Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Eater.

CHAPTER 5: STRIKE ONE

Spirit Albarn's stomach churned with years of bottled up guilt and regret. Bracing his hands on his knees as he bent over the gutter, Spirit tossed his head back and forth along the desolate street as he tried to catch his breath. Shibusen stood proudly in the distance, its candles extinguished. Only the moon's low cackles kept Spirit company.

Think, Spirit, think. She wasn't at school, her apartment was empty, there wasn't anyone at the basketball court; her favourite café and bookstore are closed… Did I miss her? No. No! I'm just not thinking hard enough. Somewhere calm, peaceful, familiar, reassuring – Of course!

Snapping his fingers at the thought, Spirit raced back down the hill. His chest hammered against his rib cage, his empty stomach performed lopsided back flips, his clothes clung to his flesh, and sparks of agony shot down his calves. But Spirit's mind was elsewhere. He couldn't care less about himself. Screeching to a halt under the luminous glow of a broken street lamp, Spirit eyed a stranded silhouette amongst the thorn bushes and whispering chains.

Her eyes were too tired to cry, her eyelids threatened to collapse as she stared at the soft bark hovering beneath her feet. Suddenly, a familiar shadow slid into view. Maka didn't possess the energy to run.

"Go away," she sniffed, her fists clutching the chains strung up either side of her.

Cautiously, the shadow shifted. A pair of shoes as dark of night slipped by to reappear by her side, and there they remained. Spirit watched his daughter bow her head and turn her eyes aside, her cheeks and eyes red raw.

Do I disgust her that much…? Breathing shakily, he clasped his own chains and embraced the past. "I thought you'd have forgotten about this place by now…just like I thought I'd forget about Kami…"

Albeit reluctantly, Maka raised her head. "I thought you loved mama…" she drawled.

"I do, Maka," he reinforced. "That's why I didn't tell you."

Maka scowled. "If you loved me, you would have told me!"

"You – You already hated me, Maka," Spirit replied, his voice harsh in its softness. "But you loved your mother. I couldn't ruin that."

"But you did! She left because of you!" Maka howled, suffocating her chains. Their rattles echoed around the deserted park like the screeches of prisoners awaiting their execution.

"That's right." His grip slackened on his chains.

Maka's eyes widened in terror. H-He…He didn't deny it…? I wasn't expecting an answer, let alone a confession!

"Kami wanted to travel…" Spirit began. "I didn't. She wanted to take you with her…but I wouldn't let her." Although unaware, Maka had required the strength to face her father. "I won't make excuses, Maka, but when she was away on missions, I got lonely. It was stupid. I know it hurt you. But, at the same time, Kami…was doing the same. I wasn't good enough for her anymore…"

"P-Papa…" Maka stuttered tentatively.

"She'd always been a free spirit," he continued, laughing mockingly as he sobbed, holding his head in his hands, his elbows braced on his shaking knees. "She was always so strong and smart, I didn't want to think that – that she – but she told me everything, how happy she was with Talon, how she hated me for suffocating her!"

"Papa –"

"But when she…When she left, to live with Talon, I didn't want her to take you!" he confessed, shaking his head furiously. "Her missions were dangerous! I don't know what she was thinking, taking you along – if you'd gotten injured – if you'd died –"

"Papa!"

Spirit froze. He dropped his hands, his head still hanging like that of a dead man. The silence hung, immobile, like the coiling chains Maka clutched. "I – I'm sorry I hurt you, Maka," he reformed, shattering the tension as he stood suddenly, stowing his hands into his pockets. "I suspect Rex's worried about you. It's, er, probably best if you, er, go home…"

Deflated, defeated, Spirit stalked away into the night. Yanked back, he examined the limb wrapped around his arm. Following it back to a face, he stared in disbelief. Maka had abandoned the swing from her childhood, the chains jiggling like silver bells. A stray tear rolled into view. Spirit turned, raising a grateful smile and a hand, he hooked the pad of his thumb under her bag ridden eye socket. Her bottom lip trembled. With a cry, Maka flung her arms around her father, all but knocking him off his feet. Shedding his own tears, Spirit hugged his daughter.

"Hate me all you like, Maka, but I'll always be there for you," he promised. "Always."

The fruitless orchard promised privacy, its endless array of arms and gloved covered hands stretching to the Heavens, pinning the sun to the glamorous, cloudless sky. Lying betwixt the daisies and daffodils, Maka bathed in the sun's divine rays as she entertained her innermost thoughts. However sceptical she was, Maka understood logic; there was only one reason her eyes were still swollen. Nevertheless, she stowed her compact mirror in the trench coat she'd sprawled herself across before returning her gaze skyward.

