I took a small break from writing, but I am back!
'Troubling Thoughts' is a continuation from 'Heart Song'.
'Health and Healing' is an old piece when I was a teenager. I did revamp it a little and fixed the mistakes I noticed.
Hope you enjoy!
51. Troubling Thoughts - Kid
A small gasp escaped him as his breath caught in his throat. He stared at the pinkette next to him, eyes wide and mouth agape. He was stunned out of his casual demeanor, completely entranced by the act she was performing. Warmth filled his cheeks with color as he continued to watch, unable to do much else.
Unknowingly to her, she continued to laugh. It echoed in and out of his ears, like a serene melody. He had never seen her so relaxed and open before, at least not with him. He couldn't even remember what words he produced that caused such a reaction. He shifted his gaze over her face, examining the way tiny tears were forming at the corners of her closed eyes. She pressed a hand against her mouth, an attempt to cover her unusual actions.
It took him mere moments before he attempted to compose himself, snapping his mouth shut. His teeth banged together, but he ignored the dull pain it caused him. She rubbed one of her eyes, finally calming down from her high of joy. Tilting her head, she smiled at him, her own cheeks filled with warmth.
"I'm sorry." She choked, clearing her throat as she tried to settle down her own emotions.
Stupidly, he simply stared at her, not fully understanding the words that left her. Entranced by her bright, blue eyes, he recalled the time he first saw her laugh - the moment that started his obsessive crush toward the young witch. It wasn't toward him and he wasn't even spending time with her. Crona and Maka were in the library, studying for a final that was drawing near, and Kid happened to walk by. He was caught off guard by the giggle that the pinkette produced that he stared until she was finished. He quickly pulled himself together and rounded a nearby corner, peaking around it. He couldn't understand at the time why he was afraid to be caught. Now he knew, the melody called to his heart.
"Kid?" Shyly, her voice broke him out of his thoughts. Concern was written on her face as she stared at him. He licked his lips, gulping down whatever words he actually wanted to say as he remained quiet.
"Are you okay?" Although her question was enough to startle him into talking, she quickly silenced him once more when she placed her cool hand against his forehead. "Can death even get sick?" She mumbled the last part, eyebrows scrunched together.
"I'm … fine." He forced out, finding it hard to swallow with her so close.
"Okay." Was her simple response as she removed her hand from his face. His heart dropped as she did, finding he missed her touch.
He watched her avert her gaze downward to her lap, her fingers twirling around one another. He forced himself to glance away, staring off into the distance. The park they resided in was quiet, not many people were around. One of the reasons he chose to come here with her. It seemed she opened up more when it was a one on one basis. He was jealous that day in the library and craved to have Crona's attention for himself. But he felt he was botching it bad. Here she was, fully able to speak while he was being unusually weird and silent. Troubling thoughts entered his mind, clouding his judgment with the alone time he acquired with her. Maybe he should go?
"Kid…?" He snapped his gaze back toward her as she spoke up. Worry was plastered on her face as she stared at him.
"Yes?" He managed, his hands clenched in his lap. He had to make an effort.
"Did I do something wrong?" He could see the self-blame surround her as she asked, eyes flitting around the area.
"What?!" His own eyes widened at the question. "Of course not!" Horrified that she came to such a conclusion by his actions, he tried to backtrack.
"You seem uncomfortable around me." It pained him to hear the anxiety at the back of her throat. She seemed to be forcing the words out as she spoke.
"I… it's not what you think." He pleaded to her, his eyebrows pinching together.
"Then what?" She tilted her head, curious as to what his answer would be. And what would that be? He froze like a deer in headlights, unable to proceed with his train of thought. She stared expectedly at him, awaiting an answer that wasn't easy to give.
"I am nervous." He started awkwardly, keeping her stare.
"What? Why?" Her body leaned toward him as she questioned.
"You…" He whispered, a swirl of emotions flowing through him. He felt his stomach rise up in knots as he stared deeply into her blue eyes. He couldn't take the pressure of her gaze. His eyes fitted around her face, going from her soft, cotton candy hair, to her plump, rosy lips. He quickly decided that was not the place to look at as he brought his eyes back up to hers.
