Well, here is chapter 5 of this story. Sorry it took so long to get out there. The first semester is coming to a close, and of course, I have to bust my butt to make sure I get through it.
I've taken some past reviews and critiques into consideration, though it's hard to transition from spelling Crona with a "C" instead of a "K". I think I stuck with using a "K" because of the Japanese translation (as well as the way the name is pronounced) "Kurona". Still, alternate spellings for the character are listed as "Krona" or "Chrona".
Chapter 5
The mid-fall air nipped at their noses as Tsubaki and Black Star stood at the gates of Dr. Stein's lab. Though it was morning, the sky was dark with thick, black clouds. The dying trees reached out of the ground like massive, thin fingered claws, ready to spring to action and snatch them up at any moment. The building was put together in a patchwork style, stitches placed unevenly.
Neither Black Star nor Tsubaki had stepped foot on the premises since their remedial lesson nearly eleven years ago, but unlike Maka and Soul, they hadn't had a reason to. Black Star opened the rusty black gate, the metal sticking his hand to it slightly. He hissed, winced, and peeled his hand off of the iron, and shoved it in his pocket to warm it.
Tsubaki knocked on the door, and Marie answered it, greeting them with a kind smile. She stepped aside and let them in, offered to take their coats and scarves, and hung them on the coat rack nailed into the wall. They looked around, never having been on the inside of the building before.
Dozens of rugs of many sizes covered the floor, strange yellow or blue designs disappearing beneath them. They wondered what the owners could be hiding, or even if they were hiding it from themselves or visitors. A slanted bookshelf stood against the wall, stocked to the brim with books of different shapes and sizes, as though Stein had planned to start his own personal library.
"Would you like anything to drink?" Marie offered. Black Star looked up and shook his head. He was on a mission, and didn't want to waste time sitting around and drinking something. Tsubaki, however, nodded. She was parched, and her lips felt dry. The oncoming winter weather was getting to her.
"Some water, please." Tsubaki replied. Black Star licked his lips, realizing his were dry. He rolled his eyes at himself, and called after Marie: "I'd like some too, please".
A door opened, and Stein rolled out of the lab, sitting on his chair backwards, like he usually did. His hair was disheveled, and his glasses were steamed. He took them off and wiped away the sweat from his brow with the sleeve of his lab coat, and dried off his glasses with the hem of his cotton shirt. He slipped them back on and stretched, groaning in delight as his back popped loud enough for them to hear. He must have been hunched over and slaving away on a project of some kind for a while.
"I got your notice, and I must ask: why in Death's name do you want to submit yourselves to shock therapy?" He asked, concerned for them. Had their depression sunk to desire of suicide? Were they asking him to aid them in offing themselves? He raised an eyebrow at them as Black Star scowled and crossed his arms, and Tsubaki looked away and at something random in the living room.
"The bastard shocked us, and we… we couldn't move. Every time I tried, I'd be shocked again. If I can, I want to null myself to being shocked so it doesn't happen again." Black Star admitted, face turning red and visibly shaking. In almost three weeks, this would be the first time they'd opened up about the incident. Despite their physiological responses, Stein took it as a good thing. They were definitely willing to persevere.
"I couldn't transform." Tsubaki admitted, voice small and timid. She sighed in misery, and closed her eyes, gathering herself. She opened them and looked Stein straight in the eye.
"Please, help us. Do whatever you must. Shock us, hit us with wavelengths, whatever. But we can't-we can't let this happen again." She asked, her shy demeanor replaced with one of stern, fearless determination. Stein blinked a few times, trying to process what they'd asked of him. He bit his tongue.
Damn you kids, did you not understand the way I work? By giving me full permission to do as I please, I might… His hand twitched, and he slouched down again to rest his forehead on the back of the chair.
It's a reasonable request, but, would it work? He thought to himself. He gritted his teeth as his hands itched, the desire to fulfill their request strong. He could shock them. He could shoot their body full of wavelengths! What could happen? Oh, the possibilities!
He shook his head, and snapped up, cranking the screw in his head, hoping it would give him a sense of clear sanity. Sadly, it didn't help, only fueling the mad thoughts in his head.
How would shooting them full of wavelengths affect them? Would it amplify their own after a while, or would it shut them down completely? Would it only serve to nullify them to his wavelengths, and not all? If it shut them down to all wavelengths, would the enemy's wavelengths not have an effect anymore? How would it cause them to react to magic in the face of a witch?
