Nearly two months had past since the birth of Amara's little brother and she could not be happier. She adored Masen, it never occurred to her that biologically he was her cousin. He was simply her gorgeous little brother, who seemed to love her just as much as she loved him.
It was a Thursday when everything went wrong. There was a horrendous storm and Amara had to stay in all day because of the weather warnings. The storm was said to last three days. Three days of torrential downpour and cold temperatures in the desert. Masen was scared of the thunder, but that's not why she fought with her parents.
Mara had never fought with her parent's before, not once. To be honest, she'd never fought with anyone before. She'd never felt anger to the point she'd shout at someone she loved. Amara's personality just didn't work that way. What could possibly change that?
"Amara, sweetie," her fathers voice carried through the halls to her bedroom. She looked up from the book her mother had gotten her for her sixth birthday a month before.
"Yeah, Papa?"
"You mind helping Mama settle your brother? I'm making dinner." Amara frowned a little in frustration but put her book away.
"Coming!"
Amara entered the living room in a huff. Yes, she loved her brother. But she couldn't deny he had changed things. Mama was constantly worrying about him, fretting over every little thing, and Papa hardly had any time to go from comforting Mama, looking after Masen and then working to give her any attention.
Amara scoffed internally before shaking her head to rid herself of such thoughts. How could she be so silly? He was a helpless little baby for now, of course he needed more attention. Mara found her Mama crouching over Masen on the living room floor. He was shrieking loudly as he lay on his back while Mama shushed him.
"Come on now baby, you're dry and fed, what do you want?" Amara could hear her Mama mutter. Amara sat beside her on the floor, the moment Masen's eyes landed on her face he quietened down for a moment. Just one, fleeting moment. There was another clap of thunder.
Then he screamed again.
"Aw, Masen! I'm sorry! Is it the storm? Is it the thunder?" Maka groaned as she sat up to look at Amara. "Sweetie, where's the baby's dummy?"
Amara found it wedged between the cushions of the couch. Mama didn't even say thank you as she took it hastily to put into Masen's ready gums. Mara sighed blissfully as the crying stopped.
"Thank Death," a frazzled Mama muttered before standing absent-kindly and making her way to the kitchen, her eyes always trained on Masen. Amara really frowned then, she stood from her place on the carpet make her way back to her room when the floor fell from beneath her.
"Whoa!"
Amara hit the ground in a thud. Her left foot tingled before it felt completely absent. Amara frowned before rolling herself onto her back, her delicate brows furrowed.
"Cosa diavolo… [What on earth…]" Amara began to murmur until her crimson eyes fell on her foot. Or, to be exact, where her foot should be.
The blade was a glossy black with sleek streaks of crimson meeting the tip in a very sharp point. Mara's eyes widened until they couldn't. A scream built up so suddenly it only came out as a small squeak.
"M-mama? Papa?!" She called, though her voice sounded strange. Mama and Papa must have heard the panic in her voice, because they came to her the quickest they had ever since Masen was born.
"Mara? What's wro – Oh my Death." Soul stopped short and Maka fell behind his shoulder when her eye's fell on her daughters foot.
"Oh – Oh, Mara! You're a weapon!" Mama's smile shocked Mara so much her eyes nearly bugged out of her head.
"Io… Io sono un cosa?! [I… I am a what?!]" Mara really didn't like the sound of her voice. She saw her father's brow furrow.
"Sweetie… You know what a weapon is. You know, like me? You're a scythe." He spoke slowly, obviously seeing her panic unlike her mother.
"This is a good thing," Maka crouched beside her to help her onto the couch. Mara could see her admiring the blade. Amara couldn't help but frown. She didn't like that.
"Amara, it's normal to be scared but… Your mother's right, this is great!"
"Si, per voi ragazzi ma oi… [Yeah, for you guys but I…]" Mara trailed off, her eye's falling angrily on her foot. "Why won't it just go?!"
