'Yo, meet me at my house. We need to talk.'
Shit just got real…..
Tsubaki, Maka, Liz, Kid, and Patty walked knitted together to the Thompson's symmetric mansion on the West Side of Death City. The group of friends made it to the beautiful mansion just before it got dark. The girls walk in and sat on the couch in a hurdle, while Kid traveled to the kitchen to make some tea. Liz sat next to Patty on the red three seated couch, while Maka and Tsubaki sat next to each other on the other red couch with the four white pillows. The girls chatted until Kid came with the tea.
"So what happened, Tsubaki?"
Tsubaki took a big gulp before she told her story to her friends. Tsubaki talked about Giriko, and the phone call with the camera but left out Blackstar, as if he didn't exist. She continued as tears began to swell up in her violet eyes. Tsubaki lowered her head as she kept explaining her story and leaving Blackstar out of all of it. She knew if Blackstar was here right now, he would be ashamed of how she acted, but she couldn't help it; Tsubaki felt scared. She slowly raised her head to see a sympathetic Maka but a suspicious Liz and Patty. Patty looked over to meet with her sister's brown eyes but instead saw the fear that crossed her face. Patty sighed and looked down before opening her mouth to speak.
"They're back." Maka and Tsubaki looked up to see Patty not looking like her lively self. Liz looked over to her sadden sister to comfort her while Kid walked over to the two sisters and pulled them into a comforting hug. Maka looked confused as so did Tsubaki. The three finally settled their gaze on the two lost people on the couch. Patty looked to Liz and Kid in her child like blue eyes; the two knew it would have to be told someday.
"Tsubaki, remember how we told you both that we didn't particularly had the best life as teenagers?"
Tsubaki sat up quickly as her eyes widened from the abrupt question, "Yes, I remember."
"Patty and I didn't want to tell you guys that we lived on the streets most of our lives. We met Kid when he heard that we might have had to snap a few necks to stay alive…and well fed." Maka, surprised at what she heard, grabbed her knees in shock of her friends' past. Tsubaki, not being too keen on the idea of snapping necks, wrapped her hands around her mouth to keep the sound of surprise from escaping her lips. Two friends stared at their friends as they continued talking about being in and out of gangs and stealing people's money. The two mentioned being in a particular group that robbed the rich and poor, killed whoever stood in their way, and created business with people who owned many of the strip joints in Death City and other areas.
"And we met these two cool guys who were also a part of the gang we hung out with. But they left for specific reasons."
"Who are the boys; maybe they are getting harassed as well." Maka responded to Liz's statement.
"Maybe, I'll call them later on tonight and ask them."
Tsubaki drunk a sip of her tea and began to picture Blackstar again. She wanted to go home and call him over to explain how she felt, but she also needed to think it over. Before Tsubaki could ask if it would be okay, Liz offered the girl to stay over Kid and her home. Tsubaki nodded her head and began to head up the stairs. Patty walked Maka home because her apartment was in the same direction. Everyone said goodnight before leaving the living room empty.
Tsubaki laid her head on the guest bed, covering herself in the nice warmth of the covers. She heard Kid and Liz already snoring in the next room and decided to let her eyes shut. Tsubaki couldn't wait to go home in the morning but she knew once she got there, Blackstar would probably have left to go back to his apartment. Tsubaki drifted in a deep sleep letting her emotions take over her mind. Tsubaki tossed and turned in the magenta sheets in the peach room. She dreamed about her problems; the worst possible nightmare she can have.
"MIFUNE! I'm sorry…please…don't." The tears stung Tsubaki's face as they ran down her red cheeks. She crawled to the kitchen counter, trying to pick herself back up. Mifune smiled devilishly at the hopeless woman trying to stand from the blow to the back. Tsubaki got up from the floor and scrabbled around the kitchen looking for a weapon to defend herself. Tsubaki saw a butcher knife in the sink and tried to snatch it to cut Mifune's throat. Tsubaki barely snatched the knife from the sink before Mifune grabbed her hair to push her back down on the ground. The hopeless Tsubaki didn't know where she would be going; she needed to get away before Mifune killed her.