"Me?" She copied his whisper, keeping her gaze steady with his, even as he glanced elsewhere.
"You're hair!" He blurted. "It's a complete mess." He rambled on, bringing his hands up to brush some of it behind her ear. He busied himself for a few seconds, correcting absolutely nothing. Her hair was already perfectly laid out, he just needed an excuse.
"Oh." Was her reply, a hint of disappointment in her voice. He noticed it right away, wondering what she was expecting instead. He carefully removed his hand from her hair and rubbed his neck with it, glancing in the complete other direction. How did he become such a mess? He clenched his other fist against the bench they were on.
His eyebrows raised in surprise when he felt a cool hand enclose around the clenched fist. Not believing this at first, he turned his head slowly in her direction. The hand at his neck fell limp to his side as he clarified it was her hand over his own. He raised his eyes to her face only to see she was looking in the opposite direction, cheeks pink. He knew his face was in the same state without having to look.
"Crona?" He murmured, feeling a surge of confidence radiate through him. His stomach did flips as he awaited for her to face him.
"Yes?" She answered, voice soft. Leisurely, she faced him, her expression hopeful.
Without warning, he wrapped his free hand around her shoulders, pulling her close. He pressed his chin against her shoulder. A small gasp left her in surprise. He closed his eyes tightly, squeezing her. "You're the song in my heart, Crona." He confessed, his heart pounding in his ears. His breath quickened as he hugged her, awaiting for her response.
"Heart song?" Unexpected, she questioned his words. Flustered, he pulled away from her, keeping a hand on her shoulder as he stared at her.
"What?" He felt the embarrassment rising up as he realized he said something off the wall strange.
"What does song in your heart mean?" She appeared genuine as she asked, head tilting slightly.
"It means…" His brows pinched together as he thought of an appropriate correlation to the term. He knew immediately he couldn't say 'I love you', that was too soon, too fast and he was unsure if it would reach that level. "It means I care about you." He explained, gently squeezing her shoulder for extra emphasis. "A lot." He added on as an afterthought, hoping he conveyed his feelings correctly.
"Oh." Her eyes were downcast as she processed this information. Gulping down what anxiety he could, he searched her face. "I care about you too." As she raised her eyes, he felt his breath get caught in his throat at her words.
"Really?" He sputtered in disbelief, his hand dropping from her shoulder and back at his side.
"Yeah." She softly replied, a tiny smile gracing her lips. He felt himself mimicking her as she did so.
He exhaled shakily, not believing this was real yet. As calming as he could, he slid his hand out from under hers and laced their fingers together instead. Exhaling, he brought his gaze to the view of the park. He felt her shuffled around to copy him.
He nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt her soft head press into his shoulder as she leaned into him. He quickly calmed down, shifting to get into a better position for their conjoined hands. Once he felt comfortable, hopefully she did too, he followed her lead and leaned his head against hers. He was a bundle of nerves, but this was the best result that could have occurred.
52. Stirring of the Wind - Crona
Warm wind coalesced around her thin form as she stood still. Her hands clasped together against her stomach as her blue eyes stared forward at the ever changing sunset. Pinks, purples, and blues merged together against a clear sky to create a beautiful painted picture of what a sunset should always be like. Her long dress ruffled against her ankles as she stared, a silent observer to the beauty of nature.
It was peaceful, being away from the populace. A flock of birds flew overhead, chasing the distant sun until they were out of sight. A pang of jealousy consumed her thoughts as she watched helplessly. She was stuck on the ground, wings clipped before she was given the chance. A chance to soar far away from the judgmental eyes of her community. Oh, the places she would explore. They were but fragments of memories she never really experienced firsthand.
Her fingers tightened together at the sound of approaching footsteps. Somehow she knew who it would be, just by the way they walked in stiff, even steps. She waited until they stopped their approach to turn and face whoever dared to follow her. Before her was indeed the person she predicted. He stood rigid, a few feet away from her with his hands in his pockets. His dark clothing contrasted drastically with the pale, cream colors within the open field.
"You must be mad to come here." Harsh words spat out of her, unable to hold back any grudge she may have held.
