SoMa Fanfic - Your Memory - Ch 4 - Cancelled -

I can't remember you...

Maka slowly lifted her eyelids, beckoning herself to wake from her long sleep. She let gaze drifted about the dimly lit room before lifting herself up from bed to find the boy who sat beside her, lying next to her; asleep. His hand rest on hers and she couldn't quite place who he was or why he was there.

She took in his unfamiliar, tender, sleeping face, his slow breathing, his snow white hair that spiked out here and there, and the soft sound of his snoring coming from his shark-toothed mouth. For some unknown reason, she felt a small smile grow on her lips, but it quickly faded when she realized she was smiling for now reason.

Soul… Is his name… And I'm Maka… and we're… partners?

She didn't know what to think of all any of this. She let her body lazily drag itself out of bed and out from under her 'partner's' hand, finding her way to the window that was the only source of light in the small, gray room. The sun was just beginning to rise in the dark, cloudy sky. She placed her hand on the cold window and let her skin get used to the temperature change and she continued to stare down at the city that was her 'home.' She tried digging back in her head, trying to place who she was, but came up blank. Sighing, she let herself wonder out of the dark room and eventually found her way outside without getting stopped by anyone.

Maka watched her feet as she walked down the cold paved streets of Death City, her toes making a soft clicking sound against the ground. The air was icy, close to freezing, but the small amount of sunlight kept her lukewarm.

It wasn't long before the dark clouds covered up the sun and a small dew began to fall upon the City. Maka starred up at the sky, thinking for a moment she could find her answers somewhere in the clouds. She continued starring and before she knew it the light dew had turned into a hard, freezing rain, but for some reason, she remained where she was, unmoved and mesmerized by the sky.
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"Hehehehe…," a small, devilish voice began to snicker. "With her memories trapped inside, her body is nothing but an empty shell and she and you will soon become mine…," it continued dangerously.

"Hey, what did you do with Maka?" Soul asked, his vision finally clearing to the black and red room. The little demon sat atop the piano and Soul stood directly in front of him. "And what do you mean her memories are trapped?"

"I don't know. We're inside your head right now. Shouldn't you know?" the red demon laughed. "I'm so grateful for that other demon's help. He certainly knows how to stir up black blood like myself," he added with a wink.

"What are you talking about? Where's-"

Soul slowly squinted his eyes; grouching as he pushed sleep out of his head; his dream quickly fading from his head.  

What was that? What was that demon guy saying?...

Soul couldn't quite remember. His hand felt empty and cold as he sluggishly began to lift himself up. He clenched it into a fist and shot his eyes open, realizing his partner was no longer there. His eyes searched the vacant bed and the rest of the room, but to no avail.

"Maka…," he whispered before taking off, glancing out the window for a moment as he did.

He ran down the halls of the DWMA, asking various people if they'd seen her, but he didn't receive any positive news. At the front door of the academy, he met Dr. Stein.

"Stein! Hey have you seen Maka?" he asked, out of breath.

"No? I presumed she was in bed. Is she not?" he asked in his technical, not all that concerned voice.

"No, she's gone. I don't know where she is," he told him, his anxiety growing as he admitted the situation out loud for the first time; finally realizing how real and bad it was.

"I'll ask around, see if I can find anything. You should continue looking too," he said as Soul already continued his run out the door and down the stairs of the academy; his eyes searching for some kind of clue as to where she was.

Rain bulleted into his face; stinging and numbing it with cold. He ran relentlessly; looking all over the city and running past a few people walking the streets with umbrellas, but received no answers from them. He sprinted on and on, tearing through the streets past numerous shops, houses, buildings, and then almost running right past the girl he was in search of.

He found her, simply standing there; intently staring at the falling sky. She had been soaked to the bone, her long hair draping over her back and clinging to her face. Her clothes stuck close to her body, defining her features.

"Maka!" he yelled to her, running up from behind. She turned slowly and starred at him with the same expression she had while staring at the sky.

"What are you doing? Come on let's get out of the rain," he said without waiting for an answer and taking her hand and leading her underneath a nearby store awning. He sat her against the wall of the dark store and took off his jacket, leaving him in only a loose, white tank top.

"It's a bit wet on the outside, but the inside is still dry… You should probably take off that shirt. It's completely soaked…," he said, knowing it was true, but was still embarrassed by his words. She starred at him, thinking over his words, but he was unable to look back out of his discomfort. She silently took the jacket from his hands and turned the other way.

"Ok… don't look," she said, her voice shaky from the cold. He quickly turned and listened to her undress.

"Why were you out in the rain anyway? What were you thinking, Maka?" he asked, trying to gain his cool back somehow. She only hummed slightly in response. Soul sighed and after a minute turned back and sat down next to her; newly clad in his jacket. She shivered slightly.

"It looks like it'll be awhile before this rain lets up… If you're still cold then… here," he offered his hand, motioning for her to sit up from leaning against the building. She did and he position himself between her and the building, letting her lean into him as they sat. The closeness didn't seem to bother her all that much, though nothing really seemed to bother her.

"Aren't you… cold?" she asked quietly, the tiniest hint of concern in her voice.

"Nah, sitting like this makes us both warm," he returned quietly as well. Even though she didn't mind, being so close to his partner still made Soul uneasy.

She smells, feels, looks, and sounds the same… But without her memories, it's hard to even recognize who she is. Will Maka ever be the same?

"Hey, Soul? … Soul… is your name right?" she asked bluntly. "Who are you to me? Who are you really?"

The question silenced Soul for a few moments. "Like I told you… I'm your partner."

"What do you mean 'partner'?" she asked with a sense of curiosity.

"You're my meister… and I'm your weapon, Maka. We've spent years together… working and living together…"

"My weapon… Do you mean…we're friends?"

Soul sucked in his breath and his eyes widened. "Yeah… really good friends…," he spoke, meaning every word as he hugged her tighter.

"I'm sorry… I can't remember you…"