prolog: Part 3: Break My Halo

Darkness. Silence. More darkness. Maka feels her self floating..no..she's falling..she's falling..down? She doesn't want to open her eyes..she just lets herself fall..It's quiet here..no screams..no pain..She's just falling..that's not so bad. She doesn't know where she is..or how she got here..but that's okay..

For some reason she doesn't know if she wants to know.

Then..She hits something. She lands on something solid..though she hit it pretty hard..she felt no pain. Confused..she opens her eyes..they widen and she shoots up..looking around..

She's in..a empty room..It's dark..The only thing she can see is the floor around her..just a small circle..all the rest is in darkness..

"..Where am I?" Maka's question echos in this seemly empty space-

"Your in the in between." Maka tenses at that voice..tenses at this familiar..horrible voice..it gets chills to be sent down her spine..there's..there's no way!

The lights in this room suddenly turn on..standing before her..is someone she thought she would never see again.

"Asura!" Maka jumps on her feet, her fists out and ready..her eyes wide at this demon god..just smirking at her..His scarves moving around carelessly..amusement in those red eyes. She glares darkly at him. "What the hell are you doing here?! I killed you!" She shouts out in disbelief.

"As if. Did you really believe a weak punch like that could really kill me? It just scared me is all. I've been hiding out here, in this world between life and death..eating stray souls, and cursing the ones that make it to heaven." Asura grins at her. "I wasn't expecting seeing you here so soon..Maka Albarn."

"What the hell are you talking about? A world between life and death?..I don't get what your saying.." Her arm hairs stick up at how he laughs..madly..darkly.. Maka takes a step back..not feeling so good with the demon god right in front of her..alive and well. This isn't good! She has to tell Lord Death about this-

That's when she steps on something..almost tripping..She jumps forward and whips around..ready to fight..only to stop..everything stops..

On the ground..is a body..Her body..She lays on the ground..blood pooled around her..The girl's green, lifeless eyes staring at Maka..

"W-What..what the hell is.." Maka takes steps back..only to bump into something hard..and breathing.

"Oh dear Maka, it's you..or what use to be you.." Asura wraps his arms around Maka..his dark voice in her ear.

"That can't be me! She's..she's dead!" Maka pushes the demon off of her..taking steps back..away from him..away from the body..it's getting every part of her to shiver..a coldness overcoming her..

"That's right! Don't you know? Your dead Maka..that is why you are here.." Asura chuckles at how Maka's eyes widen.

"No..I can't be dead.. I was just on a mission and-" Maka stops..she closes her eyes as images flash through her head..

The scorpion's tail. The pain. The blood..the darkness..

Her breath catches..she falls to her knees..her body trembling..She hugs herself..her eyes opening.. "I'm..i'm really..dead..she..she killed me!" Maka looks at her hands..they're see through..her mind is reeling.

"Yup! She got you good." Asura cracks his neck. "Pretty embarrassing on your part."

"Fuck you." Maka growls..it's weaker then she wanted it to be..she forces herself up..her glare falls when she looks around this dark place..before she looks at the kishen. "..If i'm dead..why am I here?..is this hell?..did I do something wrong?

"No my dear. This is only a pit stop..your as pure as snow." Asura smirks. "Look behind you."

Maka gives him a suspicious look..but she does..She gasps when she sees the white wings sticking out of her back..they're a beautiful white..pure.

"Now look up."

This time she just listens..above her head is a halo..it's bright..glowing..

"I'm a angel.." Maka whispers..she feels her lips twitch..they turn up into a smile. "..I'm going to heaven.."

"Yup. Happy ending for you..to bad for you friends though." The demon sighs and walks away..Maka's smile gets wiped clean off her face.

"What do you mean 'to bad for my friends'?" Maka walks after him..stopping when the demon does. Asura turns around..his smirk is sinister.

"Oh..you don't know, do you?" Asura sighs. "All your friends are going to die because of your death."

"What the hell are you talking about? Just because I died it doesn't change my friends' fates!" Maka shouts at this demon..her stomach turning at how he grins.