He blinked. Magic. Magic must have been the reason why Tsubaki couldn't transform. "The Bastard" had hit her with an anti-transforming spell. He felt his lips curl in a smile as he realized the fact. Now he knew it, and they could possibly work with this somehow. Perhaps Angela could be of use, though he doubted Mifune would allow it, not wanting to risk her being injured. Blair would be a better substitute.
"Here we go, sorry that took so long. I couldn't find a clean cup, so beakers will have to do." Marie's cheery voice bringing him out of his maddening thoughts as she emerged from the kitchenette with two 250 mL beakers in her hands. She handed them to Black Star and Tsubaki, who accepted them gratefully. The vibes Stein had been emitting started to scare them a little.
"Oh, no, it's ok." Tsubaki assured, taking a deep drink of her water to forget about the tension in the room. Black Star copied her, downing the entire beaker in a few large gulps. He sighed in thirst-quenched relief, and wiped at his mouth with his sleeve.
"Alright. I'll work with you." Stein announced, making his decision. He just hoped he had the self-control not to go overboard, though he doubted it would affect Black Star too much. The man's strength and durability were almost inhuman.
Black Star nodded and set down the beaker he was holding carefully. He took another deep breath.
"Good. When can we start?" He asked.
"We can start now if you like. Mind if I run a few tests and gather some data?" He asked, motioning for them to follow him into his lab. The idea of "tests" and "data" unnerved them a little, but they followed him anyway.
"Like what?" Tsubaki asked, trying to shelter the fear in her voice. It didn't work, but Stein offered them a calm smile as he picked up on it.
"Just basics. Heart rate, breathing rate, pain endurance, et cetera." He explained in honesty. Tsubaki's eyes widened. Pain? She didn't want to feel any pain!
"You're joking about that last bit, right?" Black Star asked nervously. Stein stopped and turned to face him.
"You couldn't move because you were being shocked, right? Your brain wouldn't respond to your body's attempts to move because it hurt you, right? Take away the pain, or even the fear of pain, and you'll be able to withstand quite a bit. Though, it's all in theory." He answered, turning back around and walking to his computer. He pressed the spacebar to get it out of sleep mode, then brought up a screen with a dark background.
"I can at least help you with wavelength endurance, but for magic, you'll have to ask Angela. Now that I think of it, perhaps Blair can help you as well. Who wants to go first?" Stein asked, all too eagerly. He gestured towards the examination bed.
Black Star looked at Tsubaki, who had a look of terror on her face. As he thought about what Stein was going to do, he realized Tsubaki would be in weapon form while fighting the bastard. Shock treatment might not be necessary for her. He cleared his throat and took off his shirt.
"I will." He stated, hopping up on the examination table. He took off his wrist guards and kicked off his shoes, dropping the wrist guards onto them. He sighed and lied down, staring at the ceiling. He tried to ignore the bright lamp shining white light into his face, but found it difficult. He settled for keeping his eyes closed.
Stein focused and held his hands a few inches away from Black Star's temples, suddenly doubting himself. Would he be able to go through with this and keep his sanity intact?
"Just to make sure, you're certain about this? Can't guarantee your safety, or your state of mind." He stated. Black Star scowled at him.
"Just do it, you batshit bastard!" He barked.
This set Stein off, and he shot a massive blast of energy through his palms, effectively shocking Black Star. He screamed and clawed at the metal bars of the examination bed. Tsubaki jumped and stared, helpless. It reminded her of how they'd first met the crazy doctor.
Stein stopped himself, muttering an apology. He'd acted out of anger.
Black Star's head fell to the side, and he stared off into the distance, mind shattered as it tried to process what'd just happened.
"I may be crazy, but you don't have the right to call me out on it." Stein growled, backing away and crossing his arms. He waited until Black Star craned his head to look at him.
"Still feel like going through with this?" He asked. Black Star nodded insistently.
And you have the nerve to tell me I'm batshit? You're the one who's mostly sane, kid. Stein thought as he readied himself again and shocked, trying to ignore Black Star's screams of pain.
Since Soul was training with Krona and Black Star was training with Stein, Maka invited Tsubaki to spend the day, just to relax. They'd found an out-of-place coffee shop where they could avoid being overheard by anyone they knew, and where the service was top-notch. Maka suggested the place, since she was a regular, and two stamps away from a free coffee.
