroform was pressed into the officer's face. One whiff and he was unconscious. Kujira caught the man before he hit the ground and procured the keys he used to lock the van up. She then dragged him to a different location and emerged couple minutes later wearing his uniform to disguise herself. She also wore one of the S.W.A.T. helmets so her face couldn't be immediately identified. With a sigh, she retightened the gauze and tape used to dress up her IV wound. "This stuff is so scratchy."
She went back to the van and opened it up, removing her helmet to show her fellow gangsters it was her. They cheered, but Kujira quickly silenced them. "We ain't out of the woods yet, so chill out, guys. I'm taking you guys to a much safer place." She used the same keys to unlock their handcuffs. Right when they all were about to run out, she blocked the way. "Just stay in here. Trust me!"
Ignoring their clamor and questioning cries, Kujira exited the police van. With a snap of her fingers, water from a canteen attached to her belt rushed out and swirled around the vehicle. When it dispersed, the van was gone. "That'll take 'em to Bermuda."
Kujira blended into the crowd, seeking out other patrol wagons containing her fellow gangsters. The process was simple: sneak up, knock out the cops in charge of a wagon, free her underlings, and send them to Bermuda with her Water Magic.
Once everything was settled to the point common police officers could handle the rest, Enrique and Tezca met up with Marvin, Il Sung, and Meredith. The commander also walked over when asked to by the Demon Mirror. The masked man glanced to the horizon as he addressed his group, "We're getting requests for backup where Stein and Noel are."
The commander listened to transmission as dispatch announced something. "What a coincidence. We're getting distress signals and emergency broadcasts from there too. We should let the police department clean up here."
"It's good to know our job ain't done yet," Andy piped in, "That was so easy it was almost boring."
Il Sung stood there with closed eyes and crossed arms. "For once, we are in agreement."
Sensing the atmosphere become less tense, Klemens stepped out of the armored vehicle, having decided to sit out and observe from a distance to get a better feel of higher-caliber missions. Even without direct participation, his nerves were shot – the result of an average guy put into an abnormal situation. "How did Mom and Dad deal with this?" Klemens mumbled to himself. He came to the Academy to fulfill a sense of obligation after finding out for the first time in years his parents were alumni. After just two hardcore transpirations, Klemens quickly realized it wasn't as glitzy or glamorous as they said.
"Maaaan, I was hoping to sink my blades to some punks," Madeline said in a whiny tone, "Oh, well. Guess there's always next time."
Klemens sighed again, shaking his head. "How do you do this?"
"How?" Madeline's reflection appeared on the claymore, quirking a brow. "I listen to my heart. A famous person once said, 'don't think, feel.' It helps you get through times of uncertainty. Ya dig?" Before Klemens took a moment to reflect on her words, she spotted Kujira incapacitating another police officer with the chloroform. "HEY!" Kujira froze up, cursing herself for getting located. "Klemens, get that bugger!"
As he was the closest one around, Klemens nervously swallowed the lump inside his throat and started running to the stray. "Madeline, Empty Sky—"
Kujira whipped around and threw a shiv she produced from her sleeve. It landed square in Klemens's right shoulder. The Danish Meister was introduced to a new form of pain he never experienced his whole life. It was cruel payment for him acting on his common human decency, his innate sense of heroism. He dropped his claymore and collapsed on his knee, instinctively placing a hand near the wound. Blood stained his outfit and his hand. "I-It hurts.
Meredith heard his cry of pain and the sound of metal piercing flesh, looking to see the Claymore Meister. "Nielsen!"
Cover blown, Kujira abandoned all sense of subtlety as water roared around the armored van. This last one meant she saved roughly 30% of the Other Side Gang. Better than nothing but definitely not enough to curb Soriano's ire. "HALT!" With a squeak, Kujira instantly dove into the water dome right as the guns went off.
"Enrique, after her!" Tezca ordered, transforming and wrapping himself around the primate's leg. "You guys help Stein and Ricardsen! We got this!" Enrique dove right into the water and landed presumably on the ground. He and Tezca were surrounded by a deep blue water whirlpool. In front of them were Kujira and the stolen patrol wagon. She snarled upon seeing them. Tezca chuckled, knowing their presence in her spell probably foiled her escape plan. "So one slipped through the creaks, eh?"
"I'll ask you to leave one time," Kujira demanded, "All you have to do is jump through where you came from."
"No can do. You're one of the three Witches that was identified in the past week. Gotta apprehend you," Tezca replied, his face shining on the surface of his mirror form. "Life and death are bestowed equally on everyone. I'm a mirror that reflects people. The death you ultimately face is entirely up to you."
She smiled. Anyone who knew her was aware she smiled almost all the time. It was the best way to deal with any situation because a smile could mean many different things. It's how she approached many situations and today was no exception. "I die on my own terms, and I die hard. That's Kujira Marshall's creed."
"I'm afraid we can't let you do what you want. Come quietly or else Enrique here won't have to get rough with you," Tezca said simply.
Kujira rolled her eyes. "Oh, please, what's a monkey gonna do to me?"
The minute she finished her sentence, Enrique slingshotted himself and hit her in her mouth with his knee. Kujira was blown back into the police van. Her vision swam, reminding her she was fighting hours after major optic surgery. "Oh. So that's what a monkey can do." Summoning the willpower to stand, Kujira watched as Enrique assumed a muay thai stance. "Okay, chimp, I'll give you that one."
Tezca guffawed. "Enrique got you good there, didn't he? Well, you ain't seen nothing yet, man!"
Kujira drew shivs between the gaps of her fingers and threw them at the Mirror Meister, who cartwheeled out of the way, using his compact size and simian body to his advantage. Enrique flung himself at Kujira once again, but she brought out a shiv from her sleeve and jabbed it forward. It and the mirror attached to Enrique's leg clashed.
Kujira's smile widened as she waved her hand. A stream of water from the whirlpool surrounding them shot out and hit Enrique, knocking the screeching primate away. Tezca sighed in disappointment like someone robbed of watching a good TV show. "Well, that was cheap."
