Seventy-eight pounds.

That is how much she weighed. That's all her muscles, skeleton, organs and so on added up to. Seventy-eight whole pounds.

That was far too heavy.

Maka ran her sharp, cold fingers through her hair. Her fingers got tangled up the knots and she sighed before detangling herself.

Seventy-eight pounds.

How had she only lost a stone? How could all five foot four of her weigh that much? What kind of sick joke was this? Her shoulders hunched as she looked down on the scales she stood upon, naked. Her shoulder blades threatened to cut through her flesh if she leant forward much more.

"Maka?"

The pale girl jumped. Her wide, tired eyes made their way to the door. There were a couple more knocks.

"Maka? You've been in there for nearly an hour? What's keepin' ya?"

She coughed to clear her throat. "I'll be right out." She called, though her voice was still so quiet. There was a long pause.

"Hey, you don't sound so great. You good?"

"I'm fine, Soul," she snapped as she pulled on her clothes, not missing how hard it had gotten. Why was she so weak? She shivered.

"Alright, alright," Soul responded hotly, she could picture him holding his hands palm up at her outburst. "We need to leave for school any minute, okay?"

Maka supressed a gasp she couldn't risk Soul hearing. She couldn't go to school looking like this!

She turned her head reluctantly to looked into their full-length mirror and her face pinched up with disgust as she looked at herself, clad in only her unbuttoned school shirt and panties.

Her hair was no longer silky and healthy, it was dry and knotted, hanging at her sides lifelessly. Her jaw line was scarily sharp, as where her cheekbones and collar bones. Her joints felt brittle and ached horribly. Her rips jutted out, making it clear there was nothing in her stomach. There hadn't been anything in there for a while. Her eyes were the most alarming. Bags that looked like huge crescent moon bruises hung under them and clung to the bone underneath.

Maka had to swallow her emotions. She didn't see a dangerously skinny and sick girl in the mirror. All she saw was this ugly, unsatisfying reflection.

That weighed 78 pounds more than she should.

She shook the thought away and snapped her head back up. She could not let Soul see her like this. She could not.

"Makaaaaaaaaaa-"

"Just leave without me!" she tried to hiss, but her voice was so small and scratchy. She could almost feel Soul frown, but she did feel a new-found concern flowing through their bond. "I'll meet you there. I over slept and I'm not ready."

Maka couldn't see him, but she knew he would be rubbing the back of his neck in contemplation. "Eh, I dunno Maka, I can just wai-"

"No, Soul!" This time her voice did finally get louder. But not in the way she wanted it too. It scraped across her dry throat and cracked until she broke down into a cough. She couldn't even reply when Soul started knocking again.

"Maka!" he was getting frantic now, she heard the door knob turning.

Maka had never acted so fast in her life. She threw herself towards the door when it started to open and pushed Soul back with so much force it threw him at the wall opposite the bathroom door.

"What the hell, Maka?!" he nearly roared, but Maka couldn't reply, it hurt too much.

She clutched her shoulder in agony, knowing whatever she had done to it wasn't good. Her bones were far too weak for such a blow. Her scream was silent, and left her in a small squeak. She fell back into the sink and hit her head. She saw stars. Why was everything hurting her so much?

"Maka?" Soul's voice was quieter, and much more cautious. Maka gasped.

"Soul, you cannot come in here," she had to fight to make her voice sound strong. "I – I'm indecent."

Soul was quiet a moment. She expected him to make a scene, maybe laugh or tease her, but he was just so quiet.

"I see," his voice sounded confused and full of alarm. Maka frowned. "You should have just said. You're sure you'll make it to school okay?"

"Yes," she responded. "Yes, I'll be fine. Now go, okay? You're going to be late."

He didn't reply so she assumed he nodded.

"See ya soon, Maks. Hurry, 'kay? I want an explanation when you get there."

Maka didn't respond, and few minutes later she heard the front door close softly.

Soul made his way to his bike slowly, fighting the urge to run back towards the apartment with every step he took. He didn't understand Maka's behaviour lately. She hadn't left the apartment all summer and now she's going to be late on the first day of school? Their final year, no less? It just didn't add up.

She was acting very odd all summer, he pondered as he arrived at his bike and pulled out his keys. She was dressing different, only the baggiest clothes she had, sweats and hoodies. She'd stopped doing her hair, answering the phone, she hardly even read anymore. She just spent all her time in the bathroom. It was… so unlike Maka.

