DISCLAIMER: I do not own 'Soul Eater'. All rights belong to Okubo Atsushi. I also do not own any of the songs referenced. All rights belong to their respective owners. I only own this fanfiction. Thank you.
The throne room was abuzz with heated energy as the struggle between Maka and Arachne continued. The girl was pinned to the floor, managing to hold back the crazed spider woman with her scythe. But she was out for blood, and those fangs were getting a little too close for comfort against her neck.
As dangerous as the situation was though, Maka couldn't find it in herself to allow her fear to show through before the woman. The situation was new for her, sure – frighteningly so, and that's probably the way it would've been for anyone else, too. This shit did not happen every day!
But instead of cowering, she gave her opponent a wicked grin, and lifted a leg between them, her foot resting against Arachne's lengthened abdomen. The woman hissed.
"Aw, you remember me!" Drawing back, she kicked as hard as she possibly could, sending Arachne to the side, reeling and screeching. Maka leapt up, and went to rejoin her friends. Medusa had already distanced herself from them, making her way around the webbing until she was behind Arachne. By now, she had recovered from Maka's blow, and was regarding Giriko with a new disdain. He was smirking at her like he'd just won the lottery.
"That's who you've replaced me with, then? A scrawny little child?" Her expression softened, though the rage was still apparent in her eyes as she surveyed him. She was calculating in her mind, trying to figure out where to strike them next.
Giriko shook his head. "She may be young, but she's outclassed you in ways you don't even know."
The pout was now a bitter sneer, and Arachne stood up at her full height on her back legs as she took him in one last time. "Giriko. Such a shame. I thought you were better than that. I had such high hopes for you."
In response, he flipped her off. "I know what those 'high hopes' were, and I ain't really interested in being anybody's attack dog."
Her expression twisted. "But you're fighting for her!"
He let out a barking laugh at this. "Nah, I'm just pissed off at you and your stupid sister! I could care less about that school!" Maka elbowed him sharply in the stomach, and he coughed. "But – but, since our interests coincide, yeah, we're working together. And you know what? I don't mind this." His expression hardened, and he looked at Arachne with the first real touch of hatred. The glare did startle her just a tad. She'd never had it aimed at her before.
Guess I'll just have to wipe it off his face, then. As she prepared to begin her attack however, watching as the male hoisted up his saw, she suddenly heard the sound of soft laughter. Whirling around, she took sight of Medusa, who was shaking her head as she surveyed everything.
Arachne loathed that sound. Medusa, enjoying herself at her sister's expense. Isn't that how it always was, how it had always been? "What are you chortling about, you hyena?" The snake woman's eyes flashed, and her lips curled up in a grin.
"You've lost, Arachne. Even your servants are abandoning you." She couldn't take it anymore. This thorn in her side, this woman who had ruined her great plans, the lowest of the low who she now had to steal a plan from because she'd managed to mess up everything. Because of her, the others were able to slip in. And they had alerted Shibusen. Look how far she'd had to go just to triumph! She'd taken a dose of those toxins, just to assure her victory. She had to get rid of this pest, for good. There was no reason or rhyme, just madness. She would make it good and gruesome.
"Oh?" Arachne suddenly drew herself up, crawling back onto her web and disappearing into the higher rafters of the ceiling. Medusa was smirking, as she held her blade and looked side to side. "Did I hurt your feelings, Arachne? Are you going to take your toys and go home?"
Everyone was watching the top, waiting for any sort of motion. But there was nothing. They were beginning to spread out, not wanting to be within easy reach as a single bunch. The web strings were still scattered about them, and they were trying not to bump into them. But it was hard. Soul had just started cursing to himself silently, as his arm brushed against another one, and he had to cut himself free. "I can't believe she made all of this..."
"Believe it." Giriko was revving up the chainsaw engine, a scowl on his face. "She's so damn power-mad, she actually shot herself up with that chemical warfare shit she was working on." As much grief as she'd given him however, there was that last tiny bit of him, which had a few parting words for her fleeting memory. I hope it was worth it, you bitch. What would her great reward be?
As Medusa kept an eye on her surroundings, moving slowly and guarding herself with the knife, she once again felt her leg sticking to something – more webbing. Even when she searched, she couldn't always find all the strands. This place was coated in them. Growling quietly, she reached down to cut it off, shaking the rest of the threads nearby as she did so.
