CHAPTER 5: SOUL MUSIC
Soul looked around the ballroom from his hiding place in the shadows. He always hated coming to big parties, this one was no exception. If only he wasn't so afraid of Maka's signature move: the dreaded 'Maka Chop'. Soul winced in pain as he recalled the most recent hits on his abused skull while gently rubbing the sore spot. Maka always seem to be aiming for the same place. It was as if he had a red bulls eye mark painted on to his head.
He glanced at his friends: Kid was dancing his atrocious symmetrical dance along with Patty, Maka was still stuck dancing with her weird father though he could see her deliberately stepping on his feet with every step she took, Tsubaki was quietly chatting with a few friends and Blackstar was at the food table as usual proclaiming his godliness through a mouthful of pie or whatnot. Gross... So uncool... Liz and AVA should be arriving a little later.
He then looked down at his attire, red dress shirt, black and white pinstripe suit, and sighed. What the heck had he been thinking when he agreed to come here? Oh yeah, Lord Death had assigned him a task: watch over AVA.
Soul still remembered the time when he was called into the Death room, passing through the hallway of hanging guillotines sullenly because of having to miss Physical Education class with Sid.
"Yes, you called for me? What do you need me for?"
When Lord Death speaks in a serious tone, he should not be messed around with, "Soul, what do you think about the new boy?"
He scratched his head and fiddled with his headband, confused with where the conversation was heading, "You mean AVA? He's cool."
"Just that? No weird events occurring whenever he's around?" Soul just nodded in reply to Lord Death's question, his suspicion growing...
"Is anything suppose to happen?" He raised an silver eyebrow.
Lord Death shook his head, "No, I am just cautious when it comes to him. I think I may know about this 'Madam' of his, the woman who held so much control over his past life. But you must understand this, Soul. AVA is a really powerful boy with high potential strength and power. He could be a worthy ally... or a dangerous enemy."
"Your point being?" Soul's spine froze rigidly. The chill spread around his body with every passing second.
"You are assigned with the task of keeping him under surveillance. Kid has been watching him already, you may confide information to each other but no one else. No one beside the three of us will know of this. Do you understand?"
Soul just nodded, stunned. He was still recovering from the sudden change of events until now. I mean, how could one boy be so influential? Even Blackstar wasn't such a big deal, or even Kid himself now that he was mentioned. Whoa, big word there: 'Influential'. No thanks to Maka.
Just then, he glanced up as Liz elegantly glided down the main staircase with someone else by her side. Now that's interesting... Finally, something to kill the time with. He lazily pushed off from where he leaned against the wall and walked through the crowd towards the pair. He grabbed a few punch drinks from a passing waiter.
"Hey, Liz," Soul greeted her while passing her a glass, "You look nice." He glanced at her dark blue gown and half-mask, matching with Patty's of course because of Kid's OCD. Geez, how did they ever stand him?
"Thanks," Liz waved her hand nonchalantly to the side while taking a dainty sip. Several uncomfortable seconds passed as Soul awkwardly found interest at the floor. Liz broke the ice, "Ahem. Aren't you going to introduce yourself, Soul? How rude." she gestured at the girl at the side.
Ah, right. That was when Soul seriously took a look at her companion. A strapless dark chocolate brown bodice hugged her body until it reached a little bit below her waist where a milky chocolate coloured gossamer silk flowed out from. The hem brushed just above the ground. It was a very simple dress but which fitted her well, showing off her flawless shoulders and arms. Her hands were enclosed in short dark gloves.
His eyes drifted up to her face. Her black locks were pinned behind loosely with a few free strands curling at the side, framing a black laced half-mask and astonishing silver eyes. Soul seem to lose himself into those silver depths for a few moments. They drew him in with temptations of a window into her life. Her eyes were so innocent and unguarded, unlike his, she didn't have a single wall built up around her from the outside world. Every emotion was so clear in her eyes. The girl blushed under his gaze and look away, breaking eye contact.
Soul caught himself staring at her .He abruptly straightened up and regained his composure, "Uh, sorry about that... Didn't mean to stare... Hello, my name is Soul." He stretched out a hand which she lightly grasped and shook. The girl smiled a small smile in return for his crooked grin.