It had been days, weeks even, since any of Death City had laid eyes on the blue sky lurking behind the grey concrete. Beside her, with a foot lolling off his left knee, Soul basked in the peace. His piercing red eyes had closed in favour of recollecting fond memories.

"Hey, Soul…are you sure you're cool with it, keeping it a secret and all?"

Inclining his head back, raising his body like that of a crab, Soul cast an upside down toothy grin in his Meister's direction. He looked remarkably uncomfortable, but Maka had the composure not to belittle him. The smirk he produced seemed to satisfy the Death Scythe, and he crashed back to Earth.

"You're something else, you know that…" he sighed. "But," he heaved, "the way I see it, everyone who needs to know knows. Shinigami-sama knows. I leave it in his hands."

Winking under the sun, Maka shared his lazy smile. "Thanks, Soul." He sure brings back memories…

"Glad to see you've been taken care of though."

"Yeah, Rex has been a great friend. I'm glad you got along so well this morning at breakfast. I kinda feel bad about what Stein told him, though…"

"Don't worry. He'll get his time to shine," Soul assured. "Besides, he'll still be your partner after this mission. I'm just…borrowing you for a while."

"Be careful with what you say, Soul," Maka teased. "A woman could get the idea you're jealous."

"Who's jealous?!"

"Speak of the Devil…" Soul moaned.

"Black Star! Tsubaki!" Maka cried, jumping to her feet and sprinting to encase her friends in her arms. "It's so great to see you!"

Slinking out of her grasp, Black Star scrubbed his cheeks free of colour. "I knew you missed basking and worshiping your favourite God!" he declared, slamming his fists against his hips.

"Er, Black Star, we talked about this," Tsubaki prompted.

"He's cool," Soul shrugged, hi-fiving his friend. "Great to be back, huh, bro?" he asked as he rubbed excess grass from his jacket.

"You know it, bro!"

"Am I interrupting anything?"

"Kiddo!" Black Star roared, slapping the young Shinigami's back. "How's my fellow God doing?" Huh...? What's that noise...? No. Don't get distracted.

"Never better," Kid replied, cracking his spine back into place.

"Huh, he's still as obnoxious and reckless as I remember," Liz scoffed. "My heart goes out to you, Tsubaki."

"Oh, no, Black Star's been amazing," she retorted, her voice as angelic as ever.

"That's right! One more soul, and Tsubaki will be my Goddess!" There it is again! It sounds like a...like a phone...?

"Doesn't he mean Kiddo's Goddess?"

"Let him have his moment, Patty," Liz humoured, speaking aside to her childish sister.

"What are you talking about?" Kid inquired. "I already have the best Death Weapons a Shinigami can ask for."

"Huh…Oh, thanks, Kid…" Liz blushed, biting her lip and fidgeting nervously as she twirled her long, blonde hair.

"We love you, Kiddo!" Patty clapped, beaming at her Meister.

"That aside, congratulations," Kid offered.

"Yes, well done," Maka applauded.

"Just be careful," Soul warned. "You don't know what you're giving up and what you're gaining." Black Star glared. "What? Don't look at me like that! It's creepy…"

"Hum? Oh, no, I wasn't staring at you. I've just been hearing this strange ringing for a while…"

"Ah, that's probably Father," Kid cleared.

"Good hearing!" Patty praised.

As he contorted his hands, Kid formed several deep violet circles in midair. Gradually, a mirror screen bled into view.

"Ah, Kid, glad I reached you. And you're with your friends, even better!"

"What's happened?" Kid refocused.

"Havok has been sighted."

"What?" Maka gasped. "Where?!"

"He and several unidentified characters have somehow gained access to the Witch Realm. They're slaughtering Witches as we speak."

Their torches blazed with the heat of a thousand suns. Amongst the crowd of floating caldrons and crooked pointed hats, they slammed their broomstick shafts against the prune-coloured concrete. They chanted, voicing their outrage, but five hooded figures stood motionless amidst the thicket of darkness. Silence fell as a set of heavy, gothic doors crept opened. Instinctively, they raised their cloaks against the blinding light even a thousand suns couldn't outshine. Gradually, the light dimmed and the suns dawned over their newest enemy.

"Mabaa! Come out and face us!"

"That's right! We're sick and tired of being your slaves!"

"You can't hide the truth any longer!"

