A/N: Thank you everyone who reviewed! I was so pleased to see so many people loving my work and leaving comments! WEEE! Made my day last update! See if we can do it again, nya?

Chapter 5

Don't Talk to Strangers

I was right in the middle of some possibly key information regarding all this random insanity waves nonsense when my bag suddenly vibrated and a muffled jazz tune could be heard.

Soul's ringtone.

I fished through my bag and found the little singing device.

"Hello?"

"Hey, when are you coming home? It's dark out ya know?" he said, with a hint of worry.

"What? What time is it?"

"Geeze, you really do zone out when your nose is in a book. It's after 8."

"Oh my gosh! Really?" I quickly glanced at a large clock on the wall. Crap, he was right.

"Should I come pick you up now?"

"Nah. I'll just walk home."

"At this time of night? And lord knows what creeps are lurking out there!"

"Soul, I'll be fine."

"Maaaakaaa. . ."

"I'm one of the most lethal technicians, I think I can take care of myself."

"Yeah, a lethal technician without her weapon."

"I'll. Be. Fine."

"I'm coming to get you."

"No! Stop treating me like your damsel in distress all the time!"

"Fine! If you're going to be stubborn about it! I won't come get you!"

And with that he hung up on me.

I had forgotten how long of a walk it was from Shibussen's library to our apartment, and I had forgotten how fast it got dark around here. The streets were virtually deserted. Nothing escaped my soul perception radar, so I knew without even looking that no one was around. I don't know if that comforted me or scared me.

Ok maybe I should have waited for Soul to come get me.

No! I could handle myself! What was I? Five? I'm an adult, I can take care of myself!

"Yeah, a lethal technician without her weapon."

My heart quickened a little. No! Come on, Maka! You can do this! You're strong! You know plenty of hand-to-hand combat techniques to handle anything when unarmed. Yes! I can do this!

I went rigid all of a sudden as something dark slithered out of the corner of my eye. Looking carefully to my right, I saw nothing out of the ordinary, just a crate sitting next to the stoop of a flower shop.

Trick of the light, that's all it was. Yeah, that's all it was.

I kept walking (at a faster pace I might add). If something was there, I would have picked it up with my soul perception, right? I concentrated a little more. Yup, nothing there.

Then why did that shadow just move?

I stopped, rigid again. How could anything be there?

"Hello, anyone there?" I timidly asked. Then I just felt completely stupid for speaking to absolutely nothing. Come on! There's nothing there, right? RIGHT?

Suddenly something dark and blob shaped seemed to melt from the darkness, almost like a shadow with no owner. But the crazy thing was, I felt nothing around me! There was no one there according to my soul perception.

Stay calm, Maka, just Stay. Calm.

I broke out into a sprint down the street, yet I could still see the dark shape following me out of the corner of my eye, almost as if part of my eye was going blind. Soon, I saw another dark shape creep up in my other eye. Both followed my racing pace, but still I felt no presence, nor heard anything.

Stupid, stupid girl! Why did I have to argue with Soul?

I skidded to a holt and whipped around to face my pursuers; I had to know what I was dealing with. There wasn't much, let me tell you. Just a swatch of darkness heading towards me, blocking my vision and making me feel more panicky. But I stood my ground; I adopted my fighting stance and braced myself, for whatever it was I was gonna go down fighting for my life.

The velvety darkness swelled and rushed at me. I kicked and punched, touching nothing; I was defenseless.

A low rumble vibrated through the pavement followed by a screeching of tires.

"Maka!" someone called.

"Soul?" I shouted back.

In no time, a familiar scythe form was in my hands in a death grip, ready to fight off the darkness. The only sound was both of our deep breathing and the still running car as I turned slowly, probing the area with my soul perception and straining my eyes to see anything or anyone in the beams of light from the car, Soul ready to strike.

Nothing. Nothing was there. Nothing but the shadows cast by the street lamps and the grotesque moon.

"Maka! What happened?" Soul asked, his face reflecting in his blade.

"I-I don't know!"

I paused to look around some more, to see if I felt anything at all, even a bum sleeping behind a dumpster! Still, nothing.

I felt myself go cold and Soul's scythe slipped from my hands, clattering loudly to the ground. Next thing I knew, Soul's arms were around me and I could feel myself shaking. Then he was steering me towards the car, and we were speeding down the streets towards the apartment.

"—aka! . . . Maka!"

I shook my head, trying to shut out the ringing in my ears and the blinding light in my eyes. "Huh? What?"

"Oh thank god! Maka? Can you hear me?"

It was Soul, but I could hear other excited voices as well.

