Chapter Twenty-Two

Misao and Mifune stared each other down, each taking in the feelings of one another. Misao was panting after talking for a long time with such anger mixed with the sorrow of old memories that remained within her.

"I'm sorry for the pain you've been through." He said in a monotone voice. "And I'm also sorry for everything that is happening to you now."

"If you're really sorry, then help me escape from this place and assist us in taking out the Kishin!"

The atmosphere became heavy as the silence lingered around them. Misao watched as Mifune slowly lowered his head while grasping Angela tightly. Angela's face showed no expression to the conversation going on around her. All she could do was stare at Misao, who had a pained look on her face.

Misao knew Mifune's answer just by looking at his face. Hiding back her tears, she turned and punched the wall beside the window. "I guess this is your answer." She said. "Then you're not as sorry as you claim you are." She spoke while looking out the window, staring at the blue sky and white clouds. "This is why Blood is the only one I can trust in this world."

"You and Misao knew a witch who never committed a crime against people?" Stein asked.

"Well, I didn't know her. But I saw the memorial shrine Misao and her father had built for her. She was Misao's nanny while her mother was sick. The witch used her practices to try and cure her mother's illness."

"You said she had a memorial shrine." Maka repeated. "Does that mean she's dead?"

"Yes. Misao told me she had sacrificed herself during an attack on the village. This was about two years before Master Isame found me." He sighed as he took the sheets off of his body. "The way Misao and Isame talked about her, I know there are good witches. Which is why Misao and I don't agree with your ideas of justice."

Stein adjusted his glasses and let out a long sigh. He took out some pain medicine and poured it in a small cup to give to Blood. "Take this. Your strength will come back very soon." He handed the cup to Blood and watched him drink it before he took it back. "We respect that you don't believe in our code." He told Blood. "Just because you are with us, doesn't mean you have to agree with how we do things here. What is important is saving Misao and stopping the Kishin."

Blood smiled at Stein and nodded. He then gazed at Soul and Maka who had determined expressions on their faces. "You're right, professor. Thank you for standing by us."

"That's why we're here."

"Soul, Maka, we're still cool despite what I said, right?"

Soul walked to Blood's side and held a fist in the air. "We're cool."

Blood and Soul fist-bumped each other and laughed. 'Misao, we're coming to get you. Hold on for as long as you can.'

An hour or so later, Blood was back on his feet, walking around the academy. Everything around him made him think about early years of him and Misao, especially the first time he met her. She accepted him right away. Whenever she saw him sit by himself, in pain of losing his family, she was there beside him. She'd always find ways to cheer him up, from introducing him to her friends and including him in their soccer games to just the two of them spending time together in the castle, either healing his wounds from training or showing him some of her favorite books. Misao's smile haunted him everywhere he went.

"Hey Blood. Glad to see you're doing okay after that fight." Tsubaki found Blood spaced out in the classroom in the third row. "What're you doing in here by yourself?"

He let out a sigh, relieved that Tsubaki was there to check on him. "Thinking about how to get Misao back. Forming a plan of action before we actually go out and perform that action."

"Oh, is that all?"

"You told Maka about my true feelings for Misao." He put it out there casually. "She mentioned it to Soul and Stein while we were in the infirmary."

"Oh, sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it. It's okay." Blood said, smiling at Tsubaki.

Tsubaki sat beside him, patting him on the back to comfort him. "I'm sure she's thinking about you just as much as you're thinking about her."

"I know she is." He chuckled. "She's tougher than she looks, yet she's admitted to me that whenever she's alone or feels helpless, she thinks of me to get through everything. This proves to me that she may share the same feelings I have for her."

"Well, she's lucky." Tsubaki said, moving her hand to his shoulder. "Misao has a great weapon partner like you to look after her. And you're lucky to have a strong and caring meister."

Blood couldn't help but let out a chuckle. "I couldn't ask for a better one."

"There you two are." Kid and Liz came to the classroom, stopping in the middle of the room.

Tsubaki stood up when she saw Kid enter. "Oh, hi Kid. Is the reconstructing still going on?"