"Truth...? You want the truth?" an ominous voice echoed. "I'll tell you the truth. A truth blind to all you incompetent fools!" Despite their uproar, all it took was a breath of fresh air to extinguish their fire. Silence entombed the Witch Realm once more. "The truth that you insects ignored; the truth that the Gorgon sisters embraced and gave their lives for: the Wasteland...has been breached." Accompanying the voice were a clanking set of thundering footsteps pacing forward. "Tell me, I dare you: who spies the fear inside my soul as paranoia now?!"

Amongst the crowd, a dainty dot of white flesh slowly floated into the air. Swiftly, the masses shuffled aside, whispering amongst themselves.

"Show yourself," Mabaa ordered.

With one hand still high above their head, a second set of fingers snaked forth to remove their hood. However, their face remained shielded between the long, thick strands of a dying rainbow.

"Isabella..." Mabaa hissed. "What outrageous declaration do you have for me, today?"

"Isabella isn't here right now," hissed an equally demonic reply.

Before a reaction could be observed, the raised appendage of white flesh flicked and twisted itself, cracking its wrist. The torches were relit with burning blood. Screams of fear and shrieks of terror filled the air. Clattering to the ground, the torches spilled their endless pools of deadly red flames. They engulfed everything in their path. Isabella dutifully breathed in and expelled the ashes of her disowned sisters. From the depth of Hell, a shadow took form, its limbs bleeding from young Isabella's eyes, mouth and nose. The multicoloured waves of ashen souls swiftly solidified.

Clad in black, four armed combatants raced through the carnage to the closing doors, lavishing the thrill of running through their fire. Unscathed, they held onto time itself. Falling to her knees, Isabella kissed the concrete.

"I live to serve you, my Queen!" she breathed.

Inclining her head, her soulless eyes bright with lively hunger, the Shadow Queen raised her blossomed hands. Lazily, she waved her nemesis forth, dragging her through the doors into the evolving bleakness of Death.

"I'm home, Aunt Mabaa. Did you miss me?"

Expelled through the violet portal like a child would throw a rag doll, Death the Kid gave no noticed to the crumpled heap of bodies behind him. He watched the sea of the foaming beast separating him from five silhouettes. His chest constricted as his friends found their respective feet. One by one, they joined him.

"Huh…? I though only Havok was working with the Shadow Queen…"

"Looks like he brought his mates. Hmph. Don't worry, Maka," Soul reassured. "We'll get 'em."

"Five against seven," Kid gazed. "I don't like our odds. It's so asymmetrical…"

"I don't think now's the time to concern yourself with symmetry, Kid," Elizabeth scowled.

"I'll bore you with the details later," he retorted.

"Roger!" Patty cheered, transforming into a pistol.

"Thank your father for small miracles," Liz breathed, copying her sister.

"I agree with Kid," Black Star scowled. "I don't like our odds… Something feels off. Tsubaki!"

Instantly, Tsubaki transformed into a Kusari-gama. "Odds don't win a battle, Black Star."

"We don't have to fight."

Soul grabbed his Meister's arm. "Maka, don't."

Havok…! "What do you want?" she asked, shaking Soul off as she stepped forward towards the edge of her fear.

"Freedom…a family…a future," Havok replied, his passion clearly prominent.

"Maybe we should listen to him."

"Maka, he killed his father!" Kid raged.

"We can just talk! Don't you want to avoid any more bloodshed?"

"Sometimes blood is the price you pay for peace."

"Spoken like a true Shinigami." Havok chuckled, hunching his shoulders. "I bet your father's proud."

"Shut up! You have no right to talk about my father!" Kid aimed his pistols, his pinkies clutching the triggers. "You've annihilated the Witches, murdered a Three Star Meister, and a Death Scythe in cold blood. If you and your co-conspirators refuse to come quietly, we will have no choice but to take your souls!"

Havok released an invigorated sigh. "Thank goodness. I was beginning to think Shibusen had gotten soft." He stretched, raising his arms and folded them behind his head. "But, I guess it's only fair to give you an opportunity to surrender and walk away."

"Let's shut this guy up, huh?" Black Star fumed.

"I conquer. He disgusts me," Kid agreed.

"Hmph. Have it your way," Havok snapped. "Alistair! Xavier"

From either side of their line of triumph, a solid silhouette jetted into action, hopping across the hot coals of the ever expanding flaming sea. Kid open fired. They dodged effortlessly. Black Star charged to increase the heat as the smell of burnt leather forced Kid to redraw from the fires of hell.

"Speed Star!" he roared, dashing back and forth across the flames.

Striking at full strength, Black Star's target faded into a familiar light and flew into the second silhouette's hands. The light carved a thick, clouded silver blade and a mighty staff of dishevelled grey, forming a proud battleaxe.

