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Lost Keys
Chapter 12
"Lady Blue?" Stein asked.
A few minutes ago, he was searching in the library for more information about Max's cursed eye, but then got a phone call from Maka, telling him to come over. Abandoning the search, he rushed over, only to find a little, talking scorpion in a pickle jar.
"Yeah, that's what we heard him say." Maka said, ignoring Black Star who was still battling the goo on his face… while Tsubaki tried hopelessly to calm him dawn, Max was busy poking the pickle jar, waiting for the poor prisoner inside to react.
The scorpion had its claws crossed while having its back facing the humans. "Worthless humans… I should have killed you when I had the chance!" he cursed over, and over again.
"Strange… first the dog, now this…?" Stein twisted the screw on his head. Turning to Maka, he noticed the new wounds on her. "How did it attack you exactly?" he asked. How would a small scorpion make so many wounds?
"Well, when he attacked, he was… in a different form." Maka said, trying to find the right words to describe it.
"A different form?"
Maka pointed at the used-up scorpion body on the kitchen floor. It had a huge shoe print on its back that clearly belonged to Black Star's shoe. Stein grabbed a nearby fork, walked over to the body and poked it twice. Making sure it won't somehow come back to life or something… or maybe he just wanted to poke it…
"Human, don't touch that!" The scorpion snapped, freighting Max who retreated behind Soul. The red-eyed teen managed to ignore the child.
"Why not?" Stein asked, but his question sounded like he was trying to annoy the scorpion rather than looking for an answer.
"Do not damage it any further! Lady Blue will kill me if it cannot be fixed!" The poor scorpion pressed its face to the glass, trying to somehow go through and escape from the jar. Using its claws as fists, it started hitting the glass in frustration.
"You seem to know a lot about this person." Stein said.
The scorpion froze, "I… I know nothing!"
"We'll see about that," Stein removed the lid from the jar then turned it upside-down, causing the scorpion to fall out.
'What the hell is he doing?' Soul asked himself.
"He- Hey! Put me down – I command you!" Stein had grabbed the poor fella by the middle of its tail and dangled it over the stove. The scorpion was straggling to get away, its legs twitching in midair like crazy. Poor thing… if only running on air was possible.
"D…Dr. Stein? What are you –Wha!" Maka gasped as soon as Stein turned on the stove and started to lower the scorpion to it.
"No – NO! Don't you dare! NO – STOP! Stop –stop – stop – stop!" The little scorpion thrashed its claws in every direction, struggling desperately to escape the flames beneath. Soul and Maka were stunned. Was he seriously going to burn it! Tsubaki closed her eyes. Black Star had no idea what was going on. Because of the goo, he couldn't see a damn thing.
Smiling, Stein seemed to be enjoying every moment… "Come on, spit it out,"
The scorpion screamed for its life as the fire got closer. Sure, to people, a stove's flame is pretty small, but to the coin-sized scorpion, it's hell.
"S-stop bulling him!"
Stein stopped. He looked around the room to find who had spoken. He felt a tug at his lab coat and looked down. Max, who looked absolutely scared, was looking up at him with his green eyes. "L…le-let him go! It's not n-nice to bully others." He said, "p-please?" The kid looked like he hoping his last 'please' would help.
'Idiot! What's he doing?' Soul wanted to yell out loud.
Stein crouched down so that he was face to face with the child, still holding the scorpion.
"P-picking on o-others isn't cool…Please let him go, doctor." Sure, the kid was trying his best to stay brave, but from the look in his eyes, it was clear how nerves he was.
"I don't think you understand the situation, boy."
"I'll talk to him!" Max left his palm open to him and smiled. At that moment, Stein noticed the child's determination. Sure, he was nervous, but decided to help the scorpion that attacked them for some reason.
Stein smiled, "Alright then."
"What! – Are you serious?" Soul's eyes widened. He turned to see Maka's reaction. She had her hands clinched tightly into fists while her eyes were fixed on Max with a determined expression on her face. It seemed like she was saying 'do your best' in her mind.