"Maybe so." The last thing she expected was a soft chuckle to leave the man before her. As if this was a laughing matter.
"I fail to see the humor in this." Her hands gripped tighter together, shaking from the force of her hold.
Silence surrounded them, encasing what solitude the two shared. Wind rustled around, shifting fabric and hair without a care. His golden brown eyes bore into her skull and for a moment she feared he could read her thoughts. After a moment he shifted his gaze behind her, possibly toward the sunset resting on the horizon. She kept her mistrusting stare on him.
"Why are you here?" Her question caused his eyes to glance back at her as he removed his hands from his pants pockets.
"I'm obligated to officially inform you of the verdict." The monotonous tone of his voice notified her that it was the authorized words of the head council. He paused, waiting for her to respond, but she didn't. She knew what the response would be to her.
"Crona, you are hereby under house arrest, where you may not be without escort if you need to leave because of daily chores. " The way he spoke showed he cared little for the official declaration of the town council. She straightened her back, standing at her full height now as she observed him. He showed no sign of apprehending her.
"Why did they send just you?" She asked, tilting her chin upward, peering at him from down her nose.
"I convinced them I could return with you without major injuries." His words caused something to stir within her.
How dare he assume that. She sucked in a deep breath through her nose, pressing her closed first into her abdomen. The air around them siphoned toward her body, flinging upward in an angry arc. She didn't blink as her short, pink hair swirled around her face. Him, on the other hand, stumbled forward a few paces, surprised by the sudden gust of wind against his back. Thunderous, grey clouds appeared out of thin air above them, crowding together to blanket the sky in darkness. It shielded the once beautiful painted sky.
"Crona," She heard him whisper over the stirring of the wind as he stepped toward her. Her eyes narrowed as he moved, holding her breath as chaotic air blew around.
She didn't move when he appeared directly in front of her, afraid to lose the small power she was concocting around them. Everything crumbled at the gentle touch of his hand against one of her elbows. She exhaled heavily, shoulders slumping downward. The cloud dispersed immediately, evaporating into nothing. The wind blew by them, barely rustling their hair and clothes.
He gazed at her, understanding kindness in his eyes. She frowned, eyes searching his face for some hope. This cannot be the life she is to live. They cannot hold her hostage here. Like a crack in glass, she felt her strong exterior break. A small gasp left her as tears pricked at the corners of her eyes.
"I just want a nice, easy life. I can't help that I have these powers." Releasing her hands, she grabbed onto his forearms, pressing her head against his chest. He held her up by her elbows, anchoring her there.
"Let's leave." His words were barely audible as he murmured into the crown of her head.
"W-what?" Shock pulsed through her veins as she snapped her head up to see if he was serious.
"Let's leave, tonight." He repeated, further clarifying that he surely lost his mind.
"B-but… I - I can't leave without Rags." Images of her familiar entered her mind. She was fearful what effects would occur if she wandered too far from him. Would her magic cease to exist or would it be uncontrollable. She reasoned she didn't want to find out, either way. She also didn't want to leave him in the hands of the council when they found out she was missing.
"Already taken care of." He reassured her, a small smile slipping onto his face.
"What? How?" She sputtered, her grip tightening against his arms.
"I left Maka in charge of Ragnarok." With half-lidded eyes, he gazed down at her in assurance. "She will release him at the time of departure." She simply stared back, wondering how she deserved such a crazed man.
"What about you? Won't you get in trouble for my escape?" She raised herself to her full height, standing eye to eye with him.
"I'm coming with you." A small laugh escaped him as he spoke.
"W-what?" Everything he said left her more and more stunned; she couldn't keep up. "You have a life here. A job, a family if you wanted it. Don't throw it away because of someone like me..." She averted her gaze, curling in on herself in despair at her words.
It was true. She was nothing - no title, no legacy, no amount of worth left in her; her mother made sure of that. This wasn't the first time thoughts such as these had entered her mind. The monthly bonfire the town would host was a frequent reminder of her social standing versus his. And yet he would always find time away from the pleasant socialites to find her. She remembered times her hands shook so much from withholding the chance to only touch his hand. She held back much in her life to save his grace and stature. Despite that, he was willing to give it all up, for her.
