Sorry to leave you with such a cliffhanger guys, this is a sad chapter so prepare your tissues! Enjoy guys.
…..
Soul watched as Maka was thrust into the air, a sword through her middle. Her eyes met his, the emerald pools wide and filled with pain. Mantis giggles as she gave a flick of her wrist and Maka went flying and landed with a sickening thump on the ground.
Soul found himself rapidly moving toward her unmoving form. He didn't notice Black Star fly down and imbed Tsubaki in chain scythe form into the cackling witch's shoulder. All Soul could focus on was his wounded meister.
Mantis hissed in pain, she knew that she had to get out of there fast while the wounded girl distracted them. Without a word she levitated and flew out into the sky, specks of blood flying from her shoulder. Of course she would want a rematch, she realized with a smirk. But of course she would like to face them with grief plaguing their delicate human hearts. It would be an interesting experiment.
No one pursued the departing witch, too stunned to do anything. A few agonizing seconds passed as Soul skidded to a stop at Maka's head. Then a wail interrupted the silence as Tsubaki stumbled over to her best friend's body. She desperately pressed her hands against Maka's wounded stomach. Sobs racked her body as she tried to staunch the blood that freely flowed and pooled on the ground.
Kid kicked into gear and started to run before hopping onto his skateboard that materialized out of thin air. He flew ahead in a desperate attempt to get help for his friend.
Black Star stood with his hands over his mouth. For once he had nothing to say. He just stared down at his childhood pal who was bleeding all over the ground. There was nothing he could do for her. "She was supposed to see me become a god," he whispered to himself. His voice cracked with the force of tears trying to force their way past his eyes.
Liz was clinging to Patti, repeating over and over again, "Oh Death no, not Maka, not our Maka…" Patti stared ahead blankly, total shock taking over her body.
Soul looked into Maka's green eyes. They stared back at him, emotionless. He brushed a few strands of her loose hair back from her face. She looked at him and her lips twitched upward ever so slightly.
Soul couldn't wrap his mind over what was going on. As he looked at the face of his meister he noticed a stream of blood flowing from her soft lips. Someone was screaming and he wished they would stop. He couldn't think with the noise echoing in his eardrums. He was about to tell them to be quiet when he realized that it was him the awful sound was coming from.
His scream was low and desperate, erupting and flowing from his throat like an unstoppable gush of water. He ran out of breathe when he realized that his meister's eyes were becoming glazed over and the hand that had been gripping his, loosened. He choked back a sob and brought her limp hand up to his face, gently pressing it against his cheek. His other hand was fisted in her blonde hair and her head was on his lap.
"Maka? Talk to me Maka! Maka!" his pleading screech rattled the bones of the stunned group of teenagers.
…
"I'm sorry Soul, but Maka is in a coma," Stein said gently to the white haired boy leaning against the wall.
"But she's still alive isn't she?" he replied weakly.
"Well yes but barely. We don't even know if she will wake up," Stein flinched at the sudden drop in Soul's wavelength. It looked so small, nestled delicately in the center of his chest. It didn't move just sat there, depression overpowering it.
"She probably wont wake up," Stein said softly. He hated telling this to the boy, especially in the fragile state he was in. But he wasn't going to lie; he didn't want to get his hopes up.
Soul didn't say anything, just propped himself up and walked through the door that held the sleeping girl behind it. Stein felt like he should follow, but he didn't have the heart to interrupt the boy from his grieving.
…..
Maka had been in a coma for three weeks. She needed to be hooked up to machines just to keep breathing. Although her bruises had healed her body refused to wake her mind up.
Soul sat solemnly next to Maka's bed. In the past three weeks a lot of people had come to visit Maka, and Soul always seemed to be next her or in the room sitting in the corner. The only time he left her was to go home or eat.
Many people had tried to talk to Soul, but after many failed attempts to even get him to look at them, they learned fast to just leave him alone. The only ones he would acknowledge were those who were there when Maka was stabbed, but he would only give them a grunt or nod in their direction.
Spirit walked into the infirmary and quietly closed the door behind him. He pulled up a chair and sat at the end of Maka's bed. He looked toward Soul who was blankly staring at the small hand in his own rough one.
"Soul, I need to talk to you. Feel free not to respond but just listen, ok?" Spirit's voice was uncharacteristically somber. "Maka's mom is coming tomorrow. She going to disconnect Maka from her machines. She wanted to get here to say goodbye and then unplug her."
Soul felt his blood boil up in his veins. For one of the first times in three weeks Soul opened his mouth and said something. "How dare she?" he spat. "What gives her the right to decide, she has barely been there for Maka at all, and she thinks she can just walk in and decide something like that. She's been gone for almost half of Maka's life!"
Spirit was looking down at his hands sadly as Soul turned to him. "Can't you do anything?" Soul asked.
"No," Spirit sighed, "Kami didn't allow me any custody, she makes all of Maka's medical decisions."