"Uh—yeah . . . what's going on?" I asked, squinting at the light still shining at me.

"Black*Star! Get that out of her face, would ya? Maka! Are you ok?"

The light was removed and everything was plunged into darkness. I reached out my hand towards Soul's voice and almost instantly I felt his hand grab mine, followed by his other hand gently stroking my hair.

His husky voice was near my ear, saying, "Maka, are you feeling alright?"

"Soul," said a soft female voice. Two cool, delicate hands cupped my face and I felt her sweet breath close as she said, "I think she's been in shock. She should see a doctor."

"What—what's going on? Why's it so dark?" I asked, feeling light headed all of a sudden.

"A transformer blew," the female voice said. As my eyes adjusted to the lack of light, I could see that it was Tsubaki. "The whole block is out. We came to check on you guys when Soul showed up and you were . . . catatonic."

"YEAH! Your eyes were all wide, HAHA like a deer in headlights!"

I groaned and gripped my head with this sudden rise in volume.

"Shhh! Black*Star!" Soul and Tsubaki whisper-shouted.

"Soul, what is going on?" I demanded.

Soul sighed and I felt his hand move down the back of my head and start making small circles on my back.

"You've been unresponsive since—er . . . the attack."

". . . the attack. . . " I echoed, racking my numb brain for any kind of relevance to the statement. Let's see . . . The images flashed through my mind quickly: the library, shelves and shelves of books, the restricted section, a phone call, an argument, walking home—

"The shadows!" I screamed and jumped up.

"Soul! Catch her!" Tsubaki gasped right before I felt four arms grabbing me, stopping my fall.

"Maka, please just sit for now," Soul soothed while lowering me into what I now noticed as my kitchen chair.

"The shadows, Soul . . ."

"Is that what attacked you?" Black*Star abruptly asked, shining the light back in my face.

"Black*Star, knock it off!" Soul yelled at him. "Go get some candles or something. That flashlight isn't helping right now."

"C'mon, Black*Star," Tsubaki gently goaded him. "Maka keeps some candles in the bathroom."

"Fine."

They left the tiny kitchen with the flashlight, plunging Soul and I in darkness once more. His hand tightened over mine as he asked, "Maka, what actually did attack you?"

"I told you, the shadows. Didn't you see them?"

"No. I just pulled up and saw you standing there in a fighting stance in the middle of the street. Your wavelength was all over the place, we couldn't resonate."

"But you didn't see anything? Nothing at all?"

"No . . . what the hell happened to you? God, why didn't I just pick you up sooner?" He groaned and dropped his head in my lap.

"But they were there, I swear! These . . . shadow things, but they moved! And they were coming straight towards me. I . . . I couldn't feel anything, my soul perception wasn't working or something. . ."

"Shh, shh," Soul soothed again, sitting up and rubbing my back some more. "It's ok, I believe you."

"But Soul! I couldn't perceive them! I had no idea what they were! I won't know if they come back!" My pulse was pounding in my ears and I started panting.

Soul's arms were around me now, gently rocking back and forth, humming.

"Oh, Soul," Tsubaki said as she re-entered the kitchen with a couple candles followed by Black*Star carrying a third. "I really think she should see a doctor."

"I think she'll be fine," Soul said, his voice vibrating from his chest where my ear was pressed against his ribcage. "Maybe we just need to go somewhere else tonight. Somewhere where far away from here."

"Soul? Are you feeling alright?" Black*Star ejaculated, almost dropping the candle. "You're sounding pretty crazy right now."

"I'm feeling just fine, thank you. I'm talking about outside the city. This place isn't necessarily safe right now, and I'm sure this blackout isn't helping things. I've got—I know someplace a good distance outside the city where we could go for the night."

"Are you sure?" Tsubaki asked, setting the candles on the table. "We can stay here for the night with you guys. And Kid should be told about this right away. Maybe we could all go stay at his mansion?"

"No, no, I think it'd be best to just get her out of here," Soul said in finality, still rocking me back and forth in his arms.

"Well, ok, if you think that's best," she sighed. "Come on, Black*Star, we should probably go now. Need anything else before we leave?"

"Nah, we'll be fine."

"Alright. Bye, Maka, Soul." And they left the apartment quietly.

It was silent for a little while, just the traffic outside and the flicker of candle flames. Then Soul pulled out his cell phone and started scrolling through his contacts.

"Who are you calling?" I weakly whispered.

"My brother. We're heading to his place for the night."

A/N: Dun dun dunnnnnnn! Sorry that was so short, but I feel that that was enough angst for you guys! Don't worry, it'll tone down just a little bit, but the mystery continues . . . REVIEWS WELCOME!