"How's training?" Maka started, watching Tsubaki carefully. Stein had mentioned to Kidd, who'd passed along the message neither she nor Black Star had been eating as much as they should. It showed by the measurements he'd been taking for the last month. Tsubaki stirred her coffee lazily with her teaspoon, half-amused by the tinking sounds of the cup.
"Fine. We've come a long way, but I'm starting to run out of patience." She admitted. Maka nodded, chuckling a little. It sounded more like something Black Star would say.
"Want to share a sandwich? The ones here are so filling, I can never finish a full one." She suggested slyly. It was a total lie; she was starving, and felt she could probably eat two if she wanted. Tsubaki nodded slightly, though she wasn't in the mood to eat, despite being ravenously hungry for the last week or so.
She kept quiet as Maka flagged down the waitress serving them and ordered a club sandwich, with extra avocado "on the side". Tsubaki noticed, but didn't say anything. She didn't much care for the green, squishy food.
She felt out of place. In a slump. It was hard to tell where one day ended and the next began. Some days, the only motivation to get out of bed was knowing she needed to train. She didn't want it to be the only motivation, but it worked for the time being.
Maka sighed. Tsubaki had hardly been speaking, easily irritable and seeming to avoid them all. Even the conversation she'd been trying to have was becoming awkward and tense.
"Am I forcing you?" Maka asked, hoping it wasn't the case. Tsubaki blinked and looked up. Forcing her?
Tsubaki shook her head.
"No, no, I'm just…" She heaved a sigh, unable to find a word for how she felt. Miserable. Exhausted. Her body seemed more and more tired with each passing day, and she hadn't done anything more strenuous than training.
Maka sat back in her chair, taking a sip of her coffee to settle her stomach, churning with unease and guilt.
"Want to do something else? Maybe this isn't helping. I just wanted to, well, help. I'm worried about you. Stein said to keep an eye on you guys. He-he mentioned you and Black Star haven't been eating." She admitted. Tsubaki looked up, slightly hurt. Sure, they hadn't been eating, but it was none of anyone's business.
"He did? Damn that son of a-
-whoa, whoa! Um, sorry I brought it up! Don't blame him, he just wants to make sure you guys are ok! We all do." Maka interrupted, trying to calm Tsubaki down. It didn't work, and Tsubaki picked up her coffee and sipped it through pursed lips. She drummed her fingers on the table and scowled at something in the distance.
The waitress broke the tense aura, approaching them with two plates holding a half of the club sandwich Maka had ordered. A tiny black cup held the pasty avocado, and Tsubaki plucked it off of her plate and set it on Maka's. Maka's eyes widened in joy.
"You don't like it?" She asked. Tsubaki shrugged.
"No. Not really." She replied, staring down at the half-sandwich. Maka wasted no time in eating hers, finished with hers in a flash. Tsubaki took her time, becoming more enthused about eating as it helped to settle her stomach. She had to admit, she did feel better.
She looked back at Maka, who'd finished off the last of the avocado with a spoon, and raised an eyebrow at her friend.
"You really like that green stuff?" She asked, wrinkling her nose in distaste. Maka blushed and nodded.
"Yeah, I do. I never used to, but after the waitress suggested it… I just can't resist." She answered. Tsubaki snickered, and shook her head. Anything green, smooth, and pasty reminded her of baby-poop.
Tsubaki turned her head to the side and scanned the room, listening in on other's conversations. A couple of college boys were talking about how cute the girls in the corner were, and as she looked at their spot, she sighed in relief as she realized they were talking about some other girls.
Ignoring the hormonal college boys, she continued to scan the room. A couple of women were chatting between each other, and she listened in, somewhat bored, and somewhat in need of distraction.
"My granddaughter started her period last week, the poor thing was terrified. I guess they no longer talk about these things in school. Daniel's a good father, but I don't think he was prepared for this, either. I should have told him when he was younger." The elder woman gossiped proudly. Tsubaki snorted, not believing how the woman was so proud.
Periods. They're not really something to celebrate, per se. The only celebration warranted is having one when you're sexually active. She thought derisively. Her face fell as her thoughts began to wander.
When was… my last? She wondered. Her gut fell as she realized she couldn't remember.
Maka noticed the sharp change in Tsubaki's demeanor, and contemplated interrupting her. When Tsubaki's eyes widened, Maka called out her name.