"Its not fair," Soul gasped, "Its just not fair." Tears were forming at the edge of his blood red eyes. He grasped his meister's hand tighter. He knew deep down that she was gone, but he couldn't stand to let her go.
"Why did she do that, why did she make sure I couldn't save her? Why couldn't it be me?" Soul whispered.
Spirit looked up at the broken boy in front of him. "Because she loved you," Spirit stood to leave.
When Spirit reached the door a quiet voice asked him, "Do you really think so?"
"Yes I do," Spirit said before continuing out into the hall and he closed the door behind him. He missed the small, sad smile creep over the boy's lips.
…
Soul was getting up to leave to the empty apartment he and Maka shared. The moon was peaking over the horizon, grinning madly. It felt as though it was mocking him.
He looked down at his partner. She looked so peaceful, so still. Her pale skin seemed to glow a beautiful orange color, as the light from the sunset cast its light down onto her. Soul was about to let go of the hand he had been holding for most of the day, but he remembered what was going to happen tomorrow. He would never see her again.
So instead of leaving, he locked the door and padded back over to where Maka lay. He grabbed her hand and climbed onto the bed next to her. He placed his head over her tiny chest and heard the faint, comforting sound of her heart.
Before he knew it tears were streaming down his face, dampening the sheets covering Maka's body. He wrapped his free arm around her waist protectively and snuggled up to the curve of her body.
Soul was rocked to sleep by the sound of his meister's gentle heartbeat and his quiet sobs.
….
Maka didn't know where she was, but it was nice. She didn't have to think. She was bathed in soft light and felt weightless. She felt completely at peace.
That is until she heard the sound of the music, just beyond her reach. She found herself wondering through the paradise that she now lived in, searching for the song. She came to a door, and walked through.
She found herself in a black and red room, and in the center of it was a boy with stark white hair playing the piano. Thoughts and feelings hit her like a wave. But one stuck out, Soul.
The song he was playing was slow, beginning in the in the bass notes and creeping up to the high notes, and then he was playing both. The melody was unlike any Maka had heard before, especially from Soul.
She felt like this is what it would sound like if a piano was crying. As she thought this, tears blurred her vision slightly. Soul finished the piece darkly, and slouched down, covering his face with his hands.
Maka approached his slowly, and placed a delicate hand on his shoulder. He whirled around and stared at her. She saw disbelief cross his eyes, and then disappointment. He turned back around and stared down at the black and white keys.
"That song sounded sad," Maka said.
Soul turned to look at her. "That's because I am sad," he replied dully.
"Why are you sad," Maka asked. This was awkward and she wanted to go back to the place she was before, but she felt she should be somewhere else. Nothing made sense right now.
"Because I've lost you," Soul replied matter-o-factly. He looked into her green eyes; she could see his were lost in pools of sadness.
"But, I'm right here," Maka said. The more she stayed here, the more confused she got.
Soul laughed sadly. "Ya, but this is a dream, silly."
"It is?" Maka said. "Is this your dream, Soul?"
"Yes, and what better dream to have then see you one last time," he grinned.
Maka turned to leave. It was to sickening to see Soul like this; she wanted to get back to the comforting place she was before. As she was about to open the door, she felt Soul's eyes on her and he said, "I really wish you would wake up Maka."
….
Maka's eyelids felt heavy and hard to open. She was strained to see, and was surprised to be looking up at a white ceiling bathed in moonlight instead of the cloudy place she thought she was going to when she opened the door in the black room.
Something was holding her down. She lifted her head and looked toward her feet. She was very surprised to see a disheveled Soul laying on top of her. His hair was messy and his clothes were wrinkled, he had the overall appearance of someone who hadn't been taking care of himself.
His eyes were clothes were closed in sleep but he didn't look peaceful. He was whimpering pitifully and his face was stained with tears, she felt what only could be his hand tighten around her fingers.
"Soul," she croaked out. She tried to lift herself up onto her elbows but pain shot through her stomach and she gasped.
Despite the pain she still tried to wake Soul. She had always waken him up whenever he was having a bad dream. And the look of anguish on his face was unbearable.
"Soul, wake up. Come on Soul." she tried to pat him awake weakly with her free hand but couldn't wake him.
"Maka, no Maka!" suddenly Soul screamed. Fresh tears poured down his face, "Maka…"
Maka couldn't stand this anymore, with as much strength as she could muster she yelled, "Soul, wake up, its ok Soul I'm right here!"
She was relieved when his eyelids fluttered open and dreary red eyes stared up at her. A look of disbelief crossed his face as he sat up, "Maka?" he asked with tears still leaking out of his eyes. A huge grin was spreading across.
"You were having a bad dream," she replied tiredly.
…
To tell you guys the truth I don't think I did a very good job, so sorry to all of you out there who didn't like it. The piano song Soul was playing in this chapter was supposed to be The Sixth Station by Joe Hisaishi. I leave on a camping trip tomorrow for four days. I'll try to update tomorrow before I leave but don't count on it. Anyways reviews would be awesome, thanks for everyone who read it!
-D
