Again I just wanted to say thank you. Your reviews are making me laugh, smile, and 'aw'. That's about the limits of my emotions so I won't go on. In any case, chapter 18.

Enjoy.

RxR

For a land based of death Maka never expected the streets to be so full of life. People filled the streets shopping and selling goods, some arguing over prices, others just enjoying the day. Children chased each other through the crowd lacing their way in between parents and strangers alike. No one got upset or told them to knock it off they just ignored them or smiled.

"The people here are so nice!" Maka laughed as the kids ran past them getting lost in the crowd that was pushing them along.

"Yes, we try our best to keep them content." Kid was guiding her by the arm towards a delicious smelling food stand. They were cooking something orange that resembled steak and potatoes, just regular potatoes. Her stomach growled at the lack of lunch that Kid had burned and it was back with a vengeance. Even the Prince had heard it.

"May I have one order of Quagga* and potatoes?" The Prince ordered politely.

"Of course you can my boy! I haven't seen you for a long time. Too busy starting to run things like your old man for a visit?" Kid waved his hand halfheartedly as if to brush it off. At that moment her stomach resounded in a tiger's growl.

"Could we make that two? Hehehe." The laugh was awkward but Maka wasn't exactly sure what the etiquette for the situation was. If he were to talk to Kid so casually then he must be important.

"Oh?" He leans to the side to peer behind Kid. "You brought a sweet little thing with you this time, how unlike you. Coming right up sweetheart, anything for someone who managed to remind this boy that I still exist."

The man prepared the dish with large helpings of whatever it was and handed them across the counter where Kid grabbed both. "No charge this time. Consider it a celebration of you finally finding a nice young woman."

He winked and then dove back into the stall probably preferring not to get hit. Surprisingly a slight blush colored the stoic reaper and he coughed awkwardly. He led them to a table by the stalls and sat down pushing the food towards Maka.

"I am sorry you are so hungry. Cooking seems to be lost on me."

"Oh don't be silly this one is for you." She smiled happily before pushing it over to him and digging into her own with much gusto. The flavors were remarkable! It was gamey and yet tender at the same time. And it was seasoned with a taste she could never describe, however she did recognize garlic.

"You are aware I don't need to eat, or sleep, or anything mildly human?" He poked at the plate with the little plastic fork.

"So it's just for fun!" He nodded and started eating a much more graceful manner than Maka.

"What is this anyway?" Maka asked through mouthfuls of meat and potatoes. He looked at her with mild interest.

"It's quagga. Don't you know it? It comes from earth."

"I've never heard of it. But I did take botany instead of zoology."

"Ah that's right. They were probably all dead before you were even born."

"Then how did they end up down here?" Maka's eating had finally slowed down to a normal pace long enough to really savor the meat.

"Everything that dies comes here, animals, people, even the furniture and plants. If someone died and it was destroyed with them or buried with them it comes to us." Maka actually paused thinking of all the old antiques in the castle.

"YOU MEAN SOMEONE DIED ON THE BED I SLEPT ON!"

"Oh no, all personal items are made here. That would be much too macabre on the rare occasion of guest."

"But eating an already dead animal isn't!" Maka screws her face up and pushes the plate away. She tries her best to not look disgusted.

"Maka. This is the Kingdom of Death. Literally everything you see here is dead in some form or another. We are used to it. It comes in perfect shape anyway, like no one had every touched it. Why would it matter to us?" Maka glanced around. He had a point. The outfits everyone wore spanned across centuries of style, everything from roman to army uniforms to clothes not unlike the ones she was wearing now.

"It's still kind of weird." Maka sighed but picked the plate back up. If she had been eating nothing but dead things since she got here why stop now? As they ate there was not much conversation. Every once in a while Maka would say something or ask a question about the city and Kid would answer. Even the people in the area were saying hello to the couple, throwing knowing glances and winks. It was so different from the way the people of the Life kingdom were treated. When Maka asked about it he simply shrugged.

"It is not our way to think ourselves better; after all they were once humans. To us they are as equal as anyone else." The young reaper was as cold as ever yet deep in his eyes she could almost imagine a twang of sadness.