"I don't care about any of that." His voice was rough as he spoke, annoyance filling into the spaces between. His fingers tightened around her elbows, digging harmlessly into her thin arms. Slowly, she lifted her head, catching a glimpse of burning determination in his stare. It caught her off guard, unsure of how to proceed from his statement.
A moment passed and his gaze began to soften, eyes flitting around her face as if he was searching for something. He removed his hands from her elbows and dragged them upward, gently cupping her face. A shaky breath left her at the bold action, eyes widening.
"I love you." Her bottom lip trembled as she registered what he said. The light that was lingering from the sunset hit his half-lidded, brown eyes just right to cause them to appear golden. She never saw him more handsome than in this moment as he confessed his love for her.
"And I, you." Her eyelids slowly closed, enjoying the warmth and comfort of his hands on her.
53. Future - Kid
Fingers wrapped around a small, rounded object as it ticked rhythmically. She was seven minutes late. Snapping the watch shut, he stuffed it into his pants pocket. His golden eyes scanned the courtyard, back pressed into the outer wall of the estate. The estate itself was in disarray - dead plants snaked its way up the walls of the house, bathing it in a grim light.
It was a dull, cloudy day and he wished to return home. He felt a shudder run through him as a brisk breeze blew by. He stuffed his hands into his pockets, hoping to find some comfort from the chilly outdoors. The urge to stare at his watch was shoved down, knowing it wouldn't make time move any faster. Not that time was the problem here.
His head jerked up at a shout emitting from the front steps of the estate. He straightened himself up at the sight of the house maid - Eruka, he believed was her name - stood atop the stairs. She wasn't addressing him, no, her eyes laid elsewhere. He followed her gaze down to the last few steps where the unmistakable pink haired female stood. The very one he was waiting on.
Sucking in a quick breath, he shouldered any confidence he held within. As he sauntered his way across the deserted courtyard, Eruka clambered down the steps voicing a protest toward the other female. The pinkette's back was facing him, so she didn't see him approach. He barely heard the fierce whisper leave her, directed to Eruka, as he arrived at her side.
Eruka appeared a few moments later. Whatever cross sentence that was to spew out her pursed lips was lost as her dark eyes caught his. He could see the wheels turning as she realized the scene the two females were causing in front of him. She fumbled her hands against her apron, before bowing properly in greeting to him.
"Lord Death, welcome!" A hasty breath left her as she acknowledged his presence.
The taller female of the two froze, shoulders tensing. He never actually met the daughter of the Gorgon household before, only seeing her from afar. In the few seconds of her standing with her back to him, he took in that her hair was cut short, just below the ear. Very few women would be bold enough to wear such a short cut. He found it admirable of her.
Slowly, she faced him, her hair messily framing her slender face. His eyebrows rose as he met her stare. Her bright, blue eyes gazed up at him, a curious annoyance filling them. Her eyebrows pinched down as she drew her plump lips into a thin line. He could feel the uneasiness radiating off of her. Mustering the best smile he could, he bent to bow and offer his hand out to her.
"Crona Gorgon, it is an honor to finally meet you." As she hesitantly slipped her ungloved hand into his, he brought it to his lips, brushing them over her knuckles. She slipped her hand from him the second he removed his mouth. At his bent position, he took notice of the worn suitcase clutched in her other hand.
"May I?" Although he asked a question, his hand moved on its own toward her suitcase. Which was promptly pulled out of his reach by Crona herself, stepping around him gracefully.
He slowly blinked at her sudden move, still bent at the waist with his hand outstretched. He could hear her feet step across the hard ground. The moment Crona chose to walk away, Eruka erupted into a fit of anger. He straightened himself out, catching sight of silver hair as the maid bowed at him, a line of apologies leaving her thin lipped mouth. He barely acknowledged her onslaught of excuses, tilting his body in the direction the thin female stalked off in.
No hat. No gloves. And not taking help from her future husband. He felt his lips twitch up in a smile at the antics of his newly acquitted fiancé. He hastily trailed after the pink haired female, catching up to her as she slowed to a stop in front of his carriage.
