To: Parisian devision

From: Tsubaki
Subject: New Lead

Black*Star found a new lead. Didn't catch it really well but it's said that the witch is getting weaker. Soul is getting involved. I'll try to keep him away from the idea to go after her. Not sure if it'll work. I'll keep you posted.

Stay safe,

Tsubaki

To: Tsubaki Nakatsukasa
From: Parisian devision
Subject: Re:New Lead

Thank you for letting heard from you. I will get on it. Make sure to keep Soul away from it. Should things happen, notify ASAP. Does Kid know?

Soul woke up from a poke in his ribs. "Wake up Soul, we have to go," Liz said.

Soul raised his head and saw the tall blond looking a little worried at him. He hated it.

He caught his friends sending worried glances at him all the time. It was annoying as fuck! He didn't need their pity. Didn't want it.

He pushed himself out of his seat and walked the classroom out. They all decided to go to Kid after school. He followed them out of Shibusen, to the mansion.

Liz and Patti were busy talking, Black*Star was showing Tsubaki his muscles, saying he needed to work out more, and Kid was walking next to Soul in silence.

"Can I help you or something?" Soul asked a little annoyed.

"How are you doing Soul?" Kid asked politely.

"Fine."

Kid didn't seem to believe him but he let it slide. "Heard you and Black*Star found some rumor about the witch that killed Maka."

Soul flinched at Kid's hard words. He nodded. "It's said that Maka put a small part of her soul in her final attack on the witch and that it is now working its way into her, destroying her from the inside out." Soul looked at his friend. "Is it possible?"

Kid shrugged. "Not really sure. I've never seen it happen."

Soul nodded. They continued their walk in silence. Both boys occupied by their thoughts.

It wasn't until they reached the mansion that Soul realized everyone had gone quiet. Even Black*Star. "What's going on?" Soul asked.

"Tsubaki came up with a idea but we're not sure if you're okay with it," Liz admitted.

Soul looked at Tsubaki, curious. "Well, spill it out."

"I just thought, maybe we could go to Maka. It has been a while. We can bring some food with us." Tsubaki said softly, then quickly added, "If you're okay with of course."

Soul grimaced. "Yeah sure." he said. Only to stop their pitiful looks.

Tsubaki took the task of preparing food while the others waited for her. In ten minutes she was back with a picnic basket and they walked to Death City's cemetery.

There was a special section set up for weapons and meisters in the back. They followed the path and soon found Maka's grave.

Maka Albarn

Born september 12 1997

Passed august 13 2015

** meister

The words stabbed Soul's eyes from the moment he looked at the stone. "You were almost eighteen," He realized out loud. "It was almost your birthday."

He felt his friends' concerned eyes on him but Soul ignored it. Instead, he just sat down next to the grave and started removing the weeds.

The others started to help him. Patti found some small pretty flowers and replaced them with the old ones, Liz wiped the stone clean with the rag Tsubaki brought with her and Black*Star lit a little candle for her. When they were all finished they joined Soul on the ground. Tsubaki passed sandwiches around and they ate in silence.

"Okay, favorite thing about Maka?" Black*Star asked when he couldn't take the pressing silence anymore.

The team looked a little surprised at him. Liz was the first one to answer, "Her courage."

"Her hair," Patti joined.

"I think I'll join Patti on the hair department," Kid agreed. "Her pigtails were always perfectly symmetrical."

Black*Star rolled his eyes while the others chuckled. Even Soul smirked.

"I liked her calm spirit a lot," Tsubaki added to the list.

"What calm spirit?" Soul asked, still smirking. "Haven't you noticed her temper?"

"Yeah!" Black*Star joined. "You obviously never had a Maka chop!"

Tsubaki giggled. "Because I wasn't acting like an idiot."

"Who are you calling an idiot? Apologize to your god immediately!"

The team laughed. It felt good to laugh. They hadn't done it in a long time.

"I uhm – my favorite thing about her was her kindness. Not only to us, but to everyone who needed help," Soul mumbled. "When we were in Rome, right before we met Crona, there were some punks who looked for a fight. Nothing exciting happened but they were really annoying. Later, Maka detected their souls, together with Crona's. She somehow knew they were in trouble and she wanted to help them. Even though those assholes wanted to hurt her a couple of hours before."

Kid smirked. "That sure sounds like our Maka."

The others nodded in agreement. And so they started sharing stories and fond memories, while the sun was slowly setting under the horizon.