"On the contrary," Kujira swapped out her shivs for a pair of handguns, "This is!" She fired round after round, prompting Enrique to duck for cover behind the patrol wagon. Gritting her teeth, Kujira ran up and jumped on top of the vehicle. Once the other side was in view, she aimed her guns, only to see Enrique wasn't there. "Huh? Where'd he—?"
"Surprise!" Tezca shouted as Enrique howled, leaping from her blindside and wrapping his tail around her neck. Airways suddenly restricted, Kujira dropped her handguns. The Mirror Meister then used his primate strength to throw the six-foot tall woman. The Other Side gangster cried out when her side hit the ground hard.
"Not used to good-fashioned throw-downs, huh?" Tezca taunted, laughing jubilantly as if he and she were good friends sparring. The witch snarled, rolled over to snatch up the shivs stuck to the ground near her, and then got up to charge at Enrique. The monkey reassumed his fighting stance, making a faux Kung-Fu noise. Kujira threw a shiv to move him and then closed the gap. Kujira's weapon slipped past his defenses and slashed toward his throat. Enrique dodged as Tezca laughed as if having a marvelous time. He praised loudly, "A wonderful strategy."
To gain some distance, seeing as Enrique was dangerous up close, Kujira flipped out of the way while throwing some shivs. Enrique used the leg carrying the mirror block them like a shield. She took the time to retrieve her more of them. "I wonder if I can get my guns." The second she inched toward the patrol wagon, Enrique flung himself at her. "That's a no."
The Lucrenian threw a punch, hitting the flying monkey dead in the stomach. "That's animal abuse," Tezca quipped. Enrique held on to Kujira's hand. When the gang member jabbed with her free hand, Enrique used her body like a tree in his home jungle to avoid the shiv. "Excellent. Excellent," Tezca complimented as his meister jumped away, "I don't see many Witches fight like this. I guess that's just peer influence?"
Kujira blinked as if coming out of a daze but continued to go for blood.
Enrique laughed and Tezca spouted praise for almost a minute before the Lucrenian's attack began to ease in its faster pace. After some time, Kujira lunged at Enrique, each hand carrying a shiv, and tried to stab him with both. He knocked her arms with away at the wrists and performed a jump kick to her face. One whole side of her face flared up with pain, and her head swan once more. Groaning, Kujira dizzily staggered back before collapsing on the ground. Meanwhile, the water whirlpool started to wane, Kujira's concentration drifting.
Enrique let out a series of noises, smiling slightly. Tezca exploded with laughter. "S-Stop, Enrique! That ain't how you're s-supposed to talk to a lady!"
Coming back to reality, Kujira didn't even want to know what Enrique said. "You smartass little—"
"I know you are, but what am I?" Tezca retorted like a child in an argument at the playground.
Kujira deadpanned. "This guy is having too much fun." Angry and confused chattering could be heard from inside the patrol wagon, followed by pounding against the walls. The trapped gangsters were growing impatient, Kujira realized, and she needed to resume her transportation spell as soon as possible. "I gotta blow these assholes out of the water… So to speak."
It was all or nothing time. She risked a gamble trying to perform an advanced spell out of the blue in her condition, but she was out of options. Her eye glowed as she stretched out both arms, the water dome stirring. "Whalar cetacea whalaram cetadar!" Streams of deep blue, glowing water flowed to Kujira, wrapping around her arms. "Potidaea!" She clapped her hands with the boom of a thunderclap, and the massive currents spiraled to Enrique. The mass took the shape of a whale, mouth wide and releasing a cry.
Enrique crouched down, preparing to dodge, but then noticed something amiss. The monkey remained in his spot, watching as Potidaea harmlessly flew over him. The whale veered around and headed back to its caster as if she was the true target. Kujira's visible eye shrunk to the size of a dime. "W-Wait, wait! No no no no no no no—"
Potidaea crashed into Kujira. The water dome shook and contorted, thinning out to reveal the outside world. Tezca's face appeared on his mirror form while Enrique deadpanned. "Well, that was anticlimactic." The water disappeared, and the two found themselves back in the Other Side Gang stronghold. Enrqiue chattered, jumping up and down, noticing the patrol wagon and Kujira were gone. "Yeah. Enrique. To have the presence of mind to use the explosion to disguise her escape despite screwing up."
The Death Scythe reverted to a human form. He glanced around. Everything was stable, the remaining OGs rounded up and arrested. The S.W.A.T Team and his group of students were gone, presumably going to the Chicago Gang territory. "Time to play some catchup." Tezca fished out his cellphone and dialed a number. "Hey, Buttataki? We're gonna need a ride."
Month 3, Week 2, Day 2 (Tuesday, March 10th)
The clock struck midnight, but the night seemed to go on forever. Cancer's crabs scoured the territory, seeking out everyone within. Their objective was to search and destroy, and that meant no corner was left unchecked and no building undamaged. Members of the Chicago Gang ran around aimlessly. No matter where they went, a giant crab with razor-sharp pincers found them, and Project Omega continued its rampage even with Stein and Noel occupying it. Slowly but surely, the territory was being painted in blood and debris.
Several gangsters screamed in terror as three crabs forced their way into their hiding spot, the metal and concrete groaning it was torn asunder. Those armed whipped out their firearms and held down their triggers, firing with reckless abandon. The crabs backed away to avoid being hit in the eyes, but when they heard the telltale clicks of an empty magazine, they went right back to bulldozing through the building, fiercer than ever.
The screaming ceased within seconds, and the crabs crawled out, tossing away whatever corpse was stuck to their pincers.
"Wow. Those guys will make one heck of a seafood dinner."
The trio of crabs turned to the source of the voice, seeing Maka and the others standing there ready to rumble. Like everyone else involved, they wore body armor beneath their normal and cold-weather clothing. Ragnarok, the one who spoke the taunt, licked his lips, eager to feast. "Come on, let's go cut these things down to size!"
Once the crabs charged, Crona held up Ragnarok. "Scream Resonance." The lips on the sword screeched out a soul wavelength in the form of a sound wave, halting the crabs' advance.
Kilik immediately hatched an idea. "Yo, Kid, I'm gonna need Liz and Patty." He then looked at Kim and nodded a cue. "It's time for Extreme Element Effect."
Kid heard the sound of an approaching stampede. It was either incoming reinforcements or the true enemy. "Then you better do it fast."