Their future was going to be interesting together.
54. Health and Healing - Crona
{ November 5
5:23 p.m. }
'Hey Hun, be home shortly. I have a surprise for you. Love you, bye.'
{ November 5
7:10 p.m. }
'Mrs. Death, we have some troubling news to tell you...'
{ November 8
3:04 a.m. }
'Crona, where are you?!'
…
' … Stay right there, I'm on my way!'
{ Year One
November 5
8:01 p.m. }
Thick whirls of chilled air slapped against her exposed skin, body unflinching at the wetness that was tugged along with it. Dull eyes stared blankly at the soaked rock in front of her, blinking only when her thoughts drifted to another topic. If one stared long enough, they would think she wasn't alive, only having the small intakes of breath and casual blinking to prove she was. Though, no one foolish enough would be out in the shivering rain tonight.
No one expected the small pinkette, the widow of a foolish husband.
She cringed slightly as she shifted her position, her bones popping under the pressure of movement. She ignored it, exhaling softly as she hunched over. Ice cold water raced down her slick hair, escaping further inside her jacket where it made pathways down her clothed skin, embracing what was left of her warmth. She didn't care. She never cared for anything anymore.
Not being able to resist much more, midnight colored hues shifted their gaze to the parked car not too far away. Standing outside was a young man dressed in all black and above him was his umbrella, protecting him from the rain pouring down. He was assigned to her as a bodyguard, but to her he felt more like a cage. A constant reminder of what she almost did a year ago and why she was here in the first place. She didn't feel guarded anymore than she felt happy with him around.
She scoffed and scooted over, feeling his piercing red eyes glaring into her, reminding her that she was always, and probably always will, be watched. Letting out a shaky breath, she tempted to ignore her company from afar as she began to press her pale palms in the grass beneath her. She crawled forward a bit, lavender curls hanging limply over her face, blocking her view for a mere moment.
She couldn't help but notice how ragged her breathing had become as she became closer to her destination of a hunk of rock and a giant bouquet of flowers all neatly arranged in a symmetrical order. She hadn't put those there, but she knew who did. She tried to swallow the dry lump that had formed in her mouth. If she was thinking straight she could have opened her mouth just the slightest to let the cold water to seep inside, just enough to quench her thirst. Reaching out a trembling hand, her chipped nails barely grazed the edge of the rock before she flinched back once more, sucking in a choke like gasp.
She clamped her eyes shut, hot tears streaming down her flushed face. Pain swelled up inside her like a hot iron skillet, unable to comprehend how she felt this much anguish in her frail body and still be able to stay alive.
Choking out a small sob that was quieted by the whistling wind, she clutched her thin hand to her chest, enveloping in on herself. At her movements, the 'friend' near the car reacted as well. In quick, silent strides he was by her side, umbrella hovering over the feeble girl. She barely caught the shine of his shoe and almost sobbed harder at it. He wasn't here for her cries; he was here to make sure she didn't harm herself – again. His warm hand gently pressed against the arch of her back, as if to soothe her dwelling beast. She flinched from his touch, curling up even more into a ball. Apparently that didn't sit well with him, for he forcibly grabbed under her arm and hoisted her up into a standing position.
She released a quiet wail, pressing only one of her hands against her face, her tangled locks draping her face like a thick piece of material, blocking her face from any further view her hand didn't conceal.
When was the last time she cut it?
Her uneven nails dug themselves into her palm as her bodyguard dragged her away from the once occupied space. His grip was terrifying, so unlike the one she was used to.
When was the last time she did her nails?
Her feet stumbled along with his long strides, attempting to keep up with him. She felt weak in her knees, even more so in her chest. She wished he left her there. There she could be alone and not worry about her responsibilities. She could waste away her days with the symmetrically placed flowers, withering away just as they did when they ran out of nourishment.
When was the last time she ate an eight piece meal?
A sudden shiver shot through her body as they neared the car. Her hand slipped away from her midnight colored hues. She cast a slow glance at her bodyguard, a hiccup erupting from her throat. No, she didn't want to go back. She didn't want to go back to the giant, empty house where she was on constant surveillance from the housing members. She couldn't go back. She would go insane the more she stayed there.