Suddenly, another stream shot out from above, catching her arm holding the blade. It drew back sharply, and Medusa was yanked through the air, letting out a pained grunt as she was flung across the room. She crashed and skidded against the floor, landing near Maka and Crona in another pile of threads. The blade flew one way, while something else flew from her free hand. It clattered against the ground before bouncing up and sticking to a string of webbing.
For whatever reason, Maka found herself scurrying after it, picking it out from the sticky substance. She didn't need another weapon, but she wasn't about to let either woman make things any harder for them here. Finally freeing the unknown object, her eyes widened slightly.
A needle? The inside of the vial was filled with a thick green liquid. When had she pulled this out? Was she planning on using it on herself, or on Arachne? What was in here, anyway?
More webbing shot forth, to rain down on Medusa and hoist her from her torso. She was drawn up, hanging over the ground in a sticky mess. Arachne dropped down in front of her, a predatory smile upon her face. She held one of her curved claw hands up against her younger sister's cheek. As Maka pocketed the item, she didn't notice Medusa's gaze dart down momentarily, before she was forced to look back at her sister.
"Ah, Medusa...how I've longed for this moment." Arachne's poisonous breath ghosted over the snake woman's face. Still, she showed no fear as her sibling leaned in closer, the tip of her lone claw pressing sharply into her skin. "Being right at your side as you draw your last breath. It's a little different than I would've planned, but I'll take whatever satisfaction I can get. And it all starts with your end." She chuckled.
Medusa did not respond. Arachne had no idea that one of Medusa's hands was still free, and tucked behind her back as she pulled out another one of her small arrow-shaped laced daggers. She'd have to move fast.
"Ngh - !" The spider woman dove for her shoulder, and that was the moment Medusa had been waiting for. Just as Arachne's fangs sunk into her skin, she swung her arm up, cutting through the webbing in one smooth stroke and slicing into the woman's head as hard as she could. The blade drove down, into her face, and she screeched in furious agony. But her grip on Medusa's shoulder did not loosen before a spurt of poison shot into the wound. Medusa hissed at the contact.
Still, she was able to cut the rest of herself free and jump down, before Arachne could recover. She was now looking down at Medusa with a twisted expression of joyful rage. Her red lips were curled into a jagged grin. She resembled a broken doll. "You...that blade was tainted. I can feel it..." She closed her eyes. "Eating away at my skin..." Spreading from the wound appeared to be some sort of rot. Medusa smirked. So she hadn't armed herself against that?
Then, the damage rescinded, as did the rest of the injury. Arachne's face was now as smooth as it had ever been, and she was smugly regarding her sister's glare as she slowly descended again. "Mm, that's right. You created a counter to my genetics, didn't you? Well, I found a counter to your counter as well."
She chuckled. "That's one thing you and I do not lack for, dear sister: creativity. So many wondrous potions we can create, to spring upon the world! They won't know what else to do but start bowing and worshipping at our feet. Oh," she covered her mouth, as if she'd said a bad word, "I mean, my feet."
Medusa was not amused by Arachne's cute antics, but she didn't get to reply, as a sudden pain shot forth from the wound in her shoulder. It seized her so deeply, that in a second, she was on her knees, trying to grab hold of herself. This sensation - !
"Ahhahahahaha! So, my alternative is taking effect now?" She regarded the shivering form of her sister upon the ground with a new gleam in her eye. "Your toxin attacks the body of one who's used the serum? Well, mine attacks those who haven't." Medusa's eyes widened, as another jolt of pain wracked her being, this time sending her forward against the floor. She could barely move, she had to conserve her energy as much as possible! This was not the situation she wanted to be in!
"Right now, that poison is working its way through your system, gradually eating away and infecting you from the inside out. You won't be able to get out of this one, little sister." The spider woman's eyes widened slightly. "You will die, and I will take the glory for your plan. I'll explain everything to Kishin Asura – he'll reward me for being so driven as to destroy my own blood just to work at his side. He's a fair man."
She looked so hungry then, eager for the demise of her younger sister. "And I'll have saved him the trouble of tracking you down, and bestowing your death sentence!"