"Please! Mifune stop! What did I do?" Tsubaki cried to the stronger figure. She reached her hand out to clutch to his pants; Mifune kicked her hand away. His smile quickly dropped as her words slipped through her lips. He bent down to look her in the eyes; Mifune saw the pain she felt and thought it wasn't enough.
"What did you do? You went astray! You left me; and all because I was in a gang. So what, if I was initiated in the gang, they're my family now." Mifune grabbed her face into his hands to emphasize his points. He wanted Tsubaki but she left him in the mist of her problems. Mifune forced his lips upon her resulting in her slapping him in the face. Mifune rubbed his face from the sting of the hit. He looked up as he rubbed his cheek and saw Tsubaki running to the door. "Come back! You're mine."
Tsubaki ran to the door to escape. Mifune followed behind; Tsubaki opened the door and bumped into a broad figure blocking the door. Tsubaki looked into the little stars in the man's eyes. She saw them gawk at Mifune; she looked over to her tormentor and saw his fear. Tsubaki pulled herself to Blackstar's side but was pushed to the side as Blackstar stepped into the home. Blackstar snatched Mifune's neck and began to choke the petrified man who hit Tsubaki. Mifune gasped for air as Blackstar's hands strangled his neck. Tsubaki watched in horror as Blackstar began killing Mifune before her eyes. Not being able to watch anymore, Tsubaki jumped on Blackstar's back to stop him from strangling Mifune; Blackstar dropped Mifune's lifeless body on the floor and turned to the desperate woman on his back. He pushed her back to the floor with the stars still in his eyes.
"Blackstar, are you okay?" Tsubaki asked as she examined Mifune's dead body. Tsubaki saw the red printed hands around Mifune's frail neck and his eyes rolled in the back of his head. Blackstar followed Tsubaki's gaze and smiled at her but with darkness in his eyes. He stroked her hair in his hands and began to wrap the strands of raven hair in his fists. He jerked her face closer towards him startling Tsubaki. Blackstar shifted his head to the right and slowly formed a creepy smile on his face. Tsubaki followed the corners of his mouth turn up; she closed her eyes as to shun his face. He examined her face and crept closer to her ear. He breathed heavily whispering in her ear, "Run and hide; if I find you, I get to kill you." Tsubaki looked at Blackstar's smile turn to a straight face as he mouthed for her to run. Tsubaki tried to open the front door but the door was jammed; she looked over to Blackstar to see him laughing. Tsubaki ran to her room looking for her cell phone, but she heard Blackstar coming. Tsubaki hid in her closet quietly from Blackstar. Blackstar allowed himself in Tsubaki's untouched room and began to chant Tsubaki's name. She felt the sweat trickle down her face as she heard his sinister voice repeat her name. Her hair a mess from the fight she had with the now dead Mifune; her lips bleeding from biting them so hard; her nails digging in her own skin out of fear. She knew if Blackstar found her, she would never see another sunrise, her dance class, friends, or family again. Blackstar felt the cowardice from near the closet and smiled to himself. He knew exactly where she was. Blackstar advanced towards the closet, calling her name.
"Tsubaki, Tsubaki, Tsubaki, Tsubaki, come out Tsubaki."
"TSUBAKI!" Blackstar opened the closet to find the horrific and panicky woman in the pile of clothes. Tsubaki saw her fear standing over her and tried to fight. Before she knew what happened to her, Tsubaki was slammed to the wall with hands around her neck.
"Black-s-s-tar no! Please!" Tsubaki struggled through her words as the rough hands, that she loved to touch, strangled her until she was lifeless. As Tsubaki's vision began to blur in a bright white light, she continued to hear the dark voice filled with insanity calling her name.