Quickly, Kilik and Kim performed a Chain Resonance to synch with each other. Then, Kilik's arms were engulfed with fire and lightning, acting as portals for both Fire and Thunder to emerge from in their Adult Forms. Kid tossed his pistols behind him, the aged-up twins catching one each as Kim stood back-to-back with Kilik. "Crona, that's enough! Get back!" The African-Dominican Meister shouted. The pinkette nodded and stood back. Once the twins took aim, they pulled the trigger, each discharging a large beam. Kim fired her lantern at the ground, countering the recoil from E3. The beams met at the trio of giant crabs, engulfing them in a massive explosion that blew open a chasm in the street
"That ought to do it," Kim declared as the twins returned Liz and Patty to Kid. She and Kilik broke the Chain Resonance, reverting everything back to normal.
Rowena saw more giant crabs tearing through the wreckage to get to them. She faced them and started walking towards them. "Rowena Ricardsen is in the house, here to kick ass and takes names. Whoever wants to die stay up cuz we're about to bring you evildoers to justice in the name of Lord Death."
Inside her weapon form dimension, Nayumi hopped up and down. "Ready to try out our new toys?"
"Oh, yeah. Mode Change: Bardiche!"
After the initial Soul Resonance, the hammerhead bent parallel to the shaft, icy blue energy flowing out and coating it. Rowena drove the modified weapon into the ground, flash-freezing the area in front of her. The crabs either slipped up on the ice or got their legs frozen. "Another one!" She ended the Mode Change to initiate a different one. Flipping it over and putting one foot on it, the hammerhead split open at the base as electricity coated it. "Lucerne!" The converted hammerhead unleashed a lightning bolt to propel it forward with Rowena still on it. Once close enough to the trapped crab, she grabbed it from underneath and drove it straight into the crab's facing, shocking and stunning it.
Backing Rowena up, Caius slid onto the ice. "I'll be using this." Skating forward, he approached the nearest crab and wreathed his lance's blade in fire. He swung hard during a spin and then proceeded to skate circles around the crab, attacking with his flaming lance in flourishes.
As Caius continued his assault, Claudia caught the other crab crawling over. "Head's up, Caius."
Driving his weapon's blunt end into the ice to stop himself, the Lance Meister indeed saw pincers heading toward him. "As if you threaten me." Using the lance as an anchor point, Caius flipped himself into the air. He rotated end over end, cloaking himself in fire, and struck the crab as a flaming, human buzzsaw. He landed on the other hand, skating away before coming to an abrupt halt. "Perfect ten." He was proud of himself. It was a fighting style perfected as a Half Moon student crafted from patches of memories: Amagai's, his father, use of strength and power; Remus's, his brother, polearm mastery; Phyllis's, his oldest sister, emphasis on dancelike grace; and Katrina's, his aunt, use of precision.
The crabs made no noise, instead shaking off their wounds and slowly turning to face their opposition. "It's not a perfect ten if you don't kill 'em, Caius!" In a flash, the two crabs were slashed in half. Blackstar skidded right beside Caius. "Like so."
Caius chuckled. "All right, fine. I'll give you that one."
Tsubaki giggled. "This is an interesting setup. The knight and the ninja."
Caius refrained from making an expression, hearing Claudia snicker. "Tsubaki, please don't call me a knight. I'm everything but."
"Dang, Caius, why can't you act like this all the time?" Rowena asked, teasingly referring to their conversation in front of the library.
"This is totally different!" A defensive Caius shouted back.
Ox's and Kid's efforts led them to the outer streets parallel to the Port of Chicago. The wider space gave them more mobility, but such benefited the crabs too. Kid kept his distance, firing round after round, but the crab's exoskeleton was sturdy enough. The crab dug its claw into the ground and fissured the street with a swipe, forcing Kid to roll away. The crab used this opportunity to throw its body weight in Kid's direction, knocking the Reaper over the rail and into the port.
"Kid!" Ox and Harvar shouted, seeing the crab head into the water. The Spear Meister dove straight in without hesitance, aware his opponent followed him in. Before he swam over to Kid, who struggling in enemy domain, his crab grabbed him. Keeping control of his breath, Ox whipped around and stabbed it in the eye with his spear, forcing it to let go.
Free again, Ox swam over to the crab harassing Kid and climbed on its back. It bucked, feeling him, but Ox kept his wits about him. The minute he saw an eye, he swung Harvar and took it out. "That's both of them." Ox went over to Kid, wrapped his available arm around him, and started swimming to the surface. The two boys welcomed to the air, especially Kid, who started coughing.
Ox grinned proudly. "I bet you didn't think the Royal Thunder Commander reigned underwater too!"
"Y-Yeah," Kid paused to catch his breath, "Thanks." He repaid his debt by getting himself and Ox back to dry land. The crabs resurfaced and tried to pursue them. Expecting that, Ox shot lightning into the port, shocking them instantly. "Excellent work, Ox."
Seconds later, several species of fish appeared, dead. Kid and Ox tensed up. Patty laughed mockingly. "Great job, Ox, you made them go belly-up."
When it seemed like no more crabs were coming, the crew regrouped, still on their guards. Kilik punched his gauntlets together. "I'm all fired up now! All right, so where's the thing we're supposed to beat?"
Two large hands gripped the roofs of buildings. Like parting curtains, they were thrown aside to reveal Project Omega. Its red eye locked on to the students, all of them instantly stopping what they were doing to gawk at the monstrosity.
"There it is, Kilik," the Pot Twins said in unison.
"O-Oh my God, look at that thing!" Liz screamed, shaking like a leaf.
"Oh, get real." Blackstar stepped forward, rolling his neck to loosen it up. "We've fought bigger and badder things before. This is just something else to add to the list." While some thought Blackstar was being himself, a few others agreed with the sentiment. In fact, such words gave them the boldness necessary to topple a beast like Project Omega's Second Form.
Stein landed on the street, using Death Scythe's edge as a brake. A manic smile formed on his face as he casted a longing gaze to Project Omega. "Ever since I heard what you really were, I've been wanting to dissect you for the longest." The mad doctor charged, searching for the nearest platform to give him a higher vantage point to attack the giant entity.