Soul climbed onto his bike before slipping on his helmet, something Maka finally talked him into wearing. The bike roared to life and he soared towards Shibusen.

Ten minutes later, Soul had parked up and headed up the stairs to meet with his and Maka's group. He saw Blackstar first, his blue locks bounced as he jumped around, shouting about his arrival.

"HAS EVERYONE MISSED THEIR GOD?" He roared obnoxiously. Soul rolled his eyes. "WELL, NO FEAR, FOR I HAVE RETURN-"

Liz grabbed him by the ear and shoved him back towards Tsubaki.

"Blackstar, calm," she snapped, though there was humour in her voice. Her eyes lifted to meet Soul's, as did the rest of their group. They all lit up for a split moment, their mouths opened to greet him but then they all paused.

"Where is Maka?" Blackstar shouted at the top of his voice. "She's missing the grand entrance of HER GOD!"

"Yes," Kid added, ignoring Blackstar. He walked forwards with Liz and Patti and Tsubaki and Blackstar to meet Soul. "She's never missed a day in her entire life."

"Yah," Soul looked away awkwardly. "She said she was running a bit late. She'll be here soon enough."

No one responded, a bunch of confused glances with cast between them all before their eyes fell back on Soul Eater.

"That makes no sense," Tsubaki stated in a worried tone. "None of us have seen her all summer. It's been three months, is she okay?"

Soul shook his head and shoved his hands in his pockets. "I honestly couldn't tell you. She's been very to herself lately." He watched their eyes narrow with concern and waved his hands in dismissal.

"It'll be fine guys," he drawled in his usual bored tone. "She's probably just a bit stressed because we're nearly finished here. I'm sure it'll pass."

"Yeah," Blackstar yelled again, not even phased. "Maka is perfectly fine! If anyone deserves a day off, it's her. Leave her alone!" He laughed stupidly.

The all muttered in agreement, but Soul could still see the stiffness in their postures as they made their way to class without Maka.

It was third period when Soul finally had enough. The moment they seated in first period, he'd expected to see Maka enter at any second. Maybe just before the lesson started at most. But the lesson started without her. Now this was very unusual for his partner.

Maybe it's because the lesson has already begun, Soul thought anxiously as he tried to think of any excuse he could. She probably didn't want to barge in on a lesson that has already started.

He went through the same process in second period. Even his friends began to notice and shuffle with worry. It was half way through third period when Blackstar pushed him over the edge.

"Dude, where the fuck is Maka?" Blackstar muttered as Sid spoke at the front of the class. Soul looked sharply to his friend.

"Huh?" was all he could muster.

"This isn't right," Blackstar said in the most scarily serous voice Soul had ever heard him do. "She would never miss this much for no reason. She could be spewing up everywhere and she'd still come in for the first day. No matter what." A strange feeling started gnawing Soul's stomach.

"What do you want me to say, 'Star?" Soul whispered back. "She was in the bathroom and she wouldn't let me in. She didn't… sound good, I guess. But she didn't say she was sick. She told me to leave without her. And hey, you were the one who said if any needed a day off, it was her."

"Well, what else did she say?" Blackstar pushed, ignoring his comment. Soul rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"I don't know. She started coughing before she could get a word out. I tried to go in and check on her but she slammed into the door before I could open it. I didn't even get a glimpse of her."

Blackstar hummed thoughtfully. He was quiet for a while, but then he smirked and shook his head.

"We're all worrying over nothing," he concluded, and even Soul felt a little weight fall from his shoulders at his friend's tone. Blackstar may be an idiot at times, but he was smart when it came to his friends. "We all expect so much from her I guess because she's some golden pupil. Maka needs a break, like I said. I bet she's just tired or under the weather, I dunno…"

Soul nodded, but Blackstar went on.

"You know," he began in a thoughtful voice. "I guess I just forget that you guys are just mere mortals. No way could you all be as GODLY AS M-"

"BLACKSTAR," Sid roared and Soul cracked up with laughter and sunk back into his chair. Worry falling from his conscience like a petal from a flower.

Maka was fine. She was the girl with everything. She had the grades, the friend's, the whatever she wanted. What did she have to be sad about? What could possibly be wrong?