"Tsubaki! Tsubaki, Tsubaki, Tsubaki Tsubaki…."
"Tsubaki! Come down, breakfast is ready!" Liz called out to the resting guest in her room. After no response from the maiden, Liz grunted and walked over to the guest room. Liz quietly allowed herself in the room to wake her sleepy friend. Liz looked to the color of the room looking at all the things left by her little sister. Patty loved different colors and giraffes, so her room had to be colorful. Liz looked for more of Patty things but realized she took everything to her new home. Her face turning to look at the dark haired heiress, Liz realized Tsubaki's body was not moving at all. Liz's face turned red in horror as she ran to her friend's side. Liz grabbed Tsubaki's shoulders and called her name in worry. Liz began crying letting the tears fall to her naked thighs. Liz yelled Tsubaki's name before the lifeless body jerked up in terror. Tsubaki looked at her friends and sobbed into her red tank top.
"Mifune…. tried to…kill me in my dream. I want to go home, please. I need to see Blackstar!" Tsubaki wept into Liz's top some more. Liz dropped her jaw as she realized what Tsubaki said. Tsubaki was with Blackstar at the club, he was the guy she has been hiding from everyone. 'How the hell didn't I notice his hair', Liz thought to herself. Liz departed from Tsubaki to gaze into her eyes.
"Everything will be okay. Kid and I will get your brother and Mifune." Liz smiled reassure Tsubaki and Tsubaki faintly smiled back.
"Now come down, breakfast is ready."
"Okay, I'll be right down."
Tsubaki strolled to her personal guest shower while stripping off her blue starred pajamas. As she took her nice hot shower, Liz called Blackstar. Blackstar picked up the phone and sounded a little annoyed.
"Yeah, Liz what you want."
"Well someone sounds they have something missing in their life."
"Liz if this is one of your schemes to set me up with your new snobby friends, I'm not doing it."
"Well you already set yourself with one of my friends."
"The hell you mean Liz?" Liz laughed into the phone. She knew who was finally keeping Blackstar on a leash, the leash of love. Blackstar sounded so distraught and annoyed with her as if he lost his favorite toy.
"Well I know where your girlfriend is."
"How'd you know I had a girlfriend?"
"Oh please! You weren't always at the club being shit faced and Sid even called wondering why you were always late for dojo. I knew you had one."
"Well now that you know. WHERE THE HELL IS SHE?" Liz moved away from the phone as Blackstar yelled for the location of his lover. Liz waited a while before actually interrupting the irritated man on the phone.
"She's here, you idiot! Now come by the house. She wants to see you." Without any words, Blackstar hung up the phone. Liz looked at the phone not surprised that the arrogant boy hung up to show up to the house. Blackstar would probably be late because he got hungry or because a "God" like him needs to make an entrance. To Liz's surprise Blackstar kicked down the door within seconds of hanging up the phone. Blackstar looked eagerly at Liz in trying to catch his own breath.
"Sorry I would have been here earlier but I had to put on some pants. Where is Tsubaki?" Liz stared at Blackstar in confusion of how fast he got here. Blackstar only had on grey sweatpants without a shirt. His muscles glistened as his sweat dropped down his abdomen; his hair never lost its star shaped; his chest moved up and down as he finally caught his breath. Liz might be a married woman but she could admit when a man has his sexy moment, this was definitely Blackstar's moment. Before Liz could open her mouth to compliment him, the two heard a door open revealing a wet Tsubaki. Tsubaki walked down the steps wearing her dark skinny jeans, a pastel blue, spaghetti strap top that barely covered her stomach. Her hair, still wet from her shower, fell down to the indent of her lower back. Tsubaki's eyes caught with the emerald eyes that stared at her with hearts. Blackstar and Liz's jaws dropped to the ground as they saw the fluttered woman on the stairs. Tsubaki looked to Blackstar in utter shock of his surprise appearance. Tsubaki ran down the stairs and jumped on Blackstar. Tsubaki wrapped her legs around his waist, and her arms around her neck. She placed her lips to his ears and whispered, "I've missed you." Blackstar smirked and grabbed her body closer to him.