Noel, meanwhile, distracted Project Omega tossing a spire like a javelin. Project Omega saw it coming and flicked it away. The Demon Shield sighed. "I'm going to need a bigger building to throw."
Kid summoned Beelzebub and hopped on, flying ahead. "Come on, guys, we have to assist them!"
Unlike everyone else following his lead, Crona and Rowena stood rooted in their spots. Crona became doe-eyed, lips loose, and teeth bared. The meister swayed where it stood, focus drifting in and out like under some spell. Rowena, meanwhile, gripped her head, gritting her teeth as something tugged at her mind, her body twitching.
"Hey, you two! What are you doing?!"
The two meisters snapped out of their trance thanks to Nayumi. "N-Nothing!" Shaking it off, they ran off to join everybody in the ensuing battle.
Maka noticed something scurrying across her peripheral vision. Facing the direction, she saw something very small heading into an alleyway. Figuring her friends could handle the immediate threat, she quickly went to check it out.
"Maka? What are you doing?" Soul questioned.
"There's something over here," she answered. Reaching the alleyway, she then heard something tapping repeatedly against metal. Following the source, she noticed a small creature crawling up a pipeline. Cautiously, Maka approached it.
She examined the unsuspecting Surveillance Crab. It faced the direction of Project Omega, capturing its every move and every reaction to the fight. "Well, if it's with that thing, then it can't be good." Taking up her scythe, Maka impaled the crab with the tip of the blade. The camera within its body was crushed and, once she removed force, it fell lifelessly to the ground. She then heard rapid scuttling and turned to see another Surveillance Crab running away. "Oh, no you don't!" Maka gave chase, quickly catching up to the diminutive creature and smashing it with the broadside of her scythe. She heard even more and took cover. She watched two more Surveillance Crabs come over and check on their dead pal. They waved their claws frantically, exchanging looks between each other and Project Omega, trying to figure out what to do. That's when Maka jumped out and crushed them beneath her boots. "Got 'em." She gave the area a quick once-over to check if any more were about. "Looks like that's it."
"Any clue who they might've belonged to?" Soul asked, his reflection looking at his meister.
Maka looked at the dead Surveillance Crabs and back to Project Omega. "Black crabs... A thing that looks part-machine, part-... thing. Eye that looks like a glowing LED..." Her large brain worked to connect the dots. The rampaging creature looked familiar. In fact, it reminded her of the one in Venice.
Maka's eyebrows rose. "Crabs! Cancer the crab of the Zodiac!" Realization gave way to anger as she gritted her teeth and tightened her grip around Soul. Before she voiced anything, she activated her Soul Perception to scan the area, and sure enough, she spotted an unmoving Witch Soul in the distance. "That witch from Venice is here."
"What? Are you serious?"
"As a heart attack. She's gotta be." Maka started running off in that direction. "I'm going where she is right now."
"So what's the plan?" Soul inquired, "We know next to nothing about her; what kind of magic she uses, her experience, nothing. Just the stuff we've heard in passing. Shouldn't we have someone back us up?"
"No time," Maka replied, going as fast as her legs allowed. She wasn't about to let this witch get away. Not this time. "It's up to us, Soul. The others have to fight that thing. We'll wing it, okay?"
Soul couldn't help but laugh. This was just like fighting Crona beneath the school and Medusa in Rachel's body. Maka was following her heart and not her head again.
Maka reached the spot where she detected Cancer, and sure enough, she saw her, sitting on the ledge of a rooftop watching Project Omega's rampage like it was a play or movie. The Meister glanced around. There weren't any flagpoles or laundry lines around she could use to slingshot herself up there. "The stairs it is." She entered the building Cancer was on top of, located the stairwell, and began sprinting to the top.
When she finally made it to the door, Maka paused briefly so her legs could recover from their intense workout. Once ready, and hoping Cancer was still there, Maka slowly pushed open the door and saw Cancer on the other side with her back to her. Flexing her fingers around the handle her scythe, she proceeded onward with the quietness of an assassin.
"I can do this. I've got one shot." In one stroke, Maka could end this madness. The Scythe Meister continued quietly approaching Cancer. She was too busy watching Project Omega wreak havoc to notice her presence. Once close enough, Maka broke out into a sprint, building up momentum, and swung with all her might, Soul's blade meeting the scarfed arm first.
The scythe stopped with a clang.
Maka's and Soul's eyes widened. That was not flesh.
Alarmed, Cancer whipped to face her ambusher. Figuring she already got this far, Maka planted her foot and quickly continued her swing, hoping she had enough strength to cleave through the 'arm.' Cancer was lifted out of her spot before she could do anything and, when Maka finished the motions, was thrown to the neighboring building's rooftop.
Gritting her teeth, Cancer caught herself in midair. When she hit the rooftop, she skidded a couple feet backwards. When she came to complete stop, she straightened up and glared at Maka dead in her eyes, and she returned it – dark green battling with emerald green.
Maka rested her scythe on one shoulder. "We meet again."
"Maka Albarn." A hint of amusement ghosted Cancer's tone of voice, or lack thereof. "To search for me amidst all this turmoil."
Maka's body shivered on its own, not from the cool breeze and certainly not from fear. Everything about Cancer – from her voice, her eyes, everything – was rife with the chill of emptiness. "Don't get the wrong idea. You're the cause behind this after all."
"Well, you would be wise to take your leave. I am busy right now."
Maka narrowed her eyes. "I don't take orders from the likes of you. Now answer me, what are you doing here?"
She ignored her, instead glimpsing to Project Omega trampling another building by accident. Maka gritted her teeth and leapt over the edge with her scythe above head. Eyes never leaving Maka, Cancer grabbed the scarves around her left arm and pulled them off. Maka slammed her scythe down but was stopped cold, hearing the same metallic clang from before.
Soul's blade was wedged between a black and blue crab claw.
Maka held on tight as Cancer rotated a full circle before throwing her all the way back to the other rooftop. The Scythe Meister hooked her weapon on the ledge to stop herself, falling to her feet. She took a good look at the crab-claw arm. She traced the smooth carapace of the pincer, to the ring of pulsating muscles, and finally to the stitch-like scars connecting her flesh to the organic mass. While glad to learn something new about her opponent, Maka took a moment to withstand the bad taste brewing in her mouth. "Gross."