Maka and Soul's eye's found each other's in worry. Soul quietly told her to calm down enough for her foot to return to normal. Amara's face only got angrier as it did.
"I don't want it to happen again," She said firmly. The tone sounded strange with her voice. Soul shrugged helplessly.
"That's impossible, Mara. You're a weapon." He told her.
"Well, I don't want to be a weapon! I don't even want to go to the DWMA!" She shouted as she jumped onto her feet. Masen began to whimper.
"You don't?" Maka said softly. "Well, I'm sorry sweetheart but you don't really have a choice anymore…"
"Non ho scelta?!" [I don't have a choice?!]" Amara was shrieking at this point. Soul and Maka looked to each other in shock. Amara had never shouted. Ever. She always spoke softly and smiled kindly. This behaviour was completely unlike her. She was such a gentle, kind –
Oh.
"Oh, Mara," Maka was the first one to understand. "We know you don't like fighting or any kind of violence. And if you had chosen to never be a meister, me and your father would never have had a problem with that. But… you being a weapon makes this situation very different. You're dangerous now, hunnie. And you need to learn how to control that." Amara was already shaking her head.
"No. No, I won't." Her face was set like stone. Soul shoved his head in his pockets as he took in his daughters distressed form.
"Devi, tesoro. Non vuoi ferire nessuno. [You have to, baby. You don't want to hurt anyone.]" Amara just met his eyes furiously.
"Exactly! I don't want to hurt anyone! So, why would I want to be weapon?!" She shouted furiously. Don't they get it? Masen cried louder as more thunder rumbled and Mara just snapped.
"Oh, shut up Masen! Can't I have their attention for one second?" She yelled at the top her voice, her patience was no longer wearing, but completely gone. Masen wailed and Maka picked him up before looking to Amara, her eyes furious.
"That's it, young lady," Maka snapped. "I've have enough of this. You will be going to the DWMA to get training and that's final. I don't care if you like it or not. You don't have a choice. Now, go to your room. I don't want to see you till the morning. " Maka gave her one last angry glare before storming into the kitchen. Amara looked over to her father, who looked more bewildered than angry.
Mara didn't want to hear it. She whipped around before her father could see her tears spill and ran to her room to slam er door as hard as she could.
"You were way too harsh."
"I know."
"Like, she was scared and you just – "
"I know, Soul."
Soul just shook his head as Maka climbed into the bed beside him. Their lamp glowed dimly, casting a soft gold sheen on their room. Masen was asleep in the crib beside their bed. Maka let her head hit the wall as she sat up in her bed and stared at the door.
"Maybe I should go see her." She said for the millionth time.
"No. Let her cool off. You will see her in the morning. You know – the time you specified-"
"Soul, stop it," she thumped him gently and sighed. "I feel awful."
"I know. But Amara went too far as well. She knows better than the yell at the baby." Maka just shrugged.
"Does she, though? She's more or less a baby herself. She's only six, Soul. I know she doesn't act it, but she is." Soul nodded.
"That's true. Well, we can both apologise tomorrow and discuss this whole DWMA situation. If we reassure her and tell her what to expect I'm sure she'll feel better." Maka smiled lightly and pecked her boyfriend on the lips.
"You're right. We'll let her sleep and talk in the morning."
"Sounds like a plan to me."
As Maka and Soul said their goodnights and rolled over to fall asleep, they had no idea that Amara was tiptoeing down the spiral stairs. Her eyes were glassy but set. She quietly put down her full backpack to wrap her coat around her. Her crimson orbs kept flashing to her parent's door. Would they catch her? Did she want them to?
Their door remained shut and after about a minute of staring at it, Amara shook her head. They're probably busy with Masen. They'd be glad to be rid of her. She picked up her backpack and slipped her arms through straps. She made her way to the door as quietly as she could and waited for another clasp of thunder before she pulled the front door open to slam it behind her.
The thunder cracked again as Maka and Soul slept soundly.
