Chapter 8 – Italy
Evan strolled through the cobblestone streets of Italy. He was heading in the direction of the house his parents owned. He wasn't looking forward to reuniting with them. He wasn't even sure what he would say when he saw them. He couldn't decide if he wanted to be angry or forget the past and move on.
The sun shined down on him, but he wouldn't take his sweatshirt off. He didn't want to be spotted b his parents before he found them.
Evan stopped walking his eyes fixed on two figures sitting at a small outdoor table laughing and eating pasta. Maka looked just like Evan remembered with her long dirty blonde hair and green eyes that matched his. Soul's white hair was shorter but everything from his sneakers to red eyes was as it had always been.
"How could they look so happy?" Evan thought as he watched them. All the anger he felt towards his parents turned into despair the longer he stood watching them. Their smiles were cold reminders that they were happy without Evan.
He forced himself to walk to the house. He swallowed hard willing himself to keep from turning around and running in the opposite direction. Evan stopped in front of the stone fence closing off the small yard surrounding the house.
Soul looked over at Evan frowning. "Can I help you with something?"
Evan stared at his father wondering how it was possible that Soul didn't recognize him. Everyone had said he had more of soul in him than Maka. Now that Evan stood before his father he could see the resemblance physically and personality wise.
"Soul, be nice to the young man." Maka chided Soul while smiling at Evan.
"I—I'm looking for…" Evan felt his throat swell up preventing him from speaking. He reached up scratching his head causing his hood to fall off his head.
Soul's frown deepened, "Looking for who?"
"My parents." Evan all but spat the words out of his mouth. After he had spoken he had noticed how much of an edge his tone had and didn't regret it.
Maka covered her mouth with her hand. "Evan?" Soul took a closer look at Evan his eyes widening with shock. Soul's mouth fell open making him look like a fish.
Evan dropped his eyes to the ground. This wasn't the sort of reunion he had imagined so he figured it'd be best just to get to the point. "I'm only here because Gramps says you're needed back in Death City."
Soul recovered his shock first. "Sit down, let's talk."
"We don't have time for that." Evan said keeping his tone level with all his strength. It would have been all too easy for him to lose his temper when that was the last thing that needed to happen. "Kid's expecting me back tomorrow morning since it's not safe for me to be away from Death City for long."
Maka looked horrified for a moment, "Not safe."
"Basically, this witch named Cassandra is trying to get me and some other kids to be part of her experiments with kishin." Evan stuffed his hands in his pockets and shifted his feet. "I think somebody has been watching me, but I haven't seen anything. So, if you're going to come back to Death City we need to go, if not I'm leaving alone." He emphasized 'alone' to be certain his parents understood him.
Soul shrugged at Maka, "Let's get going then."
Maka and Soul got to their feet heading inside to deposit dishes and retrieve the luggage they would need. Evan remained outside leaning against the fence with his phone out to call Kid. No one answered the first time so he tried again.
"Hello," Kid's voice sounded oddly strained.
"We're on our way back," Evan said.
"Make it fast, Angel and Gold Star's groups were attacked." Kid turned away from the phone saying something in a low voice.
"What? Are they ok?" Evan asked a cold sweat breaking out across his back.
"I have to go," Kid hung up.
Evan punched in Angel's number, his heart racing with each ring he heard. She didn't answer and he felt his stomach drop to the ground. He tried four more times with the same result. Evan then called Gold Star, Masa, Sid, and Sully all ending with no answer.
"What's wrong?" Soul asked exiting the house with Maka locking the door behind her.
"I don't know." Evan's eyes scanned the streets for signs of trouble. "But we need to hurry. Kid said Angel and Gold Star were attack on their assignments."
"You think we might get attacked too?" Maka asked as the small group began walking down the street.
"I don't think, I know." Evan pointed at the man standing a few feet away.
The man's black eyes were cast into shadows from the bill of his baseball hat. His flaming red dreadlocks stuck out of the back of his hat in a large clump. He was dressed in a plain t-shirt and jeans. An icy smile played across his lips as he pointed an eerily black katana at them.
Evan wouldn't have noticed the man before, he blended in to well.
Evan didn't pause to look at his parents as he took off running at the man. He let his anger and distress go using them to fuel him. His arms glowed red changing into sharp scythe blades. His blades locked the man's katana both men tried to overpower each other to gain the upper hand. Evan kicked at the man, his toe turning into a small blade imbedding itself in the enemy's stomach.
The man's smile widened relishing in the pain of the blow. He withdrew his weapon speeding backwards as Evan's arms swung after him. He raised the katana slashing it at Evan's feet. Evan brought his foot down on the blade pinning it in place. Maka charged at the man from the side swinging Death Scythe Soul at their attacker. The man yanked his weapon out from under Evan's foot knocking him off balance and the man jumped out of the way. Evan watched the man and noticed the slightest quiver of pain as he landed.
"Mom, did you see that?" Evan asked fixing his eyes on the man's movements.
"Looks like someone dealt a fair amount of damage to this guy." Maka replied a hint of a smile on her face at being called mom.
"I'd bet my life it as Angel's group." Evan stood up ready for the next attack.
"Why do you say that?" Soul asked projecting his voice.
"Angel's group was sent to collect Free, the immortal." Evan ducked under the man's katana working his way close to the enemy's core.
"Free's on our side?" Maka and Soul asked simultaneously.
"Of course, Death Angel isn't a person you could say no to." Evan's fist connected with the man's chest and he sent a burst of soul wavelength through him.
The man choked out a laugh that was a mix of pain and humor. He kneed Evan in the side, yanked him by the neck by the neck, and bashed the handle of his weapon into Evan's cheek. Evan twisted out of his grip, slid behind the man, and rolled out of the way. Maka took advantage of the opening swinging her weapon around to slice through the man.
Evan blinked and the man had disappeared. He scanned the street watching for the tell-tale signs of feet moving on the ground. There, a rock moved like it had been kissed by the wind. Evan sprang to his feet his sythe blade stopping inches away from the man's neck and the black katana tip pressed into Evan's shirt.
They stared at each other.
"What's your name?" Evan asked.
"Kyoki," the man spat the word.
"What?" Evan frowned as the meaning of the man's name sunk in.
Kyoki meaning insanity.
"There are things in this world that you will never understand, Evan Albarn." Kyoki's laughter roared through the street piercing every quiet corner with haunting notes. "We shall meet again when the time is right."
Kyoki tore off down an alley moving faster than Evan could follow.
Maka and Soul were facing each other in the middle of the street whispering about something they didn't want Evan to hear.
Evan approached them, "He's gone."
"It's better this was, let's get a move on." Soul began walking away to retrieve the luggage.
Maka placed an arm around Evan's shoulder leading him away. "I'm sorry, for everything."
"If you're really sorry than explain to e what was so important that you had to leave me." Evan jerked away from Maka stocking off in the direction of the train station. He had called her mom, but it was a mere slip of the tongue. He wasn't about to pretend that everything was fine after they had left him three years ago.
"You wouldn't understand," Soul muttered.