"What's up?" She asked. Tsubaki had a scared look on her face, and she fidgeted with the napkin in her lap.
"What's today's date?" She asked. Maka looked at her phone.
"The ninth. Of November. Why?" She questioned, worried now.
Tsubaki blinked, desperately trying to piece her thoughts together. Without a calendar in front of her, it was useless.
She stood sharply and grabbed her bag, threw it over her shoulder, and began to walk out. Maka stood too, beginning to take off after her. She stopped, reached into her bag and threw down a fistful of dollar-bills and coins, hoping it was enough to pay. If not, she'd be back tomorrow; she frequented this place often.
Maka threw open the door, and looked down both sides of the street. Tsubaki's black hair waved behind her as she ran up the street. Maka took after her, not wanting to lose sight of her friend.
Panting, she caught up, though it was probably only because Tsubaki had slipped into a vacant alleyway to hide. She sat against the wall, arms wrapped around her knees.
"Are you alright? What happened? Did I say something?" She asked, worried.
"I don't remember when my last period was. I don't even think I had one this month." Tsubaki blurted. As Maka's panicked mind caught up with her, she slowed as she realized what Tsubaki was talking about. She sat down beside her friend and rested a hand on her shoulder.
"Um…" Maka started, though she didn't quite know what to say.
"I don't know. If I had a calendar, maybe I could be sure, but I hadn't even thought about it." Tsubaki continued. Maka turned and reached into her bag, fishing around for her planner.
"Here. It's not much but it should help." Maka suggested, shoving the now open planner into Tsubaki's trembling hand.
Ignoring the plans scrawled in pencil, Tsubaki flicked through it, searching for a date that stuck out in her mind. Had it begun October first? Or ended October first?
Her head fell back against the wall, and she stared blankly at the grey tabby cat waltzing along the balcony. Maka pulled her into a hug.
She looked up as some teenagers jeered at them, calling them lesbians.
"Fuck off, twig-dicks!" Maka barked at them annoyed. They laughed and walked on.
"Tsubaki… Are you-do you think you might be pregnant?" Maka asked bluntly, putting two and two together. She didn't need an answer as Tsubaki looked her in the eye. Tsubaki looked terrified and weary.
"Well, uh..." She thought for a minute, wondering what to do for her. There was only one option, really.
"Tell you what, let's go back to my house, and I'll go buy you a test, ok?" She suggested. Tsubaki nodded slowly, trying to process this information. Maka stood them up and walked to their apartment.
The inside was warm, welcoming, and Maka guided Tsubaki to the old yellow couch Soul and she had had since they were kids, grabbed the throw blanket over her and gesturing for her to lie down. She went to the kitchen and brought back a glass of water and set it on the table next to the couch.
"You should rest; take a nap. I'll be right back." Maka insisted, walking back out of the door. She hurried to the closest pharmacy, and bolted to the "family planning" section. She knew the pregnancy tests were here, since they were conveniently located (or maybe not so) next to the many varieties of condoms. She'd occasionally tease Soul about the fact.
She paused here, contemplating which one she should buy. Chewing on her lip, she looked at the different kinds. Deciding on the most expensive, thinking it would be most accurate, she snatched it and took it to the back counter.
The pharmacist offered her a smile.
"It's about time." She said, wiggling her eyebrows. Maka blanched, and shook her head, avoiding the woman's gaze. Normally, they were on speaking terms, but not today.
"It's not for me; it's for my friend." She said, blushing, keeping her attention unavailable by plucking out the money from her wallet. The pharmacist clicked her tongue.
"Hmm." She hummed, obviously in disbelief.
Maka grabbed the bag the woman handed back to her, and rushed out of the building and back to her house. Tsubaki was sitting up on the couch, and jumped when Maka threw the door open.
Maka wiped the sweat off of her brow and plopped down on the couch, amazed with how tired she felt. Sure, she'd run as fast as this before, but she'd run for much longer, and hadn't been as winded. She must have been out of practice, but they'd kept up their training regimen. They shouldn't be this far behind. Tsubaki clutched the paper bag in her hand, and headed for the bathroom.
This process had been awkward the first time, but this time, it was ten times as uncomfortable. For one, she was at Maka and Soul's house, and two, this was entirely unplanned.
Biting the proverbial bullet, she went through the motions, and washed her hands when she was done. She wished there was a clock in the bathroom or that she had a watch; she didn't know how much time had passed. She shut the lid to the toilet and sat down.