"Uh? A Demon Weapon?!" Black Star fired.

"Maka!" Soul cried.

Maka was already speeding back to her partner, but the battleaxe and his Meister had other plans.

"Resonance of Revenge!" the Meister roared, his voice full of youthful abandon. Wielding his axe as a hammer, he smashed the blade into the concrete, and watched the beauty unfold.

Black Star had escaped to solid ground, his skin reddened where the melted coal had spat in his face. Building up speed, he sprinted up and along the circling wall as the ground snapped as easily as one would tear a piece of sodden paper. The cavern that blasted itself into life, and swallowed the fiery lava, shot its first breath towards the closest wall. It raced Black Star up the side, dislodging chunks and shooting boulders several times the size of a fully grown man into the air. Eyeing the sky, Maka slid to a standstill, threw her arms over her head and screwed her eyes shut. Soul encompassed his Meister with his body, ejecting blades across his back, slicing the boulders Black Star – who turned Tsubaki into a Katana – couldn't reach.

"Soul…"

"You ready, partner?" he asked with baited breath.

Maka unleashed a determined smile, accepting his hand. He pulled Maka to her feet and immediately melded into a Death Scythe.

"Raphael," Havok instructed.

Grinning menacingly, Raphael's arms and back glowed like the fire sprawled before them. Two complexly intricate devices entombed his arms. A backpack emerged behind him, humming in sync with his heartbeat. Shooting his hands into the flames, they reappeared with two egg-sided fireballs. He shot them directly at a speeding Black Star. He skidded to a halt, sliding down the wall until he regained his momentum, redirecting his charge at Raphael.

"Oh, you're so dead!"

"I – I can't shoot them!"

"Yes you can, Kid!" Liz replied in earnest.

"No! Our bullets – they just phase right through their bodies! It's like they're not human at all! They're not solid! They're – They're shadows!"

The battleaxe was spun arrogantly, his Meister using it as a shield against his emotionally compromised attacker. He pushed a pair of thin, black glasses up his nose, the fire light reflecting a familiar glare Kid wanted to avoid. Maka's scream turned heads. Soul crashed to the concrete as Black Star dodged a fireball.

"Maka!" Kid roared, abandoning the battleaxe and his uninterested Meister. They were strolling back to a lone silhouette. So we have an audience after all…

"I can't wield Soul!" she sobbed. "He – He's burning me!" Truth be told, her white gloves were charred and steam rose from the blistering skin underneath. "Our souls aren't compatible anymore!"

"And now…it's our turn," Havok sneered. "Be prepared, Isabella." Strongly, she nodded her head.

"That didn't stop us before!" Soul summoned, obviously to the plot unfolding before his eyes. "Remember what we accomplished together? Don't give up. Try again!"

Grinding his teeth, Havok used his left arm to reach behind him and withdrew a smoking black scythe from his back. With the step he took he streamed through the air, blasting across the cavern and parting the flames like Moses parted the Red Sea.

"Maka, hurry!" Soul roared.

"It hurts!" she wept, straining under the weight as she raised her weapon off the ground. It hovered in her hands for a second before blood began to trickle from the holes in her flesh. Soul fell back to the Earth.

"Liz! Patty!"

"Roger!" they synced. "Resonance of Souls!"

The Thompson sister expanded in size, swallowing Kid's arms, forming their Death Cannons.

"Noise interference at 0.8%," Liz informed.

"Death Needles charging," Patty added.

Soul reformed and dived over his Meister to race towards his sprinting attacker. Unleashing his blades proved ineffective, finding they drove straight through Havok's surreal and smoking body.

"What that – "

Dodging a scythe slice freed Soul from the fires of battle, but pushed him into the flames of hell.

"SOUL!" Maka yelled, his screams piercing her heart harder and deeper than any blade ever could.

Wielding his scythe like a foam baseball bat, Havok's eyes shone with a malevolent glint. It told Maka all trace of the human within had been devoured…and destroyed. Refocusing, his scythe seemed to swing in slow motion. The wall at her back, the boulders to her left, her brother at the front – Maka darted right. A familiar scream rang in her head, but she couldn't place the voice. Havok swung his Death Scythe, and as Maka Albarn's life flashed before her eyes, she caught a glimpse of a single blinding ball of light.

It's that...a star? No, not a star… A soul. My soul…

I apologise for the late update folks, but I've been having trouble uploading the next chapter. I'd appreciate any comments or advice for the next. Just to pre-warn you, I'm taking a trip to America in a couple of days so I might not add Chapter 7 until as late as June because, when I come back, I'll be cramming for exams, so please bare with me and I'll upload ASAP.