"Enough of this!" The frustrated roar cut through the tension in the room immediately, as all eyes turned towards Giriko. He was revving the chainsaw engine once again, and his eyes were set on Arachne. "I've heard enough, I've seen enough, I'm sick of it! Both of you Frankenstein bitches can just get the fuck out already! You want a death sentence? You got one! From me!" The engine caught, and he charged at the woman with slaughter on his mind.
Neither Maka nor Soul could stop him. All they could do was run after him to offer assistance. "Stay here, Crona! I gotta go do some damage control!" That stupid jerk - ! thought the girl as she turned and ran away from the wavering pinkette. He can't just barrel into battle like that! If Arachne bites him too, it'll be all over!
Perfect, thought Medusa, even in as much pain as she was. This is perfect. With Arachne now focused on the trio making their way towards her, she could at least get started on her cure. At least, she hoped it was a cure. This is a big risk I'm taking here. I guess, in the end...
She smirked to herself, as the second needle was slipped from her pocket, and held up against her neck with some of the remaining strength she had. I'm no more human than she is. Pushing down, the substance inside shot into her system, and she let out a low groan from the contact. Letting her arm drop back down to her side, she released the empty syringe.
Now, it was all up to chance. She'd have to wait, and see if her prayers, all contained in that little vial, were answered. And hopefully, everything would resolve before those bombs went off. Her gaze darted upwards, to lock on the three who were now engaging the monstrous woman in combat. She would have to rely on them to deliver the finishing blow. Her gaze drifted across, to where Crona stood, watching fearfully but intently. Her stare softened just slightly.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend, as they say...
…...
For once, the underground throne room was alive with noise, an actual presence. Most of the time, it was hard to determine if there was anyone actually in there; Arachne and her damned elegance not allowing her to be loud, it was unladylike and all that.
But now, she was alight with yells of rage and delight as Giriko tried to catch her with the saw he swung around, as if it were light as a feather. His strikes were wide and strong; she wouldn't be able to keep dodging them completely on the ground. And those two brats thought they were being so sneaky, coming up around her, but she could feel them, and just barely see them from the corner of her eyes.
"Hah! Come on!" Giriko was regarding her crazily, though he wasn't making any plans to gain distance from his target. Swinging the chainsaw down, he very nearly cleaved her skull in two, had she not jumped back at the last moment. A few strands of hair were sliced off though, and Arachne shot him a withering look. "How dare you!"
He grinned. "You should know I don't play nice by now. Next time, I'll get the whole head!" He spun around, but this time, he didn't attack with the saw. Instead, he kicked out, striking her in the stomach and sending her back towards Maka and Soul. "Now, you two! Show her what's what!" Maka gripped her scythe, and prepared to swing. "Right!"
"Rgh - ! You again? Loathsome runt." Arachne was forced to step away, as a powerful swing came from Maka. She just managed to nick one of the woman's many legs though, and she growled in pain, beginning her plans for a very special death for the blonde brat.
It's no good down here. I can't move as freely as I used to. But, that's what the web is for. Quickly, she fired off another string and drew up once again, just narrowly missing Soul's slice. The blade passed directly under her feet as she shot up towards the ceiling, and into the shadows once again. Now all of them were making their way around, looking skywards.
"That cheater." Giriko spit, raising his saw and pointing it towards the ceiling. "She knows she can't win down here, not after she went and fucked her body up like that. So she's hiding. She's cooking up some sort of plan, but I don't know what. She isn't going to let us escape so easily."
Another web string caught his arm, and he growled as he swung the saw through the base of the thread, then pulled the remainder from his elbow. This shit again - ! As he tried to wipe it off, a second string caught his other arm, and this time he pulled to get free. Maka watched as the string jerked wildly. The vibrations were traveling through the whole web, it seemed...
"Damn it!" Soul was standing beside her, also trying to get free of a strand that had just snagged his arm. "This is a real pain to navigate." Even as he cut through the substance with his scythe, the base of the thread shifted, and the movements traveled up the rest of it, into the shadows.
It dawned on Maka then: if Arachne was above them, and they were shaking the web like this, then...