"Hey, Maka," Soul whispered, "Doesn't her arm look like smaller versions of those crab's?"
"Yeah, it does," Maka replied. That begged the question what happened to her normal arm. The meister noticed Cancer's attention had drifted away from her yet again, instead focusing on Project Omega. Maka's brow furrowed; this witch was adamant on observing her creation. She jumped down from the rooftop to the one Cancer was on.
Hearing her footsteps, Cancer tensed up, finding Albarn to be annoyingly stubborn. "Go elsewhere. My business is not with you."
"I'm not leaving," Maka declared, engaging in her battle stance once more, "The others can handle your little pet just fine. It's you I'm worried about. Why are you here in a place this? And why'd you kill Caius's family?"
"None of your business." Cancer took note of the water tank close by. "That could be of use if Albarn decides to push me too far." Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Maka taking a few, careful steps toward her. Gritting her teeth, Cancer shot out of her spot and slashed at the water tank, cutting open the hull and allowing water to pour out.
"Coventina." With a rumble, the water surged around Cancer and became a giant wall of rushing water between her and Maka, stretching the width of the rooftop.
Though stopped cold, Maka persisted by pounding at the water barrier; it was like trying to tear down an iron wall. "You can't get rid of me that easily! You have too much to answer for, damn you!"
Cancer pinched the bridge of her nose, raking her hand down her face afterwards. She thought it impossible one could try her patience so much. "If you really wish to hear why, fine. I killed the Vladinghams for one simple reason." She locked eyes with Maka. "They were the ones behind the Lucrenian Clan Incident 223 years ago. I killed them for killing my clansmen."
Maka's eyes widened, mind trying to wrap around the information. "What? Why would they attack your clan?"
"That is an answer I long to know myself."
Even without knowing what the Lucrenian Clan Incident entailed, Maka figured the Vladinghams attacked and killed the Lucrenians. That said, she had an inkling there was something Cancer omitted. "I'm not sure I should get behind your cause," she said, unfazed when Cancer's eyes glowed, "I've done my homework since I met Caius, and I found out his past family members are heroes. Upstanding Meisters and Weapons who earned their spot as one of the 5 Great Legacy Families."
"Then you should conduct more extensive research, Albarn. In the past, Vladinghams were not as pleasant as they are made out today. Sure, they were war heroes, but because they attacked without mercy or regard. They made it a sport achieving victory in various ways. That may sound unbelievable to you, but the Vladinghams behind the Incident were barbarians, not heroes."
Cancer held up her crab-claw arm, caressing it with her free hand. "In fact, the whole reason I have this is due to them. A Vladingham tore off my left arm, my dominant one, burned it to ashes, and left me to bleed out and die after murdering my mother before my very eyes. But, alas, the Vladinghams proved fighting those with weapons is an arduous task, so this makes it easier."
Soul pursed his lips, reading the woman's mannerisms and tone of voice. She was so matter-of-fact about this whole thing, he thought she was telling them this stuff for the sake of it. Regardless, Soul had his own personal gripes about her story. "Well, thanks for the history lesson. So why not go after the actual attackers? Why wait such a long time and then murder people who no longer had anything to do with that?"
Cancer's gaze drifted to the dark sky, reminiscing. "I was nowhere near my level of strength as I was during the massacre. It took years upon years of onerous conditioning and training to turn myself into a combatant capable of ending a Legacy Family." The smallest of smiles ghosted her face. To know all that hard work paid off was such a pleasure. The massacre to her was truly her greatest achievement in life. "They bear the surname so they also bear the guilt."
Through the water wall, Maka saw that fleeting expression of faint euphoria, and her body trembled with anger. Anyone who found pleasure in taking someone's life was a cruel, sick monster. "You're just delusional. I know a few people who went through a lot of things and aren't close to turning out like you." Flashes of Crona and Stein in particular came through her mind.
Cancer's expression reverted to its default emotionlessness. "Is that supposed to make me feel terrible? Good for them. What I do is done because I deem it necessary. Things like morality are just shackles. You may think I am unjustified in my actions, and I quite frankly do not care. I seek no one's approval. And I never said the Lucrenian Clan Incident was the only thing to happen me, but I believe I have said enough to a nobody like you. I owe you no story."
At that moment, Project Omega fired a beam through several buildings, resulting in a string of earth-shaking explosions. Screams of people were heard in the distance. Maka wasn't sure if they were from her comrades or other defense forces, but that didn't change the fact the only person who could call off this madness was right in front of her. "You're going to pay for this! Lord Death has put out an Execution Order for you, Cancer Lucrenian, and as his soldier, I intend to follow through with it. I hope you're ready. Your soul is mine!"
Cancer released a prolonged sigh. "And this is why I refused to talk. You are but a mere child. You have neither the experience nor the mindset to understand the world at a deeper level." She crouched down and proceeded to sit at the ledge like before to resume her observation. "Well, you wanted answers, and you received some. Now begone; I grow tired of your presence."
Maka stood there for a solid few seconds, staring at the woman beyond the water wall. Slowly, she raised Soul above her head and span him several times, picking up speed. Soul recognized the gesture; it was go time. Maka suddenly gripped the scythe, stopping its rotations as the two linked souls. "Let's go, Soul Res—"
A 'beam' of water shot out of Coventina and struck Maka, sending the girl into the waiting window in the neighboring, taller building. She screamed as she was driven through the glass, and her body helplessly tumbled through the desks, chairs, and whatnot. Colliding with the wall, she finally came to a stop.
"What the heck was that?!" Soul shouted, thankful Maka kept her grip on him throughout that.
Maka gritted her teeth. "Tch. So that's her game, huh?" The lesson she took from Noel was learn your opponent through battle as quickly as possible. Now Maka knew she needed to be a bit more cautious. Spotting the exit in the office, the Scythe Meister rushed out and eventually made it back to the rooftop.
Having nothing better to do than study her opponent, Maka focused on Cancer. She appeared unaware of her return. Either that or Maka herself was a nuisance she refused to let distract her. "Well, if that's how it's going to be..." She backed up to give herself some space for a running start. Then, she took off, leaping high into the air. "Soul!"