"Actually it does.." He snaps his fingers..a vertical eye appears in front of her..the pupil of it starting to change..before it shows her something..it's a field ..with a dark mountain In the back ground..There's blood in the field..it's nothing but darkness.

"What is this?" Maka blinks..looking at this horrible place-

"This is the DWMA" Asura smirks at how Maka looks at him with wide eyes.

"That is not the DWMA..Your lying!" Maka looks back at the dark mountain..Her eyes shake..when sees a piece of a skull..the skull from their school. "..IT's..it's completely destroyed! How did this happened?!"

"That's not all.." Asura chuckles as the scene in the vertical eye changes...it shows her the world..Kishen eggs are roaming every where..no one is killing them..People are running around..their eyes bouncing with madness..

"Everything is destroyed.." Maka puts a hand to her heart..before she turns, glaring at this demon. "Was it you? Did you do this?!"

"Not I." Asura shakes his head...his smirk is sinister.

"Who the fuck else would destroy the world with madness?!" Maka snarls.

"Oh, you'll see." Asura seems to be enjoying himself too much as he changes the scene..

Maka's throat closes up..

She sees..Kid..Patty..Liz..Black star..Tsubaki..all laying on the ground..bleeding..their eyes glossed over in death..Soul is on the ground too..but he's laughing madly..madness has over taken him..he's insane..

"N-No.." Maka feels tears well up as she looks at all her friends..dead..gone. "..They can't..they can't die because of me..who did this?!"

"He did." the vertical eye gets bigger..showing her more of the scene..

If she had a heart..it would stop.

Maka stares..with wide eyes at the tall boy..standing in front of her fallen friends..stares at his mad grin..the blood dripping from off his large black blade..stares at the black vines that are moving around him..like they have a will of their own. Stares at his pale blue eyes..how they shake..how dialted they are..

"Crona.." Maka breathes out..she grips her shirt..her stomach turning hallow..She swallows. "..There h-has to be a mistake..Crona would never do this!-"

"He would if he found out you died." His words get her to tense..the vertical eye zooms in on Crona's face..the boy is laughing madly..nothing about this boy is like her Crona..he isn't Crona..no..the boy she knows..is gone. "Once the news of your death reached him..his fragile mind couldn't take it. He lost it completely. The madness consumed him whole..and he took the world with him. He blames everyone for your death. He blames himself the most..maybe that's why he got lost so quickly. He couldn't' handle the pain. He becomes a kishen..killing all your friends..destroying the DWMA..without you there with your angelic wave link..Crona became unstoppable. Fueled by his hate..fueled by his sorrow. He took the world..for taking you away from him..It's beautiful really." Asura wipes a fake tear away.

"No..Crona..he.." Maka puts a hand on the vertical eye..over Crona's face..over his mad grin..her eyes shake..her legs feel weak. "I..He wouldn't'..he.."

"You know this is true. Once word gets out of your death..The world as you know it will be destroyed by the boy you love."

At the demon's words..Maka falls to her knees..her legs too weak to hold her up..She trembles..looking at Crona's warped face..the face of the boy who use to smile softly at her..the face of the boy who use to be her best friend..

"T-This can't happened.." Maka holds her face in her hands..to hide the silent tears she sheds..

She pulled Crona out of the madness..He was suppose to stay out..He was suppose to have a better life now that Medusa is gone..She was suppose to protect him..but because of her death..he turns into a monster..he destroys the world she knows and loves.. Crona..Crona..she's so sorry..She failed..everyone..

"It doesn't have to happen..' Asura puts a hand on her shoulder..

"What do you mean?" Maka wipes her tears and looks up at him..trying to look as strong as possible..when she feels like breaking down.

"You can stop this..if you are alive."

"But i'm dead!" Maka growls..a anger building in her.

"Your dead now..but if you choose, you could have life again!" Asura takes a step back..his smile looks like it could rip his face.

"If I choose?" Maka raises her eye brow..a bit confused at how this demon chuckles.