Stein handed the scorpion over too Max and waited.
"Whatever you're planning to do with me will not work!" The little scorpion yelled. Damn, this thing had the most annoying voice in the world. "Go ahead, torture me! I will never talk!" The scorpion said and paused himself dramatically, "I shall stay loyal to Lady Blue!" he stayed in that pause for a while. Everyone blinked. Was he that serious?
Max took a deep breath,"Mr. Scorpio-"
"I CONFESS!" The scorpion suddenly cried a river of tears as his voice echoed in the room.
The hell? The kid didn't even say a thing…
"I was sent here by Lady Blue to kill you. Do not take it the wrong way – I did not want to do it! She forced me to! I AM SORRY! Please, humans, if you're about to kill me, make it fast."
Soul blinked. What just happened?
"I won't hurt you." Max said and smiled. The scorpion stopped crying like a baby and looked at him.
"Hu? You will not hurt me?"
Max shook his head.
"Why not?" The scorpion suddenly sounded serious again, "I just tried to kill you!"
"You said you're sorry."
The scorpion blinked, "Huh?"
"You said you're sorry. I say sorry whenever I do something wrong." Max's smile grew wider.
The scorpion's tail twitched, "What? That's it? No torture? No boiling me alive? No dismembering me?"
"Nope!" Max said, even though it looked like he had no idea what the scorpion meant.
"…oh…"
The room fell silent for a while, with only the sound of Stein breathing out smoke from his cigarette. "Then, what do you humans want from me?" he asked, unsure of the situation.
"We want to know who this Lady Blue is." Stein said.
The scorpion took a minute to think, "I will tell you, but only on one condition,"
"And what's that?" Stain asked.
The scorpion stretched out one of his eight legs to show the metal ring that was attached to it, "Get this off, then, and only then, will I tell you."
"What's that?" Max asked and pointed at the ring.
"Lady Blue is able to know my location with this. I cannot get it off." The scorpion explained.
Stein brought his hand to his chin, "Well, I might be able to get it off with a few tools."
"Deal."
Stein opened his palm and the scorpion crawled on.
"Little human," The scorpion called, obviously speaking to Max, "you are not like other humans. Who are you?"
Max titled his head. Not like other humans? The child decided to ignore that comment, "I'm Max."
"And I am Mo."
"Really? Now he's friends with a scorpion?" Soul thought. He heard a soft giggle and looked at Maka. She had a warm smile on her face. She looked so happy, so proud of the little boy. If only Soul could make her feel happy like that anytime.
He was interrupted from his thoughts by Black Star's frustrated attempts to get the goo off.
"Blue headed human, just wash it off." Mo snorted at the view.
"I'll take Mo with me so I could get that object off. Take care." With that, Stein, along with Mo, left.
It was late. Everyone was tired. Tsubaki managed to wash the sticky stuff off of Black Star. But, of course, it wasn't easy when he kept running all over the apartment, determined to get the goo off him himself. But the wall stopped him after he ran blindly and slammed his face to it, falling unconscious.
"I could've destroyed that little bug if he hadn't thrown his shit at me!" Black Star yelled while punching the air in anger.
"Yeah, whatever…" Soul sighed lazily and sunk into the couch. He had been like that for a while. Tsubaki and Maka went to have a 'girl talk' at Maka's bedroom, or at least that's what Tsubaki told them they were going to do. All Soul wanted was rest. Unfortunately, Black Star wouldn't leave him alone.
He sighed in frustration. He didn't know why he was getting grumpy all of a sudden.
"What's eating you?" Black Star asked, noticing his friend's behavior.
Soul sighed again, "I don't know."
Black Star blinked, "Dude, if something's bugging you then just say it."
"I'm serious. I don't know."
He wasn't lying. Sure, he felt something trapped inside his chest, but he didn't know what it is. Soul turned to look at the pictures hanging on the wall. Most pictures were of him, Maka, and a few photos of them and their friends.
"Ahh, now I get it!" Black Star grinned, "Crushing on Maka again, aren't you, buddy?"