She refused.
With unnatural strength, she jerked her arm from his loosened grasp, twirling in a skilled circle around him before dashing toward the spot she had resided in moments earlier. Once she reached her destination, she flung herself on the flowers, embracing them into her chest as her body raked out sobs. She could feel the once beautiful flowers breaking under the pressure of her arms, bending and twisting in odd directions the more she clung. She didn't care anymore, but somewhere, she knew someone would.
It wasn't long before a pair of hands gripped either side of her arms and lifted her up into the air. It was easy to carry her now. She became as lifeless and thin as a twig itself. This time she didn't have a choice of escaping. She wasn't even touching the ground now. Despite that, her body thrashed about, struggling desperately against his restraints for freedom. The whole way back to the car, she fought against him, even going as far as shrieking out as he buckled her in and shut the door in her face.
{ Year Two
November 5
6:58 p.m. }
With ease, her pink tongue swiped against her lips, casting a warm, wet layer of protection for a mere moment from the harsh air around her. It wasn't hard to spot him from afar, at least not in this position. Lifting her eyebrows, she eyed him, wondering if he was really watching her as closely as he had before. Sighing out softly, a puff of air surrounded her face for only a split second. She carefully lowered herself onto the smooth, even grass - only appropriate for who lay underneath.
Tucking a strand of tangled hair behind her ear, she leaned forward toward the slab of rock that now cursed her life. With a ragged breath, she grazed her trembling fingers against the stone, reading each letter slowly and carefully, memorizing the words over and over. She gulped, holding back the sting of tears as best as she could. Shifting around slightly, delicate fingers wrapped around the bouquet of flowers she had brought with her. Carefully untying them from their prison, she began arranging them precisely in a symmetrical order onto the plaque.
Pleased with her work, she gave a sharp nod at it, setting aside the leftovers to her side. As casually as possible she brought her gaze upward to stare at her bodyguard. He was always there, with her. Frowning slightly, she hated how he stood there with no interest in the world around him. It set a lit a fire within her, one she was not able to douse so easily.
He had a job.
She had her duty to uphold.
Drawing in as much of the bitter air as she could, she averted her eyes back down to her constant reminder. A sharp wind blew by, disturbing the remaining leaves on the trees surrounding her along with her uneven pink curls wrapping around the shape of her face. She disregarded the stray strands of hair as quickly as she did her bodyguard, solely focusing on the important matters at hand.
She couldn't though. She knew what would happen as soon as she was done here. She had to return back to that place. That wretched place that restrained her of freewill. Her bodyguard was a constant reminder of that place. A constant reminder of what had happened, of what could have happened. She gave a quick glance at her wrist, catching sight of the bright orange bracelet decorating her healthy filled wrist.
Of course, it didn't seem like such a bad place after a while. Her sandy haired friend described her as an almost fully recovered patient.
Releasing a bitter laugh, she hunched over the floral arrangement. Without even the slightest hint, her vision blurred. She took no notice of it as she rocked back and forth. As if on cue, footsteps crunched over to her withered form. She sniffled loudly, pressing both her hands against her face, trying to force the wetness to disappear.
"Come on …" Came his rough voice from above, in which she refused to acknowledge. He waited what seemed like forever, before gripping her tightly around her filled out waist, tugging her upward into a standing position. She didn't fight this time. She knew that if she did she would be drugged and knocked out for a few hours after. Not only did that bring in the constant nightmares, but it made her lag the next day. She needed to be precise and alert.
For now, she sobbed into one of her hands as he led her back to the car, helping her ease inside away from the chill of the November air.
{ Year Three
November 5
3:20 p.m. }
"Mrs. Death, have a good time with your release. I hope to see you around, but hopefully not here anymore." She barely lifted my hand at the cheerful response the clerk behind the counter gave to me as she departed out the secured doors. Stepping out fully into the open air, she sucked in a deep breath of the familiar, chilled air enveloping her. It was like she was returning to a distant memory.