"My name is A..." Panic suddenly invaded her silver eyes for a flicker of a second before disappearing. She looked at Liz, who gave a small nod, before saying, "Ariel. My name is Ariel."
"Cool name," Soul felt a rush of blood in his cheeks as he stared at the girl. Clearing his throat nervously and turned to face Liz.
Liz understood what he wanted, "Ariel, why don't you go enjoy yourself? I'll be with you in a second. But whatever you do, please don't fight with Blackstar. You know what he's like."
Ariel nodded her head, casting Soul a last furtive glance before walking away towards the food table. Soul surprisingly growled at the group of boys that immediately flocked the girl, like moths to a flame. If they dare lay a single one of their disgusting hands on her...
Liz snapped a finger in front of his face, "Hello in there? What is up with you? Face it, I know she's beautiful but you've just met her. Stop being so possessive Mr."
Soul blushed hotly at her conclusion, "What in the world are you talking about, Liz?" She just rolled her eyes in response.
He looked to the side. What happened just now? he thought to himself, then recalling his task. He coughed to hide his embarrassment, "Have you seen AVA around? I thought you were with him."
"He changed his mind about coming and stayed at home," Liz casually glanced up the main staircase to indicate Kid's household.
Soul cursed silently. Damn it, Day 1 and he had already lost sight of his target.
"Mind if I go check him out? I'm bored here," Soul carefully asked, acting uninterested about his surrounding.
Liz frowned but nodded her head slowly, "I'll go tell Kid. Just don't expect to find him easily, he tends to wonder around exploring."
Soul felt his eyes narrowed in suspicion. Was this what Lord Death meant? Was AVA secretly looking for something? He trudged up the stairs in deep thought, not really paying attention to the doors as he passed them.
It started as a murmur of a passing draft, his sensitive weapon ears picked up a melody in the empty hallways. The music was faint in the air but soared and dipped in earnest. Soul could see someone's life being played into the music: the loneliness played in single vibrato notes, when she was all alone locked in a pitch black room; the fear of being punished, the whip whistling its sneering tune through the air and her flesh; the melancholy and lost from the worse times, the death of the only friend she ever had; regret at wrong decisions, bowing her head in shame of what she had done; betrayal by a once trustful person, that twisted grin on a familiar face; and... simple tiredness for wanting everything to just end.
Soul saw it all play out in front of him. The music was... beautiful... in its own way. It was very alike his, but darker and more sinister. He felt his heart swaying to the twisted music, the minor notes pulling at his heartstrings like those of a puppet and puppeteer, and started towards its direction, he just had to find the person behind this.
Soul opened a set of doors and the music seemed closer, growing and warping in volume. He walked down another corridor and opened another set of doors. Excitement sparked within him, he was getting closer, so close that he could taste the bittern tang in the air. But just then he picked up the signature cadences (musical signs) that would bring the music to an end. He wouldn't have much time left to find the genius behind such masterpiece. Panic drove him onward and he sprinted towards the source, bursting through doors in haste with the music getting ever so closer with each step.
Goddamn Kid, why do you live in such a huge mansion?! he thought in frustration.
He stumbled into the room, cutting off the music from its very last note and tripping over the edge of the carpet. The swaying silhouette on the balcony immediately stopped its dance against the full moonlight, the bow held frozen over the strings of a cello. Soul squinted through the gloom at the back of the virtuoso.
He crept forward hesitatingly, dusting himself down. He hadn't really thought about what he was going to say after finding that person.
"Um... Sorry about interrupting..." his voice grew steady as he gained confidence, "Your playing is... amazing." The last word came out as a whisper. He had never complimented other people's music, they had always been the one to compliment his. But then, he had never heard music that rivaled his - until now. The person stayed still and silent all the while.
"Could you please turn around?" Soul finally asked, "I would like to meet a talented virtuoso such as yourself. My name is Soul Eater Evans, you may have heard of me."
The person stood up in a rustle to reveal the skirt of a dress, a girl. Her light chuckles filled the air as she spoke, "You give me too much credit. I am no virtuoso, this is my first time with this instrument. But yes, I've heard of you. You may remember me."
"Then who taught you?" he pressed on.
"You wouldn't believe if I said it was a little silver owl." She turned around and for a moment there, Soul's whole world was filled with those familiar silver eyes again.
"Ariel?"