Oh Shinigame, was it that obvious?
"No I'm not!" Soul's face turned bright red.
"You can't hide the truth from the great me!" He laughed, "So, when are you going to tell her that you… you know… like her?"
While the two friends continued, they didn't notice the little boy sneaking behind the couch holding a bird made out of paper. He had asked Tsubaki how to make origami birds so that he can cheer Mr. Soul up with a present, so she taught him how to make one in Maka's room. Sure, it was a little wrinkly at some parts, but it still looked nice. He had never seen Soul smile at him, so he thought if he did something special, maybe Soul would finally smile. He was about to surprise Soul with the origami he had made, but…
"When that kid is gone."
Max's eyes widened. Did Soul just say that?
"That brat?" Black Star asked.
"Yeah. He keeps getting in my way." Soul said coldly, "A soon as a brought him here, it's like I'm not even here anymore. I though he'll stay for only a day or two, but now…" he couldn't find a perfect word to describe the feeling.
"At times, he's annoying as hell. What he did to me at school wasn't cool. He bugs me when we're alone, but then he's innocent in front of Maka." He sighed, "I just want him to leave already."
Tears streamed down the child cheeks and landed on the origami in his hands. His body started to shiver in gilt. Mr. Soul didn't want him here. He looked down at the origami, but only saw a blur of fuzzy shapes because of the water that covered his eyes.
A little origami won't be enough…
He slowly crawled away, still unnoticed by the two older males.
"But at other times…" Soul continued. Should he really tell Black Star about this? "Even when I get pissed at him… I feel he needs my help. And today…" Soul remembered the incident with the scorpion, "Maka seemed so proud of him. He made her happy…" Soul clutched his chest, "I don't know what's wrong with me…"
"Dude," Black Star put his legs on the coffee table in front of him," I don't know what's wrong with you, but I know kids are stupid. Don't be surprised if he's stupid. Take an advice from the Great Black Star, take it easy. There's nothing to worry about!"
"SOUL!" Maka suddenly called, making Soul automatically jump off the couch in surprise, and Black Star's foot fell of the table, causing him to fall off the couch.
"Soul, have you seen Max anywhere?" She said, panting and sweat dropped down her forehead. She must've been looking everywhere for him.
"No. Wasn't he with you?" Soul asked.
"He was half an hour ago. But now… I can't find him, Soul!" She looked incredibly worried.
"Calm down – the kid's probably hiding." Soul suggested, even though he wasn't sure if it was true.
"Maka-chan," Tsubaki come out from Maka's room, "He's not in the bedrooms. I'll go look somewhere else." She said before running to another room.
Soul suddenly had an idea, "I'll go look in the kitchen, Black Star you – What are you doing?"
Black Star kicked one of the couches and flipped it over. "Not here."
"Idiot…" Soul thought to himself.
"Everyone, you have to see this!" Tsubaki yelled. They all fallowed her calls, and found her standing in front of the entrance door that was now open, letting in the clear sound of rain travel through the apartment. An origami bird was left on the welcome mat. Tsubaki picked it up, "Max-kun and I made this together…"
The door leading outside was wide open. He couldn't have runaway…
Could he?
"Max!"
"Max-kun!"
"HEY, BRAT!"
"Kid, where are you?" Soul yelled.
Everyone had grabbed an umbrella and began searching for the missing child in the rain. Black Star was determined that water will not harm him so he refused to hold on to an umbrella. The team scattered everywhere in the city, hoping to find their lost friend.
Water splashed as Soul ran as fast as he could, with questions replaying in his head.
Why?
Was he kidnapped?
Where is he now?
Why did he runaway?
"MAX!" He called out, but didn't get any response.
To Be Continued...
Review please :3 Next chapter will be up soon!
If you find any spelling mistakes please tell me so I can fix them :3
I'm sorry you had to wait this long D: This chapter wasn't supposed to be up just yet, but I wanted to update it now lol
Thank you for waiting. I will start righting chapter 13 soon.