"Listen dear. I'm feeling generous today. I'll give you a choice." Asura cracks his fingers..before pointing up at the ceiling. "You can either go to heaven..be happy..but the fate you saw will happen to your friends..or.." Asura grins. "You can live again, and stop it from happening."

"How can I live again?" Maka grips her fist..

"I'm glad you asked!" Asura laughs madly..taking steps towards her..Maka doens't back up..determination in her eyes..burning them. "I'm willing to make a deal with you Maka.." The kishen stops right in front of her..his smile keeps growing by the minute.

"What kind of deal?.." Maka's stomach turns..she knows this isn't going to be good.

"I will give you your life back. You will leave this place and be alive again! You will stop this fate from happening, and you will see the Crona you know and love again." Asura crosses his arms. "But of course..it will cost you."

"..What do you want?" Maka locks eyes with this evil being..She keeps her stance firm..her wings flutter slightly.

"Not much really..I just..have some jobs for you, if you will. I can't do them. I've locked myself in this place..but someone in the live world could."

"..Jobs?"

"Yes. There are five of them in all." Asura holds out his hand..his five fingers. "Once you complete all of them..you are free from me. You get your old life back."

"..What do the jobs entail?"

"Does that matter?" Asura shrugs. " Either you accept it or you don't. If you don't, you go to heaven, and the world is destroyed. If you do, you have to do 5 small jobs for me..before your free of me."

"...If I say yes..I really will be alive again?" Maka looks at him..her eyes getting weak.

"You'll be alive and more!" Asura grins. "I'm going to give you..a gift."

"..A gift?"

"Immortality." Asura rolls the word in his mouth. "You can not die."

"..You can do that?" Maka's eyes widen.

"Of course! I am a god after all. Did you forget dear?" Asura smirks as he snaps his fingers..a piece of paper floats in front of her..a pen floating next to it. "If you want to live again and have immortality as you complete my five tasks..sign this..and you give your soul to me till those five jobs are done..or you don't sign it, and Crona becomes a monster and destroys everything." He grins.

Maka stares at the paper..stares at the pen..this is signing her soul away..she doesn't know what this kishen would want her to do..She could go to heaven now..be happy..yet..

She couldn't be happy knowing her friends are going to die because of her..that Crona will lose himself because of her..She can't get those mad eyes of her best friend out of her mind..how those soft lips were turn in a snarl..Thinks of the world in darkness..engulfed in madness..

She closes her eyes..thinking of Crona..thinking of his soft smile..thinking of his gentle laugh..

"I wish you luck Maka.." The boy's voice sound through her head. "..Be safe."

He's waiting for her at home..He's expecting her to come back..She can imagine his excitement when he sees Soul is back..only to find she isn't with him..She can see tears fall down his face..can can see the pain..the birth of the monster in his eyes..

Maka opens her eyes..they're on fire as she grabs the pen..Asura's smirk is evil as she places the pen to the paper..

"I told you I was coming back Crona..and I meant it.." Maka takes an intake of breath..before she signs the paper..signs her name right on the line..giving herself to this kishen.

"Good choice." The kishen grins as he snaps his fingers..and the paper disappears.. "Now I forgot to mention one more thing.."

"What?" Maka tenses at how he's getting closer..She grips her fists..ready to fight if she has to.

"You made a deal with a demon..a god of madness.." he turns her around..grabbing her wings.. "..You just lost your wings." Asura yanks..Maka screams in agony..as he rips her wings off..she falls to her knees..the wings turn to dust in the kishen's hands. "You have lost your halo..Your no longer the angelic girl your friend's know you as..' Asura grabs the halo..he grips..and it shatters so easily. "You no longer have a Grigori soul."

"What-" Maka starts to question..only for her to be lifted up..She starts falling upwards..towards the ceiling. "What's going on?!"

"Your getting your life back.." Asura laughs evilly. "See you soon!"

She keeps going up..

Darkness covers her.