A compilation of the years came to mind as she stared into the distance. Slowly, as the years passed, she felt herself healing. It wasn't an easy task to accomplish, but she was on her way to becoming healthy once more.
Wrapping her arms around her petite frame, she stalked forward a few steps, almost freezing completely when her eyes landed on him. Of course he would be here. He was always there, watching. And he would be there with her for a while longer. Averting her eyes and releasing a small sigh, she approached him and the car. No words were exchanged between the two as he opened the door for her.
It was a quiet ride back to the place she had longed to go to since she found out about her release. It wasn't long before they had pulled up near the side of the road, lines and lines of rocks echoing across the scarce landscape, filling it with a gray color scheme. Waiting for the usual door opening, she tugged a hand through her now short hair. She hadn't been here since she had a long, tangle mop on her head.
As the door opened, she cautiously stepped out, keeping her arms slung tightly around her thin waist. It took her eyes some adjusting, but there were small specks falling from the sky. For a moment, she thought it was rain, which she wouldn't be surprised if it was, but instead of splattering against her face, she felt them sticking against her naturally warm flesh. Her eyebrows shot upward as more encased her toasty skin, eagerly eating away at it. Her wide, doe like eyes strained upward toward the sky, venturing for the source of the beauty of the flakes dancing around her. Of course it was obvious it was the clouds drifting lazily across the sky, blistering the air with even more chill than before.
Despite the frigid temperatures, a pleasant smile encased her usual scowling face. She took baby steps forward, dodging around the falling pathway of the snowflakes as they danced in different rhythms with the wind as their guide. She hadn't felt this free in a long while, maybe too long. Not averting from her own path, she kept a close eye on her bodyguard, hoping for once he didn't have to drag her away from her once beloved.
She still had a duty to uphold and his job was not going to get in the way of it.
Slowing her pace, she exhaled heavily, a white puff enclosing around her face before quickly disappearing into the air. Once she reached her destination, she collapsed onto her knees, her smile slowly fading from view. She reached out a steady hand and brushed away a few specks of snow that had crafted themselves onto the stone. Breathing softly now, she felt a small smile mold back onto her face. Dusting away the snow from the stone, she cleared away where she could read the lettering.
"Hey," She muttered, readjusting herself into a comfortable position, as if she was lounging at a friend's house.
She allowed a long pause to pass, as if she was waiting for the moment a voice would greet her back. She wasn't crazy, no, not anymore, but she was hopeful. Gently bringing her hand up, she brushed it through her lavender locks, pleased with how even the ends were now. He would be happy as well.
"I miss you." She mumbled softly, gaze lowering as she dropped her hands from both her head of hair and the tombstone. A thousand thoughts and memories grazed the outer side of her brain, dancing around joyously as she blankly stared down at the place he was resting at.
She didn't count how much time she spent just simply staring at his grave, but snow had quickly piled up around and on her. She appeared like a black crow amidst a sea of snow. She didn't mind though. He always loved the snow and it helped greatly with this parting. Before long, she felt a small tap on her shoulder, causing her to jerk her head up. As she did so, a flurry of whiteness bounced off of her. Her bodyguard stood hovering over her, a cell phone in one hand.
"Mrs. Death," His voice rumbled lowly, very unlike someone she once knew. She blinked her wide, doe like eyes at him, slightly tilting her head at what he called her.
"Crona," She answered after a moment.
"Excuse m –"
"Call me Crona." She quickly cut him off, closing her eyes for a moment.
"Uh, Crona, Mrs. Evans is in dire need to speak to you. "He spoke rather rudely, almost annoyed that she had corrected him.
"Give me a minute. "She murmured, averting her gaze downward in hopes he wouldn't yank her up like he usually did.
"As you wish, Crona. "He admitted defeat and strolled back toward the car, muttering her message through the phone to Maka.
Once he was out of ear shot, she turned her eyes back onto the grave before her. This would probably be the last time in a long while she would be able to visit, though that didn't count much in the past. She was only able to visit once every year because of her condition. A bitter smile slipped onto her face as she lightly stroked the stone again.