Wouldn't she feel it, too? Panic rose in Maka then, as she looked upwards. If they were making this mess of her web, then Arachne didn't need to see where they were, all she had to do was follow the vibrations. Which meant that everyone had to avoid triggering the threads. And that included -
"Crona!" As she looked across, she saw that the pinkette was making a careful effort to not move. But even then, she was forced to adjust her position on occasion, and she was getting tangled. It was very hard to avoid those threads. And although she was keeping an eye on her surroundings, she was still the only one of them who wasn't armed. Arachne already expected the poison to finish off Medusa soon. Which meant...
"Ah?" As she watched Crona try to remove another sticky string that had gotten stuck to her arm, the thread tugged and shifted once more, and above her head, something twitched. Maka didn't wait to find out what it was. Strings be damned, she was running across, to push the girl out of the way. "Look out!"
She reached her just as Arachne swung down to grab her with one of her lone claw arms. The two girls tumbled to the floor, Maka making sure to hold that damn scythe as far away as possible when it happened. Straightening herself in an instant, she held her weapon at the ready in a crouching position as Arachne surveyed her spitefully. Giriko and Soul were already making their way over, ready to attack. "Maka!"
The spider woman drew back up before they could reach her, and Giriko cursed as she retreated among the darkened threads. "Fuck! It's like whack-a-mole! We chase her away from one area, she just pops up in another!" He grit his teeth, and angrily drove his saw against the ground a couple of times, enjoying the aggressive sound of metal against stone. Maka helped Crona to her feet, and returned her gaze to the ceiling.
"She's using the web just like a real spider. When she hides up there, she can feel the tremors traveling through every time we get tripped up by one of her threads. So all she has to do is follow the motions." Giriko and Soul were regarding the strands with a new loathing, while Crona held onto Maka, doing her best to avoid them once more.
That spider lady was scary. Arachne, right? Her aunt. Medusa's older sister. She wasn't nice at all. She was something like Medusa, but different, seeing as while Medusa may've been cruel, she certainly hadn't tried to kill her. That was the difference between sisters, possibly.
Then again, Medusa had tried to kill Arachne and her friends as well, and she'd raised Crona the way she had, so she couldn't be sure about her, either. Both of them were bad news. And poor Maka and her friends had had to kill those guards outside, too. There was so much killing and destruction going on around her.
"Doesn't it make you boil, Crona? Don't you want to spill some of that blood, too? Don't you want to see the black blood?" No, Ragnarok. Not here, and not now. Crona refused to give into the madness. She had to be strong, for Maka's sake. She wouldn't allow Ragnarok to get Maka killed. Using all the mental restraint she had, Crona forced him back down into the depths of her mind. It hurt, but she would endure. She could endure it.
"Well, we're just gonna have to stay on the alert, then. It's impossible to avoid these threads." Soul nodded, and Maka could only life her scythe in agreement, facing the blade out as she tried to keep an eye on the ground below her, the ceiling above, and the girl behind. It wasn't a simple task, and Maka was starting to feel dizzy. But she couldn't let her guard down!
"Oh, for – not again!" Soul was struggling with more threads, when there was a sudden rustle overhead. Immediately, he drew his scythe, but it was knocked from his hand, as Arachne struck him with one of her legs. Using her claws, she gripped him under his arms, and began lifting him back up into her web.
Maka rushed forward with Crona, frantic. "SOUL!" Damn it, she couldn't let him be -
But the boy was grinning. "Heh, sorry, but I'm already taken!" Swinging his lower half up, he caught her under the chin with his foot. She flew back, and he flipped around to land on his hands and feet below. Grabbing his weapon once more, he dusted himself off and turned to look at Maka and Crona, who had just come up next to him. Maka felt like crying, even as she saw the expression on his face. She'd seriously thought he was going to be killed!
Soul reached out, and ruffled her hair. "Aw, don't look at me like that, Maka. Remember, street dancing?" She flinched slightly, but her worries began to settle. "You know I'm not ready to die. I can't leave things like this."
His words reassured her, and together they returned their attention to Arachne, who was now hanging just a few feet above them. She was rubbing her jaw, glowering. "It seems that all the men you associate with are brutes, girl."
Maka's eyes narrowed at the application of the moniker. "Maybe, but at least I know they have my back. Where is your army now?" She had to smirk, just a little, at the bitter leer that crossed the spider woman's gaze. She had touched a nerve, it seemed.