Maka's chest...starts to beat again..going at a slow, nice speed..Air fills her lungs..getting her to gasp..her eyes shooting open..It's like..going underwater for a long time..holding your breath..right when your out of air..you come up desperately..gasping..sucking the air up..filling your lungs back up..That's what she's doing. IT hurts..it's painful..but soon the pain dies.

She's..She's alive again..

Maka puts a hand over her heart..feeling her own heart beat..She sits up, looking around..her blood is still pooled around her..but the wound in her stomach has healed..her shirt is ripped, showing where the scorpion's tail was..She's back in the basement..and she's breathing..

She really has her life back...

If not for her blood..if not for her shirt being ripped..she would have thought it all a dream..with Aursa..making that deal..but it is real. Maka was dead..now she's alive..

She sold her soul to Asura.

"Damn.." Maka groans..holding her stomach. She slowly forces herself up, only to stop.

Soul stands in front of her..his back facing her. He was so still..she didn't even realize he was here. Maka's eyes get wide..did he see her dead? "Soul.." Maka gets up all the way..reaching out to touch him.

"Yes?" Her weapon suddenly whips around..Maka gasps..when she sees those red eyes of his..dilated..bouncing In madness..his grin so large and sharp. Maka takes a couple of steps back.. "What's wrong Maka? Why you backing up?" He chuckles darkly.

"Soul..." Maka feels a deep anger burn her..she grips her fist.. "Asura! You said this wouldn't happen!" Maka screams at the top of her lungs..

"No I didn't." Asura's voice coos in her head..getting her scream to die in her throat. "You see, I said Crona wouldn't turn into a kishen. I never said Soul wouldn't turn mad."

"You know that's what I meant!" Maka growls. "Fix him!"

"I can't do that. You see, Soul became mad before you even met up with me..he saw your lifeless body pretty much right after you died, and he lost it."

Maka's glare falls..she stares at her weapon's mad grin..her chest tightening. ."Soul..i'm going to get you out of this okay? Like all the other times!" Maka holds out her hand to grab his..to link her soul with his..to perform a exorcism..To pull him out of the madness-

"I wouldn't do that." Asura's voice stops her for some reason.

"And why not?" Maka snaps.

"Think about it..what did I tell you? You don't have your Grigori soul any more. You have lost your wings. What you used for a exorcism is gone..You have no protection from madness." Asura chuckles darkly. "Remember? You lost that in making the deal with me."

Maka's stomach turns hollow..her eyes lighting in realization..if she doesn't have her grigori soul..if she doesn't have her wings..she can't pull him out can she?...or..maybe she could-

"You could try, but most likely you'll be pulled in the madness with him." Asura sighs. "Now don't get all upset..I told you, once you do my 5 jobs, you'll have your life back..that's enculding your grigori soul."

"..Then I can save Soul.." Maka grips her fist..glaring at Soul..glaring at his madness.

"That sounds like a touching plan." Soul chuckles. "But you see, he's already gone. He died with you Maka. It's beautiful isn't it?"

"Shut the hell up! I won't believe that! Soul wouldn't just completely give up! I know he's inside you some where..maybe hiding back in that box in his soul..I will get my wings back, and I will pull him out of the madness like I always do!" She points a finger at him..her eyes narrowing. "Enjoy his body while you can demon. When I get my wings, i'm kicking your ass."

"I'm shaking." Soul mocks her, trembling before he cracks up.

"This boy is your team-mate so to speak. I can use his madness to communicate with you. That is how you can hear me so well."

"What makes you so sure he'll work with me?" Maka looks up at the ceiling like the kishen is there.

"I'll work with you! Of course I will Maka..after all.." Soul's voice changes..back to like how he use to sound..those eyes don't bounce..and he smiles at her softly. "I am your weapon."

Maka tenses at how this demon can hide his madness..He looks like Soul again..the Soul she knows and loves...but she knows better. She takes a step back in alarm..Soul's face warps again and he cracks up.