"You do know I don't eat, or sleep, or do anything mildly human?" But in the end she knew she imagined it. Reapers don't feel emotion; Kid will never be sad, or lonely, or in love. One day, when I'm gone he will forget about me. I am nothing but a human to protect; he won't even miss me…

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Maka had stopped speaking or eating for the first time all day. She was just staring at the remaining bit of food on her plate. It was like a late summer storm the way she just changed moods all of the sudden. Her body usually radiated joy and drew people towards her in a way they couldn't quite control. But now, all he wanted to do was cover this precious bit of raw emotion and tuck her away from the rain. His hand was hovering over hers, but she didn't see it. Her eyes were still cast down on her plate. Nearly touching he could feel the warmth of her hand.

"Where do these people come from, Prince? Your people?" With lightning fast reflexes he recoiled his hand as if it were burned before she could look up. It's almost like it never happened.

"Why do you wish to know something like that?" Kid didn't want to tell her. She would truly think that they were monsters then. Then she really would leave him. Please Maka, don't ask again. I'm begging you.

What's this? Begging now. I wonder why?The small voice nagged quietly in the back of his mind. It was barely distinguishable from his own thoughts. She needs to stay her to be safe. That's why.

"I just… want to know." Her eyes flick up to his for a moment before quickly refocusing on the plate.

Maybe, or could it be…

"I- I really don't want to bore you with the semantics of it."

That you really…

"Maka I-"

Just….

"Please Kid."

Don't want her to leave you.

Kid stood abruptly, snapping the wood of the table in his grip. His eyes were glowing in their usual golden hue but he could feel the twinge of fear in them as well. It can't be. It just can't. I can't.

"I'm sorry. I- I didn't mean to make you mad Kid. P-please calm down." His eyes met Maka's and his heart sank when he saw her flinch at meeting his gaze.

"You fear me. You think I am a monster." The building rage inside him that had been stowed away for years was leaking out.

"No Kid, it's just that-"

"Just that what? That you think it best not to anger your jailor? That life on earth is where you belong? That if you had never fallen into our world you couldn't have been happier?" His eyes began to glow a deep, dark blue. The dams were broken and there was no way to force the anger back in.

"No I love it here. You're so kind and sweet. I only want to understand you-"

"Stop lying to me!" Kid turned his back on herand was breathing heavily.

"It's not a lie! I'm trying to help you Kid, please let me." Everyone in the area had backed up as far as they could while still watching the scene unfold. Though many have never met her, the civilians had a fondness for the little human girl. While she was in town everything seemed brighter, more alive. She had even managed to coax their stoic Prince into a smile every now and again. They could honestly say that they feared for her.

It was dead silent as Kid stood there dissecting her response. It was slow and broken but a laugh ripped out of his throat, steadily growing louder and louder. As quickly as it started it stopped cutting through the clearing like a knife.

"He… you want to understand us? You want to help us?" Quickly turning around Kid released all control he had left. His teeth grew to sharp pointed needles, cutting through his bottom lip. His normal careful manicured nails shot our turning into pitch black claws sharp enough to cut through steal like it was nothing but butter. He bared his bloody fangs and roared throwing Maka to the ground. Standing over her it was if she were looking into the very eyes of madness. "Well here I am! Here is what we all really are! I am not something 'kind and sweet'. I am a Prince among demons; given the chance any of my people would gladly give your life to the highest bidder in exchange for 5 measly minutes of being human. You'll only tempt us with what we can never have. You know nothing of us. Only what you choose to see and what we allow. We are the monsters that terrify the world, we deserve to live on the fringes, always watching, always removed. We have earned a fate worse than death. Run Maka. Run now, because of you stay any longer you will join us."

It was the look on Maka's face that finally dissipated millennia of rage in less than a second. She was on the ground shaking. Small cuts covered her knees from where they hit the pavement. But, it was the look of sheer terror frozen on her face that cut deeply into Kid. He stumbled backwards, slipping and falling. People stepped close trying to help him but he was up in a second. He spun away from her unable to face the look of betrayal that marred her beautiful and sunny face. I really am a monster.

He ran.

Quagga* this is actually real… or rather was. I was a really weird form of zebra that had a tan tummy, brown back and a stripe going down it's back.

Whew heavy stuff! Totally didn't plan for it to go that way but hey, when life gives you lemons drink some tequila because your too broke to afford limes? Eh something like that.

Btw, Lialane Graest is an old fellow author of mine. In fact, she heavily influenced me starting this story and is in fact a great author. While waiting for the next update you should go check her out.