She thought about what would happen if it'd said yes. How would Black Star react? After losing Asagao and Shirayuri, was this something they deserved? Were they even qualified to be parents again? Would this mean they were replacing Asa and Shira?
She shook her head at the last thought. No way would Black Star, or any of their friends, believe something like that; especially when they hadn't had intercourse after their children's deaths. She shouldn't even let the thought cross her mind.
She glanced back at the stick, and grabbed it hastily. There was a blue line, indicating: "Yes". She set it down, and took a deep breath, thinking. It all fit. Extreme fatigue. Hungrier than usual. Irritable.
Maka knocked on the door, asking if she was okay. Tsubaki opened it, staring. She only nodded.
Maka couldn't help but smile, and hugged Tsubaki, squealing with joy. Tsubaki half-heartedly hugged Maka back, still stunned.
"I need to sit." Tsubaki whispered, eyes droopy and tired. Maka nodded and let her go, sitting down on the couch with her.
"Will you be ok?" She asked. Tsubaki didn't answer, and stared down at her hands, folded in her lap. She was fidgeting with one of her fingernails, picking at it.
She didn't know how she could begin to answer the question, but her lips curled as she thought about the prospect of having another baby. She felt hope and happiness, and with it, a sense of dread. Remembering Maka was still waiting on a response, she nodded her head.
"Yes. I think so. I think things will get better." She answered, chuckling and pressing against her abdomen, wondering if she could feel anything. It was probably too soon.
She smiled as she imagined Black Star's happy face when she'd break the news to him. She lied back on the couch, and grinned at the ceiling. It filled her with such joy, she almost felt overwhelmed.
"I can't wait to tell- She started, but then stopped as the front door opened. Soul rushed in and threw off his shoes, rushing to the bathroom. Tsubaki had called out to him to wait; she'd left the box on the counter and the test was likely in plain sight as well.
Maka and Tsubaki waited in silence.
"Um… Whose test?" Soul asked, blushing madly. Maka giggled and pointed at Tsubaki, who raised her hand and gave a wave, chuckling.
"Congratulations! That's wonderful! When are you going to tell Black St-oh, crap." He stopped and rushed into the bathroom. He emerged shortly after, drying his hands on the hand towel.
"Black Star's on his way here. I invited you guys for dinner. I hid the evidence… unless you didn't want me to?" Soul asked, suddenly thinking against his actions. Tsubaki shook her head.
"It's alright. Thank you."
The front door opened again, and Black Star stepped in. Tsubaki stood from the couch, butterflies in her stomach. She hadn't had ample time to think about when she was going to tell him, let alone how. She'd supposed she'd do it later in the night, but with how giddy she felt, she couldn't resist.
She strode to him quickly and threw her arms around him and squeezed him tightly. She nuzzled her face in the curvature of his pectorals, finding the spicy scent of his sweat tingling her nose and driving her body wild.
Black Star was surprised, but collected himself and hugged her back, patting her head and kissing the top of it. Neither of them noticed Soul catch Maka's eye and jerk his head towards the kitchen. They slipped away quietly, leaving their friends to talk alone.
"Did you miss me?" He joked, smirking slightly. Tsubaki gave a soft snort, and grinned.
"Black Star, I'm pregnant." She admitted, squeezing him even tighter, to the point where she was shaking with the effort.
Black Star blinked as his mind went blank. As it caught up with him, he smiled, happiness radiating off of his face. He looked down at her, setting his hand on her cheek.
"Really?" He asked, the joy beaming from his eyes. She nodded, the smile still plastered on her face. He kissed her, hugged her, and then kissed her again. He picked her up and spun. He stopped with his back to the living room. He kissed her forehead and buried his face in her hair, sniffling.
"That's wonderful. That's so wonderful. I'm so happy. I'm so..." He trailed off and rested his forehead on her shoulder as he tried to collect himself. She held him, rocking from side to side.
Feeling "glad" he'd taken the news so well was an understatement. She sighed in relief as she understood and remembered he truly loved her, that he wanted their relationship to work, no matter what. That they were each other's lives, and even though their family had been taken from them, they'd still have each other to make it through.
I hope you all liked this. I think it was a sweet chapter. It's difficult to write about this, because I haven't experienced it myself.
Anyway, let me know what you think. I probably won't get around to writing much more until the weekend. Patience is a virtue.