"Ya-ha!" Arachne didn't get a chance to answer though, as a powerful strike came up from behind her. Giriko and his saw had found her once again, and this time she had to duck down to avoid the blow. She winced in pain as the saw grazed her back, before slicing through the strand that held her. She landed on the ground, and rolled away as another blow flew down at her.
The sound of metal grinding and ripping fabric filled the air; the hem of Arachne's dress had been caught by the teeth of the blade. She was pulling as hard as she could to get away, and the end of the skirt tore off before Giriko could lift the blade one more time. Arachne was skittering away to send another thread out above her head.
"I'm not gonna let you get away! Take THIS!" Maka was on her tail, taking a running leap to bring her scythe down against Arachne's back. But the woman stopped her by swinging out two of her legs to catch her in the middle. Maka gasped, as the wind was knocked out of her. But managing to keep her bearings, she swung the scythe down at an angle, catching against Arachne's outstretched limbs with the edge of the blade.
It wasn't enough to cut through them, but it was enough to send her flying back in pain, howling as Maka fell to the ground. Crona reached her first, then Giriko and Soul. As Maka rose to her feet, the spider woman retreated once again into the shadowy web above. This time though, a small puddle of blood was left behind where she previously stood. That was a good sign. She was bleeding, which meant that she wasn't immortal. If it bled, you could kill it.
"We're wearing her down!" Maka was impressed by their progress, she had to admit. They were managing to avoid getting killed so far, and had even done some decent damage. It wasn't enough to take her out completely, but it was good for a start.
Still though...she looked over at Giriko, who was focused on the web above their head. His expression was aggravated. They couldn't just keep on scratching her. They had to bring her down, and that was a lot harder than it looked. And what about those bombs?
That's right, Medusa! The snake woman had been quiet all this time. Had the poison overtaken her? Maka looked around quickly, and after a few moments of searching, located the woman a ways away, near the throne. Her body was at an angle, but Maka could still see her face. Her eyes were open, though Maka couldn't tell if the woman was alive or not.
For all the grief she'd put them through, particularly Crona, Maka still had to feel a hint of sympathy, at having to go in such a way. She was walking towards the body before she knew it. Crona saw this, and although worried, followed her in silence. The threads trembled around them, and Maka wound up stopping before she reached the woman. She didn't want to stir the hornet's nest that was Arachne again just yet. Give it another minute or two, then she'd be ready.
As she looked over Medusa's still form, the woman's eyes suddenly moved, to fix on her. Maka felt her heart jump, as a soft, raspy chuckle came forth from her lips, slightly tugged upwards in a smile.
"I'm not dead yet...but there isn't much time left. You need to...dispatch her, and soon. The way you're handling it, though...I'm going to die...with no honor." She coughed; she had to avoid speaking too much. She had to conserve her strength. It didn't look like her risk was going to pay off; at most, it had only delayed the course of the toxin. She would just die slowly.
"What business is it of mine how you die, or with what? I'm not fighting for you." Maka's gaze hardened, and as she took note of Crona standing behind her, she shifted her body as to block the girl from Medusa's view. The woman simply chuckled, taking in the look on Crona's face before offering her next bit of advice.
"Well then...fight properly for your cause. Why don't you try...using that needle you picked up from me earlier?" Maka looked down at her coat pocket. She had seen her grab it? "What's in there?" The woman chuckled. "Oh, I don't know, it could be...more genetics, or it could be..."
Her eyes flashed. "Concentrated madness." Maka's heart skipped. Madness? But then, that meant...
Medusa began to cough. Damn it, it was getting harder to speak! She had to get the message through to this thickheaded girl before it was too late! "Although Arachne...may have enhanced herself with those chemicals...she still has no shield for her own insanity. And that...is a potent batch that cannot be...simply used through the skin." The lightbulb flashed on in Maka's head: there was a way they could take out Arachne, but it would require a whole lot of teamwork, and a shit-ton of luck.
They'd come this far, though. She was willing to bet that they could pull it off. She was up for another gamble.
This...is what I have been reduced to...how pathetic. Medusa looked over once more at Maka, who was now carefully making her way back to her friends. Crona did not follow her this time though, instead staring out at her mother with those wide, dopey, fearful eyes that had followed her every move for the last eighteen years. Eighteen years...had it really been so long ago that she had welcomed the girl into this world?
