1,602 words. The first portion of this chapter is the end of the roleplay event from last chapter and has once again been modified to match the storyline. All credit belongs to their respective owners.
While odd occurrences were sort of the norm in Death City, people turning into weapons would still possibly cause a scene. Karma walked over to a nearby alleyway, listening to her brother's footsteps behind her. She turned dramatically, raising her arms mid-turn. "Well, let's get this party started! Too late to turn back now! We've got a deal, Michael!"
Had she made a bet with Sayuri, the scythe would have questioned her own sanity. After the pink dress incident, Karma had sworn off bets with the assassin. However, her brother was a different story. Typically, the odds were pretty even. But with the deal he'd proposed, Karma was certain she'd win. Her darling baby brother wouldn't be able to handle Karma and her soul, she was sure of it. She would be surprised if they could even begin a resonance of any rate. Holding out a hand to Michael, she asked, "Shall we?"
Michael smiled. He was certain he could win this bet. Well... so long as she did slam all of her wavelength into him. "No cheating, okay?" Michael emphasized. He held out his hand to her.
"Psh, I can win this bet without cheating," Karma scoffed. She took her brother's hand and initiated a Soul Resonance. Just how long could they keep up a low resonance rate? She closed her eyes and focused on her brother's soul wavelength. The melody was slow and beautiful, the kind of melody one listens to when deep in thought. She couldn't help but smile. This was why they wouldn't resonate well. Her melody was fast, disorderly. His was slow and thought-provoking. But nevertheless, she listened to Michael's wavelength silently, enjoying the soothing melody.
Michael was enjoying the resonance as well. It was all how he planned. Just as he theorized, she would resonate with him perfectly. The moment was joyous. He had beaten the best at her own game. This was something to tell their mother about. He hummed what he could hear of her melody softly as he twirled the scythe around like a baton. She was an elegant blade.
In the middle of the resonance, Karma opened her eyes. She saw a tiny version of herself run by. A memory? Young Sayuri and young Michael joined the scene, all three chasing each other as small children tend to do. But the giggling was silent. All around them was silent. The weapon smiled. What had happened to those days? The lazy afternoons they'd spent together? Suddenly, her younger self headed towards the edge of a nearby forest. Silently, her companions yelled at her to return. But the stubborn child refused and ventured further into the forest. Karma followed herself. Everything became much darker and following after her younger self became more difficult, as if she were running while underwater.
Finally, she caught up to young Karma who had stopped in the middle of the trees. Her eyes were wide, frightened by something. The scythe looked up to find a large white beast standing over them, piercing red eyes staring directly at them. The same beast as in her nightmares. Young Karma ran as fast as she could, but the beast lunged a huge paw at her face. Claws met flesh and a splotch of red hit the earth. Karma's scar burned like a hot poker had been placed on it. The beast turned to her next. A short, dark shadow stood behind it. But the only thing that worried Karma was the beast poised to strike her next.
The Soul Resonance dissolved. The scythe dropped to the ground, holding her cheek. "Mama! Mama, save me!" she screamed. Her scar continued to burn as she thrashed on the ground in pain.
Out in the real world, Michael tried keeping up with the resonance rate his sister was creating, but it was too much. The shock of her soul's wavelength suddenly spiking bounced him back as she lay on the ground, crying. Panicking, he ran to her side. "Are you alright?" he asked. She wouldn't answer her, instead she held her scar and cried out for her mother. Michael sat her up against the wall of the building. "Please be alright..."
The sensations of being moved were lost to her. All Karma could feel was the burning of her cheek. Her eyes were shut tight due to the enormous pain she endured. Why wasn't anyone coming to help her? Wasn't her mother going to come to her rescue? "Mama! Mama! Please save me! I'm begging you! MAMA!"