"Right!"
The two resonated, exerting themselves more to get it done quicker. Soul's blade glowed brightly and morphed into a giant ax of sorts. Heading straight to the part of Coventina that separated her and Cancer, Maka swung her transformed weapon down, cutting through the water. The noise immediately drew Cancer's attention as she looked to see a giant blade coming right at her. The witch reflexively jumped out of the way as Majin Hunter slammed down on the surface, spewing rubble and water out on impact. "Majin Hunter: Letter I!"
Cancer landed on top of the water tank and waved her arm, a stream of water following the motion. Seeing it coming, Maka slammed Majin Hunter on the surface, disrupting the wave, and then sprinted at Cancer. The crab witch narrowed her eyes and summoned several needles from the water around her. The very sight forced Maka to hit the brakes, just in time as the needles came speeding toward her. With Soul aiding her, the Scythe Meister spun Majin Hunter, slicing the needles before they could come into contact with her.
Cancer jumped down from the water tank as water swirled around her. "You just do not know when to quit, do you?"
Maka hitched her scythe on her shoulder, Majin Hunter glowing behind her like a halo. "Never. You'll have to kill me." Her intention was to draw Cancer's attention away from Project Omega since she seemed so adamant on observing it. If she had to risk her life pushing her buttons, then so be it. It was her duty as Lord Death's soldier.
"That," Cancer paused as water rose and dispersed around her, revealing an array of needles at the ready, "can easily be arranged."
The needles were fired, forcing Maka to backpedal to avoid being skewered by them. Cancer summoned more needles from the water around her via Conversion Magic and continue the pressure. "Careful, Maka," Soul warned as Maka continued dodging and destroying the needles with Majin Hunter, "I see where she's aiming with those things. If she's not trying to get your throat, heart, or head, she's at least trying to pump you full of them."
"Thanks, Soul, I'll keep that in mind!" Maka replied, impressed at Soul's attentiveness. Suddenly, the needles stopped coming, and a wave thundered toward her. Maka steadied herself, preparing to destroy it in one stroke, but the wave collapsed, allowing the rushing water to instead sweep her away. "Shoot!" The wave rose again, carried her, and then slammed her hard on the rooftop, Maka screaming her as pain racked her small body.
Cancer held up her hand toward them, the palm facing upward. "Argyros." Clenching her hand, a whole dome of needles surrounded Maka, primed and ready to shred her to bloody bits.
"There's no way out, Maka!" Soul shouted. Everyone where he looked, there was a sector of needles, their sharp points aimed directly at them.
Instead of focusing on that, Maka attempted to sync wavelengths with him. "Witch Hunter, hurry!" By the time Soul got his act together and they resonated, the storm of needles flew. Several grazed her, cutting through the body armor and drawing blood. Withstanding it, she produced Witch Hunter and span around. All of the remaining needles and water were drawn into the transformed scythe as her rotations continued, the light growing brighter and brighter.
"Kamaitachi!" The gathered energy was released as an omnidirectional wave, spewing rubble, water, and clouds of dirt as it tore through the rooftop. With nowhere to dodge, Cancer was hit hard and blown backwards. Keeping her wits about her, Cancer clawed the surface to stop herself, but the force took her off the rooftop. Producing a needle, Cancer stabbed into the structure to prevent herself from falling.
The wind picking up, Cancer hung on. That Kamaitachi was unexpectedly powerful, but no matter; it was nothing she couldn't handle. As soon as she looked up, Cancer witnessed Maka jumping off the roof, stabbing her back-to-normal scythe into the ledge for leverage, and swinging her feet right into her. Cancer herself made no noise as she sent crashing into the waiting window and room.
Lying in the middle of the broken glass, Cancer felt blood running down her face. She looked at her normal arm and noticed it too was streaked with crimson, likely from Kamaitachi. "Hmph." The woman rose to her feet as Maka dove into the room.
"Done not taking me seriously yet?!" Maka shouted as she charged. When close enough, she swung, but Cancer blocked it with her crab-claw arm. Maka kept attacking, making sure Cancer couldn't retaliate with kicks, punches, or a spell. The witch knocked away a swing, using the brief chance to jump back, landing on a desktop. Gritting her teeth, Maka pursued her and swung downward. Cancer calmly flipped out of the way, causing Maka to cleave the desk in half. Hearing her land behind her, the Scythe Meister swung around and did three consecutive slashes. Expecting that, Cancer blocked two but was cut across her ribs on the third.
Emboldened by the successful hit, Maka attempted another downward swing. When Cancer avoided it, Maka used it as an anchor point to lift herself up and drop kick Cancer in the face. Seeing her dazed, Maka landed and went for a straight punch, but Cancer regained her composure and caught the punch with her hand. Maka hissed as the witch proceeded to twist her arm. Fearing she'd tear it off, Maka quickly swung her scythe with her free hand, forcing Cancer to let go and flip away to avoid beheading.
In that moment, out of the corner of her eyes, Cancer noticed a water fountain at the other end. "Perfect." The Lucrenian sprinted to it. Once there, she slashed at the water fountain, a jet of water shooting out from the destroyed pipe. Now with an outside source of water, she could proliferate its quantity and manipulate it however she desired. Seeing Maka charge, Cancer willed the water to shoot herself forward, tearing through everything in her way like a torpedo. Before Maka knew it, Cancer generated a swirling mass of water around her arm and landed a hard punch directly to her gut. Maka spat up blood instantly.
"I wager you are approximately 13 or 14 years of age. You have not even begun to experience life, especially its harsher realities," Cancer spoke, backing away to observe her reaction. Predictably, Maka summoned the willpower to charge forward, brandishing her scythe. That was the shortcoming of Scythe Meisters; they were close-range, and all one had to do was watch for the blade itself.
Cancer stomped her foot to toss up water, which she converted into smaller needles. She fired them immediately, and all of them struck Maka. Luckily for her, the hidden body armor prevented any deep punctures, making the wounds shallower than they appeared.
"Maka!" Soul cried out, forgetting that detail.
"Yet you have the gall to criticize me when your daily life probably consists of nothing but attending school, taking quests, and repeating the process the next day," Cancer continued, watching Maka pull out every needle she could find, "You know absolutely nothing, child, and you certainly have not the means to fight me."