And now, look at me. Look at us. All my plans have come to naught; I'm going to die here, and my daughter will leave me, and my wretched sister will win before these fools end her. My bombs will go off, and there is nothing...
Her thoughts trailed off. No, there was one more way she could guarantee something of a victory, even if she wouldn't be around to see it. But she would need some help. Her eyes were still locked on Crona's, as a last mission came to mind. Her expression softened. This wasn't the norm for her, but if all was to end tonight...it didn't matter much. Crona drew back slightly at seeing such a look on her mother's face, aimed at her. It wasn't natural.
"Crona...you know it, don't you? I'm going to die soon." The pinkette nodded slowly, the weight of acknowledging this fact gradually pressing down on her while she regarded the woman before her in silence. "No matter...what may have happened between us...you are still my daughter." Crona's heart clenched. "I have a last request...but I need your help to carry it out. It affects you too...which is why I ask for you." The girl was not sure of how to take this.
Medusa's eyes narrowed then, and the softness to her features disappeared. Each word was laborious for her to spell out, but the girl was going to listen to her, damn it! "You w-will help me, if you wish to - to save your f-friends." The threat resonated with her; Medusa could still hurt Maka and all the others. Even if Crona didn't want to go to her, she would not risk her friends' safety. Crona had promised to help Maka. It was scary, but she had to do it.
And Crona was the only one who truly knew Medusa. She would be able to understand her here, gauge things, better than anyone else could. Right now, she wasn't afraid for herself. Just Maka. So, with those shuffling, awkward steps, Crona made her way towards Medusa's fallen form.
"Ah?" Just as Maka was about to reach Soul and Giriko, she realized that there was no one behind her. Looking back quickly, she saw that Crona was crossing the rest of the way to stand beside Medusa. That made her a perfect target for Arachne - ! "Damn it!" Now the girl was racing back, hoping to whatever God that was listening that Arachne didn't decide to drop in now. Hopefully, she was still nursing her wounds.
Why is she going by Medusa anyway? Mother or not, she's bad news! What did that woman say to her?! By now, Crona had just about reached Medusa. Kneeling down beside her, she listened to the woman's last instructions to her.
"In my r-right pocket...there is something I want you to...t-take out." With a trembling hand, Crona followed her mother's command, removing a small black remote with two buttons. One was green, the other was red. The green one was lit up, while the red one was darkened. Crona had no clue what Medusa wanted her to do with this.
"This is the control for the bombs at Shibusen. The ones I set up...to kill everyone." Crona's eyes widened, and her heart skipped as she looked down once more at the device in her hands. She was terrified. This is...?!
"I refuse t-to let Arachne win...to take my glory for h-her own. The bombs are currently a-armed...set to go off after the speech. It's soon, v-very soon...Crona, press the red button." Her eyes were looking up at the girl sharply, ordering her to follow. Crona didn't know what to do!
Suddenly, overhead. There was rustling. Maka saw this, and knew what was coming. Arachne! She dove forwards, pushing Crona aside as she lifted her scythe over her head, above both mother and child. The spider woman dove down, crashing into Maka as the girl shoved the scythe upwards. The woman screamed in pain; the blade had caught against her side, leaving another angry slash.
She leapt away, scurrying back up the web as the two males came rushing over. Giriko was ready to start tearing his hair out. "Fuck this! How the hell are we supposed to catch her?! Fucking jumping spider with her stupid web -!"
"I have an idea!" He and Soul looked over, watching as Maka pulled out the little syringe from her pocket. Giriko's eyes widened slightly. "Hey, I recognize that shit! Isn't that - "
She shushed him with a sweep of her hand. "Yes. It's madness toxin." Now Soul was staring warily at the needle. "And Arachne has no defense against it."
Giriko caught on in an instant, and after a moment or two, Soul got the gist as well. "You're going to inject that into her system and bring her down from the inside-out, aren't you?"
Maka nodded. "But I'm going to need some help. That's where you come in." She looked upwards, at the web overhead. "We're going to take control of Arachne's nest." Soul followed her gaze. "What did you have in mind?"
The girl grinned at him. "She uses the vibrations of the web to figure out where to go, right? We're going to manipulate that for our own ends." Pointing away from them, she gave her instructions. "I want both of you to head down that way, separate, and start shaking up the web as hard as you can at the same time. I'll do it too, so that the web is going all at once from three different areas."