"It's almost done." He said. "My father wants us to meet in the Death Room. We're planning our attack on Asura and the rescue of Misao. Everyone else is already there."

"Well, shall we go, Blood?"

Blood looked up at Tsubaki with the most determined expression a man could wear. "Yes, let's go."

In the Death Room, Lord Death, Stein, Spirit, Nygus and Sid stood next to each other, facing Soul and Maka, Kid, Liz and Patty, Black Star and Tsubaku and several other students who were qualified and chosen for this mission because of their strength and ranking at the academy. One of them being a kid Blood has seen around school a lot, Ox and his weapon partner.

Blood stood beside Tsubaki and Kid, keeping his eyes strictly on Lord Death. He kept himself calm as he braced himself for what Lord Death and the others were going to tell them. Both of his fists were clenched at his side. He didn't put a lot of pressure on his bandaged arm. He glanced down at it for a second, thinking about how Misao was affected by his raw power. 'One day, Misao…we will master out technique.'

Lord Death cleared his throat and began to make his speech. "Alright, now that we're all present and accounted for, we can begin. As you know, this meeting is for the mission to take down the Kishin Asura and rescue Misao Ono before her orb is taken from her and used to amplify the madness wavelength. Our attack must be as precise as possible to make this mission a success. If we are not careful, we could be overpowered."

"All of you have been chosen because of your strength and/or your mental stability on the field." Stein said after blowing cigarette smoke in the air. "After the first rescue attempt by Sid and Nygus, chances are Asura's men will be on high alert, and Misao will have more security around her than before. Everyone will have their special missions to carry out once we get moving. It's like Lord Death said, stay in your positions and wait for your time to strike, or everything will be ruined."

"Black Star, you've gone up against the swordsman Mifune before." Lord Death said. "We will leave him to you."

"Great, I get to make that bastard pay for taking one of my fans and making an idiot out of the GREAT AND POWERFUL BLACK STAR!"

"Is it necessary for you to yell at a time like this?" Kid asked in an annoyed tone.

Stein adjusted his glasses and continued on. "While Black Star fights off Mifune, the rest of us will storm the castle and attempt to make our way to Misao. There's no telling how many more minions Asura has in his control aside from the ones we faced earlier. But either way, we must be at our best when going against them. They are stronger, yes. But they all have their weaknesses. Find it and gain the upper hand in the fight."

Lord Death stared at Blood who looked more anxious than anyone else in the room. "Blood, it would be better for you to stay near Stein and Spirit during this mission." He told him. "Like before, it's you they will attempt to target."

He nodded. "I understand. But I intend to fight my through their forced to get to Misao. No one will stop me."

"Just don't get yourself killed." Spirit said. "Stay near the group as long as you can. Like Stein said, we need to keep this plan as clean and accurate as we can."

"Kid, I want you, Liz and Patty to back-up Stein and I in keeping Blood protected."

"Right on!" Patty exclaimed while throwing her fist in the air.

Everyone started to feel the anticipation of battle as the meeting progressed. In everyone's head, they were planning their attack strategies. All of them had the same static expression as they listened to Stein, Spirit and Lord Death talk about their plan.

Blood wore a small, satisfied smile. 'Misao, hold on for just a little longer. We're coming for you.'

As Misao laid in her bed, completely under the covers, a shock of energy hit her heart that made her flinch. Her eyes widened, and she let out a surprised gasp. 'What…was that?' She placed a hand over her chest and curled into a ball, savoring the slight aftershock it left inside of her. 'Blood, is this you? I know you'll come for me.' Misao closed her eyes again, imagining Blood sitting beside her and rubbing her back like he always did. 'I'm waiting for you…I'll…always wait for you.'

The door to the room slowly opened, causing Misao to quickly react and push the sheets off of her. Her heart raced when she saw Giriko standing there with a smile. From where she was, Misao could only see one eye while the other one was concealed by his hat. She remained in the bed, grimacing at him. "Asura requests your presence. But before you go, put this on." He showed her an outfit that consisted of a strapless maroon belly shirt and a long skirt that had a split on the right side. In his other hand, a leather belt decorated with rare stones and a pair of tan boots.

Please R&R ^_^