Closing her eyes, she pressed a few fingers to her lips, before passing it over to the tomb, lightly tracing his name engraved in it. She felt the sting inside her heart, pulling and tugging her to stay put – don't leave! But she didn't listen; instead, she pulled herself into a standing position, giving one last wave.
.
.
.
.
"See you later, Kid."
55. Separation - Kid
Misinformation on a mission in hunt of a kishin was a dire thing to overlook. It was supposed to be a simple; travel to the city, locate the kishin, and destroy it. The way the monster was described in the mission, stated it was of the smaller variety and wasn't very strong yet.
That was a lie.
Panting, his legs burned as he ran blindly forward through rows of blurring trees. Sweat dripped down his face as he frantically wiped his brow with his forearm. In one of his hands, Patty, in her gun form, was clutched. Liz was safely tucked into the back of his pants, having no other way to carry her. He made sure to have Patty raised upward so she could be his eyes from the back. Every now and then she would curse out the movement of the kishin chasing them, causing Kid to react and change his course.
He felt his other hand, slick with sweat, tightening against long, slender fingers, fearing it would slip out of his at any moment. Her nails dug into his skin to show she feared the same. Huffing behind him, Ragnarok in her other hand, she stayed as close as she could to him.
Not far behind them, sounds of destruction raged as an enormous monster-like creature tore through the forest. It ripped trees and bushes alike, not caring what wreckage was left in its wake. The mission statement certainly didn't tell of the kishin being able to grow to a gigantic size, which caught the two wielders off guard.
In the shock of seeing it grow in size, it managed to slice open Crona's arm by flinging a tree in her direction. For the most part, she managed to dodge, only suffering minimum damage. Kid, in his panic, stuffed Liz away, much to her protest, and snatched Crona's hand, dashing off further into the forest. His main goal was to lead it away from the neighboring town. Much to his success, it followed, but now they couldn't find a moment to strike back.
"GO LEFT!" Kid, lost in thought, barely heard the yell ripping from Patty's mouth. He was already drifting toward the right. Grimacing, he jerked left, tugging Crona along. A small gasp left the female behind him as he did so.
Unfortunately because of his late reaction, a tree with a bundle of bushes surrounding it staggered the middle of his path. Grunting with curses, he sharply turned more left. He realized his mistake far too late to change it. The world went into slow motion when the repercussions of his error came about.
Crona's hand slipped out of his, nails scraping against his skin. He ignored the pain that caused, whipping his head around to stare at their parted hands. The momentum from running didn't falter from either of them; only his body went left and hers right. Between the sweat glistening off her forehead and her pink locks whirling around her face, he saw panic in her big, blue eyes.
Desperately, he stretched his hand out - as if he could pull her back to the safety of him. Her hand reached out as well, hoping along the same lines as him. The last glimpse he caught of her was with wide eyes and mouth agape. Then their separation became permanent as the tree that altered their path replaced her image. He was close to running into it, the bushes around the tree scraping against his thigh. He pulled his arm back hastily, not wanting to lose it along the way.
Frantic, he searched the tree-line that separated them for her, hoping to catch sight of that alarmingly, pink hair. His efforts were futile. He attempted to multitask, flickering his gaze between the path before him and to his right. In his haste, he pulled Liz out, pressing her to his chest momentarily before gripping her correctly. He heard a sigh of relief escape her. The pummeling feet of the kishin behind him sounded farther away.
"Kid?" Patty's voice was barely a whisper in his pounding ears.
"What?" He snapped back, the stress of this situation getting to him.
"The kishin is following Crona." A heavy feeling settled into the pit of his stomach as he flicked his gaze behind him. He staggered to a stop, chest heaving as Patty's statement was proven true. The wreckage of trees splintered off their departure, rushing right.
Shifting Liz into the hand holding Patty, he held his hand out, palm face toward the ground. A moment later in black smoke, his skateboard appeared. Gripping Liz back in his other hand, he boarded the slender contraption and set off in the direction. He raised himself above the tree-line, catching instant sight of the monstrous kishin.
To his surprise, it was paused in its destruction not far off. The worst of the implications that brought up came to mind - the first being Crona's safety.