She opened her eyes hoping to find the woman before her. Instead, she was met by Michael's crimson eyes, the same as the beast's from her nightmares, from whatever vision she'd just seen. Scrambling away from her brother, Karma continued to scream. She curled up into a ball against the wall at the end of the alley, frightened eyes staring at her brother between arms shielding her face. A crowd of curious passer-bys had already begun to form, but the scythe didn't take notice of them. All that mattered was that the monster was there in front of her, ready to finish the job it had been unable to finish earlier.
A dark shadow loomed over her brother. It was the same silhouette as in her vision, only taller this time. The shadow chuckled, the sound echoing in the alleyway. The temperature of her scar suddenly spiked. Karma fainted, falling over onto the dirty ground. Why hadn't her mother come to save her...?
...
Karma stirred. The light above her was blinding. She tried to rub the sleepiness from her eyes as she heard Michael's voice call for their mother. Was she still in the alleyway? No, she was home in bed. What had happened to her...?
"Karma! Oh, sweetie, I'm so glad you're okay!" Maka exclaimed, throwing her arms around her daughter. "Are you hurt? What happened?"
"Mom, I'm fine, but you're crushing me," Karma weezed.
Maka let her go and stood at the foot of the bed. "I'm sorry... I was just so worried about you... I heard the doorbell and certainly didn't expect to see your brother carrying an unconscious you into the house. I was worried to begin with when you both didn't come home right after school..." The doorbell rang. The woman sighed. "I don't think I was expecting any guests. I'm not sure how much more excitement I can take today... Michael can you-?"
"I'll take care of her, Mom," Michael answered before his mother could finish. She nodded and went to answer the door. The boy turned his attention to Karma. "Okay, what the hell was that?"
"What are you talking about?" Karma sighed.
"Your little freak out session in the alley. What was that about?"
She couldn't possibly tell him the truth. She had to come up with some sort of creative answer. "I have no idea what you're talking about." All of her creativity must have escaped her. Pulling the covers up over her head, the scythe turned over on her side to avoid any more of her brother's questions.
"We were resonating just fine, then all of a sudden you started acting like a crazy person," Michael said. "You mean to tell me you don't remember any of that?"
"Nope, doesn't ring a bell."
"What about yelling 'save me'? You were calling for mom like you were a little kid being chased by a monster."
She had finally had enough. Throwing the sheets off of her violently, she shrieked, "Why don't you shut the fuck up and leave me the hell alone?!"
"It's you!" their mother shouted at the door.
Brother and sister shared a look then pushed each other to be the first to the door to see what Maka shouted about. What they found stopped Karma dead in her tracks.
Maka was crying, her arms around Mr. Evans, the pianist from Cloud Nine. "It's you! It's really you!" she sobbed into the nape of his neck. He stroked her hair gently.
"Dad...?" Michael whispered in disbelief. "Is that... really you...?"
Maka turned to face her children. "That's right, your father is home. Soul... you're home at last!" Once again, she pulled her husband into a tight embrace, Michael soon joining in on the hugging.
Soul looked at Karma. "I couldn't believe it was you. You must not have recognized me at Cloud Nine. You've grown so mu-"
"Shut up..." Karma interrupted with venom in her voice.
"But, Karma, aren't you glad to see me?" her father asked, shocked at her behavior.
"Get out."
"Karma, that is no way to speak to your father!" Maka chastised.
"He isn't my father!" the scythe shouted. "What kind of a father up and leaves his wife and children? He hurt you, Mama! Don't try to tell me he didn't! I remember it clearly... I saw a red mark on your face when you came back from talking with him before he left! He hit you! And what about me? He hurt me and ran away! Too afraid to own up to his mistakes!" Maka and Michael let go of Soul.
"Karma Marie, that is enough!" Maka said storming up to her daughter. "Apologize to your father at once!"
"You think I should apologize? What have I done that is so bad? I call him out on his mistakes, and I'm the one who has to apologize?" All went silent for a moment. "I'm out of here..." Karma muttered, pushing past her family members.