"Screw you."
The corner of Cancer's mouth twitched as she suppressed a sneer. "Since you insist on this charade, I will show no mercy. Once I implant the pain of hopelessness in your heart, your will to fight will waver."
Maka's eyes hardened with determination. Nothing short of unconsciousness or death was going to make her submit. "Just try it."
"Maybe it's you who needs to rethink things," Soul interjected as the two females circled each other, sizing one another up. Cancer acknowledged him with the briefest of glances. "Even adults aren't infallible. Maka and I have been through a lot of things together and with other people, and we still find reasons to wake up the next day. You're underestimating us, Cancer."
Cancer made no reply, instead shooting forward faster than anticipated. The crab witch slashed Maka across her chest. Stunned, the girl staggered backwards, giving Cancer the chance to slash her two more times. "Maka! Get your head in the game!" Soul called out, snapping her out of her stupor. Maka parried the next one, but she then felt the room shake.
A torrent of water surged behind Maka and rammed into her with tremendous force, knocking her flat. Then, Cancer slammed her boot dead on Maka's head with enough power to produce of a spiderweb of cracks in the floor. For a second, the Meister's vision turned white.
Cancer shook her head, now responding to Soul's prior comment. "So naïve to the ways of the world, so full of optimism and hope. I, however, have seen the world for how it truly is. Despair is the only truth in this world of lies and hypocrisy. This world is not worth the dirt we walk upon. Unless it is destroyed and remade properly, it will remain that way, a diseased mire, and everyone – humans, witches, and other creatures alike – shall continue to dance like court jesters to its incomprehensible whims. If you live long enough, you shall see it sooner or later, even if I must be the one to teach you that."
As Cancer grounded her boot into Maka's skull, blood stained her ashy blonde hair. The Scythe Meister sharply sucked in air, finding the strength to tighten her grip around her weapon and place her other hand on the floor. In a sudden burst of energy, Maka shot up to her feet. "You know nothing about the world!"
Cancer performed a series of backflips to regain her balance and create some distance between them. Once settled, Maka and Cancer met eyes – dark green ones full of hatred and the fires of will, and glowing emerald ones dead and empty.
"It is time to die," Cancer declared, bending her knees and sprinting at Maka. The Scythe Meister mimicked her, accepting the balance.
They met in the middle of the room. Flesh was pierced, and blood was spilled.
They impaled each other, Maka's scythe going through Cancer's back while her claw penetrated her torso. Right then and there, Soul saw the difference in both power and experience. Maka, already worn and battered, wobbled in her spot and coughed violently, looking like death. Cancer, on the other hand, stood still and took the pain like a seasoned pro.
"Too weak."
Pulling out her claw, Cancer brought up her knee and knocked Maka away, the force causing Soul to be ripped out of her own body. Ignoring the blood beginning to pour out, Cancer drew up raging water and unleashed two columns rotating around each other as a helix. "Paricia." The water magic spell hit the prone Maka with enough force to blow out the wall.
Cancer placed her claw against her wound, applying pressure to it. She used her free hand to wipe the blood pooling between her lips. "That should do it." Hearing an explosion outside, Cancer realized how much of the fight she missed. "Wretched child, interrupting my observation of Project Omega."
The minute she turned around, she heard a faint giggle.
Cancer tossed a deadpan glare to where the rubble was. "So you still live clinging to the hope you can best me?" Perhaps she should have made sure Maka had died from Paricia. But no matter; she wouldn't make the same mistake twice. "Know this, there is no such thing as hope."
The rubble was cleared in a single stroke, and Maka hobbled out, moving in a zigzag as she cackled maniacally. Cancer blinked, trying to make sense of the situation. Maka lifted her head, showing her wide, exaggerated smile and shrunken irises. Somehow, all bleeding from her many cuts and wounds stopped. Even more bizarrely, the end of her coat danced behind her like a jagged shadow given shape.
Inside the Black Room, Soul played his piano with gusto, sweat coming down his face in rivulets. Behind him, the Little Ogre watched him with a giant, sharp-toothed grin. "Well, well, Soul. I'm impressed. Your friend was in grave trouble, and you went straight to here. Have you finally seen the benefits of the Black Blood?"
"Just sit there and shut up," Soul retorted, focusing on the music, "I did it to save Maka. She was losing blood fast, and this chick's beating her."
A crazed Maka looked at Cancer. The whole room turned black, and all she could see was her. "Here I cooooome~" Her voice laced with a strange purr, Maka ran at Cancer with speeds that should be impossible with her heavily injured body. Unfazed, Cancer blocked the incoming scythe with her crab-claw arm. Using a simple thought, a wave of water sliced through the floor and hit Maka
The effect was the opposite of what Cancer intended. The Scythe Meister stayed on her feet and released a prolonged groan of rapture. "Ohhh, can't you do better than that?!"
Cancer gritted her teeth and summoned a torrent of water around her, preparing to unleash a different spell. Maka's maddened smile growing even winder, she batted over some of the electronics lying on the floor around her. They came into contact with Cancer's water, broke open, and released their stored electricity.
Screaming, Cancer convulsed, forced to drop the spell. She fell to the floor, writhing in pain as the shock made her body do everything but what she wanted to do. Maka giggled like a little child, enjoying the sight. She wanted more. Spotting a circuit breaker, the fog of insanity inside her mind hatched an idea.
Maka frolicked to Cancer, grabbed a fistful of her silver hair, and raced to the circuit breaker. "You know what they say! Water conducts electricity!" Eyes growing wide, Cancer was driven face-first into the breaker with enough force to destroy it. Static exploded out, all the electricity proceeding to electrocute a dampened Cancer. Her whole body went into a violent spasm as the crazed Maka kept in place. After several seconds of nonstop electrocution, Maka pulled the witch away and headed to the windows facing the street. "I think I saw a car outside! Time to take you for a ride~!"
She pushed the dazed Lucrenian out of the window. At that moment, Soul decided to place the fallboard over the piano keys, ceasing further usage of the Black Blood. Maka's expression returned to normal. Now that the high of Madness was gone, Maka collapsed, unable to carry her own body weight. Soul reverted to a human state and kneeled beside her. "Maka! Maka! Talk to me! Say some—" He cringed when he heard Cancer finally hit the waiting vehicle at the bottom of the building. "That sounded painful."