"I missed you too babe."
"He's late. I should have known he would be late. I should just go." Maka thought out loud to herself. Maka had waited ten minutes for Soul to show up but he was late for their coffee date. (Not date but, who was she kidding it was a date.) Maka began to grab her purse, when Soul pushed the glass door of Death Café with a bouquet of roses in his hand.
"Sorry I'm late but I saw a beautiful bouquet of roses for a beautiful girl." Soul handed the beautiful roses to the flushed Maka. Maka tried to be serious but her pink cheeks gave away that she felt flattered of his gift. The two ordered two coffees, both with three sugars and whole milk. They discussed about their lives, and jobs. Soul would make little smart comments when Maka talked about how they met and how selfish she was for not letting him get the food. Maka noticed her and Soul had many things in common and also many things different – music for instance. Maka loved techno music and dubstep but Soul liked Jazz and R&B. The two got into a heated debate about who had better music taste. Maka claimed he knew nothing about music, Soul smirk at her.
"If you know so much about music how about you and I go to your apartment one day and listen to your CD's?" Soul grinned showing his shark sharp teeth.
"Fine, tomorrow I have work the rest of the week."
"Oh cool, where do you work? In the cemetery?" Soul chuckled at his own causing Maka to turn up her nose in annoyance.
"Hahaha! Very funny asshole, but I work as a librarian."
"That makes it better?"
"Shut up!"
"I will if you kiss me." Maka blushed at his offer. Ready to protest, Maka felt his soft lips brush her cheek. Maka's face lit up with a red color; she melted by just a peck on the cheek and couldn't help but smile. Soul pulled away and saw Maka's face. He smiled to her and leaned in for a real kiss. Maka noticed him leaning and turned the almost kiss into a hug. Maka stood up before Soul could say anything about the hug, and grabbed her things.
"Tomorrow right?" Maka turned to ask if he would come by her house.
"I don't know where you live, remember?"
"Oh yeah! Umm take my number. Here you go." Maka pulled out a piece of paper that already had her number on it. Soul cocked his brow while reaching for the paper.
"Number already on the piece of paper; you planned this didn't you?" Soul asked Maka. To his surprise she confessed to planning to give him her number. Happy she was able to get through with giving him her number, Maka and her black boots marched through the door. Soul smiled as he put in the number in his phone.
"Saved as future. Isn't that cute."
Soul turned to see none other than the sneaky bastard, Giriko. Giriko, standing more than six feet high and probably weighed two hundred pounds, wore his usual tan open shirt and distressed light jeans. Not only was Giriko standing behind Soul but so was Mosquito.
"Soul, you have some business to take care of. And if you don't Blackstar will kick your ass for kissing his girl and that cutie that just left will be gone before she could even be your girl." Mosquito stated as Giriko laughed.
"You leave Maka and Blackstar out of this!"
"Well Blackstar has a debt to contribute too. How about a deal, we leave the girls alone and you two boys meet at the secret hideout. I'm sure you remember where it is."
"I'll talk to Blackstar first. But I'm in as long as you don't hurt Maka."
"Good, Monday at 9. Be there."
Soul watched as the two men walked out of the café. Soul pulled his white hair in frustration and jammed his hands in his pocket as he walked to his home. Soul cursed under his breath of how much of a fool he was to let Giriko and Mosquito get to him. He knew that he would be in trouble but he needed to talk to Blackstar. Soul turned the corner to go to Blackstar's house; he needed to tell Blackstar before Giriko said anything about Tsubaki. Soul reached the narcissist man's apartment, knocking on the door and surprised who he saw.
"Soul?"
"Tsubaki?"
Just as if the day couldn't get any worse….