Giriko was listening intently, trying not to get too awestruck by just how devious and calculating Maka was being here. This actually sounded like a good plan, and it was kind of a turn on to see her assuming command like this without making a big show of being dominant. He smirked. "And then what? Where do we go from there?"
She turned to address him. "Arachne will be forced to pick one spot to descend from. While she's engaged in battle with that target, the other two will rush her. She'll already have made one snap decision, she won't be prepared to combat three targets at once when she's been driven into a battle. We can inject her then, and do some physical damage as well. Get going!" Opening the needle in her hand, Maka watched as the other two began to make their way to the designated points without causing too much of a stir.
The only thing she couldn't guarantee was where Arachne would drop. Since there were three areas to pick, it was anyone's guess where she would come from. But if she came to where Maka was stationed, then she'd have a hard time injecting her, since she still had to watch out for Crona as well.
She couldn't separate from the girl and her dying mother; she didn't want to risk Arachne going after them instead and ruining the plan. But it would be tricky trying to inject the serum while defending at the same time. Of course, this meant that she wouldn't be able to maneuver the web herself; she'd have to leave that part to her companion.
This is it! As Soul and Giriko took their places and turned their attention skywards, Maka looked down at Crona. The girl had been listening the entire time, and although she still seemed worried, she was alert and ready for action. That was when Maka noticed the tiny device in her hands. It was blinking. She looked at her, a bit confused. "Crona, what is that? Where did you get that from?"
"Huh? Oh...oh!" She looked down at the control in her hand, remembering then the task that Medusa had left to her. And now, Maka was asking of her, too. She could help Maka, of course she could, but...what about Medusa? Could Crona really trust her? What if this thing hurt Maka, instead of helping? What if Medusa had lied to Crona? She had hurt her before, more than once. Why couldn't she do it again?
But I...I have to help Maka...! Which way is helping Maka? Now she looked panicked. Maka was about to comfort her, when she was interrupted by the annoyed tones of Giriko. "Oi! Quit chit-chatting and let's get to work!" Whatever was going on, it would have to be addressed later. Opting to pat the girl's shoulder and offer her a reassuring smile, Maka looked up towards the strings. "Crona, I need your help now. Can you do this for me? Can you shake the threads?"
The pinkette nodded slowly as she stood, her hands reaching up to wrap around the thread. The control was still in her grip, and she did her best to keep it away from the webbing. At their respective points, Soul and Giriko were getting ready to start as well.
Maka's heart was pounding, as she got her scythe ready. She could hear the chainsaw engine revving once more. Beside her, Crona was swallowing quietly, her grip tightening. The adrenaline was coursing through their systems, even as still as they appeared on the outside. There was a slight rustle above, from the center of the web.
The switch was flipped. NOW! All three sides began yanking and pulling on the web as hard as they could. This time, the situation was reversed; the prey were using the spider's own trap to do her in. Would they be successful in their hunt?
Or would she be able to figure it out and turn the tables on them?
A/N: Wooow...has it really been almost two years? Dang, time continues to fly.
Sorry for not being more active here. Life hasn't been the greatest, on top of the pandemic, & I admit, I've also gotten sucked into new fandoms & websites. However, I do intend to finish this story, & what better way to start than an update for the summer? Hopefully, y'all are still tuned in & interested.
As we can see here, the battle between Maka's team & Arachne is well underway. They're making progress, but not enough to send her down for the count just yet. Will Medusa's unintentional offering of assistance turn the tides in their favor? Or will it all fall apart, just like a tattered & battered web?
Medusa, too. It looks as though she may very well be on her way out. However, she's still got a few loose ends of her own to tie up - ones that only Crona is tasked to accomplish on her behalf. Will she accept this task? Can Medusa even be trusted at this point?
As always, feedback is welcomed, appreciated, & encouraged. If there's anyone still out there, feel free to swing by & say hi. I love hearing from you. I'm considering possibly moving my works over to AO3, so if that's something that sounds good as well, let me know. Maybe there'll be a bigger audience over there - this site has changed quite a bit since I last posted. Next time: The conclusion of the ultimate showdown. And, a return to another scuffle of its own epic proportions.
Alright, everyone. Until then, take care, & stay safe.