Maka coughed weakly. "G-Good…" She gave him a tired smile, letting him know she was fine. Soul sighed in relief and proceeded to pick up Maka, carrying her fireman-style. She was heavily injured and needed medical attention, so Soul thought the best thing would be to get out of here. He eventually made it back outside, being careful not to cause Maka anymore discomfort. "Well, we won that battle. Now it's up to the others."
"What exactly did you win?"
A needle whizzed by and grazed Soul's side. Crying out, the Demon Scythe fell to his knees, dropping his meister.
"Curses… Missed."
Maka and Soul's hearts stopped, and their blood ran cold. Against their better natures, they followed the source of the voice.
It was Cancer, standing there after surviving electrocution and a fall.
Her bangs had been singed off, granting an unencumbered view of her intense gaze. Blood and burns marred her pale face. Her hair was disheveled, her skin was marked with wounds, yet she stood poised, exuding a black soul wavelength. Soul and Maka felt the pressure. It was almost drowning them.
"N-No way…" Maka's voice was barely above a whisper. Her heart pumped at a rapid pace, and she suddenly felt cold. Maka gritted her teeth and glared, becoming defiant once more. Yet, something in the deep recesses of her mind betrayed her. Her gloved palms grew sweaty, and she couldn't order Soul to drop her and transform. The words wouldn't come out. "W-Who… Who is she?! Who survives that?!" Maka yelled inside her mind, questioning Cancer's classification as a Witch.
"Fist of Balam."
A blast of Demonic Wavelength appeared in the distance and raced toward Cancer, the demon faces within the energy roaring. The Lucrenian jumped backwards to avoid the attack. She narrowed her glowing eyes, witnessing Noel walk up in an unconcerned manner. "Noel Ricardsen. Everyone's priorities must be awry today. Should you not be helping your friends stop Project Omega?"
"They aren't my friends, and they can handle your little pet just fine." He dipped his head slightly, sunglasses falling down the incline of his nose, to reveal his Enchanted Eye gleaming in the darkness. "It's you I have my eyes on."
She rolled her eyes. "If I had to conjecture, a Vladingham I killed was someone dear to you. Am I correct?"
"Two in fact," Noel replied sternly, "but at least you understand that. So you'll probably understand why I ache," He clenched his fist and flexed the muscle in the arm, his Demonic Wavelength spiking, "with the desire to kill you dead. This is the perfect opportunity to do so. You look easy to pick off."
Caner had to give Noel credit; this was a tactic she'd use if the situation were reversed. Nonetheless, as she took several deep breaths, Cancer strategized. Noel was much stronger than Albarn but without a Meister. All things considered, Cancer figured she could take him, but she was already injured. The fall onto the car actually gave her a limp, and she missed the killing shot on Soul because her focus drifted from lingering pain.
"Too slow."
Before she realized it, Noel punched over another Fist of Balam, and it laid her flat. Capitalizing on the opportunity, Noel walked over and dug his hands into the ground. Noel summoned all of his strength and began to pull the ground out from underneath the prone Cancer. Noel kept his cool, refusing to grunt or yell out in effort, and tossed a large slab of earth into the air.
"Reign of…" Summoning energy into his fist as Cancer descended, he timed himself perfectly and then punched upward with all his power. "Malphas!" His uppercut released immense explosive force, shooting up a pillar of Demonic Wavelength into the sky. Holding onto the ground for dear life, Soul and Maka braced themselves against the rushing hot wind.
The explosion died down after a few seconds. There were no signs of Cancer or the rock she was on. The face of the building they were near was annihilated. Noel stood amid the aftermath, checking the surroundings for any signs of the witch.
Once satisfied, Noel turned around. "Been saving that one for you," he mumbled under his breath. He walked over to Maka and Soul, who sat there with their mouths wide open. Staring dully at them, Noel flicked them both on their noses to snap them out of it. "Well, there you have it, children. You just had a first-hand experience with the Massacre Queen herself. She's every bit as dangerous as she rumored to be."
Soul sighed, checking his wound. The bleeding had stopped. "Yeah, no kidding."
"Quite frankly, I'm surprised the two of you lasted so long against her. I intervened so quickly because I feared for your safety." Examining Maka's condition, Noel decided to exit the battle against Project Omega and get her some medical attention. He carefully put the Meister across his shoulders fireman-style. "Come on, Soul. You two are dismissed."
Maka squirmed in Noel's grasp, trying to get down. "I can still fight." She screamed in pain when Noel deliberately grabbed her arm, the same one Cancer twisted before her.
"No, you can't," Noel replied sternly. He then looked at Soul. "Grab my phone in my pocket, search my Contacts list for someone named Joe Buttataki, and call him."
As Soul did his allotted task and they quickly exited the battlefield, all the fight within Maka vanished. Her head dropped, bangs falling over her eyes, as she gritted her teeth. Despite her best efforts, Cancer withstood everything she threw at her, and it took someone like Noel to put her down for good. Worse yet, she froze. That never happened since she fought Crona!
Confused, angry, and on the verge of tears, Maka made a vow to herself. "I'll make you pay for this, Cancer Lucrenian."
Author Notes
Please, no one misinterpret Cancer's expository dialogue with Maka. She isn't whining about why it's the world's fault she's evil. In fact, she never wants to talk about the past, and it was Maka's insistence that pushed her to talk about it ("I owe you no story"). Cancer is something of a juggernaut – she rarely, if ever, stops to consider her motives and the paths that led her to now ('rarely' being the keyword – see her rescue of Neptune and Soriano considering the sisters' prior argument). She sticks to her beliefs through and through. With her, whatever happens happens.
I'd also like to apologize. This chapter completely broke the relatively weekly schedule I've been doing for the whole Chicago Gang Arc. That's because this month (April) marks the last month of the semester, so everyone's been trying to wrap things up. Which means tests, projects, and exam preparation.
Well, that aside, there are two more chapters left. The next one deals with Project Omega, and I'll tell ya, it's not going to take a Joint Resonance to beat the Second Form like it did the First Form.