"When my first job for you is ready..Soul will let you know. He will act normal around your friends. No one will know he is mad but you." Asura's voice bounces around. "Now..go my dear..enjoy your second chance at life..breathe..live. This is what you have sold your soul for..life. Go back to your home..see your friends, the friends that you saved..go and see Crona..and remember why you gave away heaven..and sold your soul to a demon." At that, Asura's voice fades from her head..and she knows he's gone.

"Ready to go?" Soul tilts his head..his smile getting too large for his face..he tilts his head too far..it's unnatural looking.

"..Yeah.." Maka walks with this boy out..She stops at the door way..to look back down this basement..at the basement she lost her life in..she lost her life..then she lost her soul..then she lost her weapon. This basement took everything away from her..Maka puts a hand over her stomach..feeling the smooth skin that is exposed..remembering how that scorpion tail went through her..thinking that..just a few minutes ago..she was laying on that floor, dead.

Now she's alive. Now she's immortal. Now she's lost her wings..

Maka closes her eyes..before she turns around and walks out of this basement..leaving her old life behind..

She broke her halo.

Maka stares out of the plane's window..her face blank, but her eyes hold a far away look. Soul sits next to her..he's laying on her shoulder. She lets him..maybe in a way she wants to feel like everything is normal..that this is the Soul she knows..that she didn't sell her soul..that she didn't die..

But she knows..that it did happen.

Maka glances down at the plain black shirt she bought..she didn't bring a spare uniform..and she didn't want to come home with ripped clothes..She doesn't want to worry anyone..when she comes back..She's going to smile..she's going to act like nothing happen..that everything is normal..

But it's not.

Maka takes a deep breath..closing her eyes..leaning her forehead against the glass. She can't get what happened with Asura out of her head..can't get out of her mind that..she died. Her heart stopped beating..She was going to heaven..and now, she's alive again..with apparently the power of immortality..She has five jobs to do..before she has her life back..but what will these five jobs be?..what would the kishen want her to do?..

This gets goosebumps to appear on her arms..a chill sent down her spine but she tries to suppress it..

No matter what..she needs to complete these jobs..she needs to get her wings back..she needs to save soul-

But what if Asura's lying?..what if he's using her?..and she never gets her wings back?

Maka can't think of that. She hates this..but..she has to put her trust in the fucking kishen..the fucking enemy..

She came to Florida..searching for a mermaid..instead she found anything but that.

Maka puts at hand over her heart..Crona's soft smile appearing in her mind..then a warped smile..his body covered in blood..the blood of her friends-

This had to be done. She had to do this..to save the world..to save Crona..

She can't wait to see him. To forget about this horrible day..for now-

Maka opens her eyes when she feels something wet on her shoulder. She looks over to see that Soul is drooling on her..She doesn't wake him up..doesn't even try to push him off..She lets him..Maka frowns as she runs her hands through his hair..

This would be so much easier if she had Soul..but she doens't..she has his empty shell..

She has his madness.

It's surreal..half of her..thinks she made a horrible mistake..that she damned herself..but another half of her..when she thinks of Crona..

Thinks it was justified.

Maka closes her eyes..leaning her head against Soul's..making believe that he's the same boy he was on the plane ride here..make believing..

That she is the same girl she was on the way here.

Maka..stands before her multi-colored apartment..She stares up at it..her heart swelling..it's her home..and it's still here. She looks around Death city..looks at the huffing sun that is starting to get tired..looks at these people walking around..smiling..safe. She looks up in the distance at the DWMA..it's still standing..still great..

This is the life she knows..It's not destroyed..it's still here..everything is okay..

"This place would look better burnt to the ground and a kishen as the ruler." Soul smirks against her ear. She pushes him off of her, closing her eyes.

"That's not happening. The DWMA is safe now." Maka grips her fist before she starts walking up the stairs to her apartment..she feels exhausted..her feet feel like lead.

"Is it really?" Soul chuckles, walking next to her..he's walking dangerously close.

Maka ignores him..wishing he was back asleep..That mad grin has been pissing her off now..because it reminds her of the weapon she lost..of the best friend she lost..

Of the old life she lost.

"I'm so..tired.." Maka sighs..there's a lot of fucking stairs-

"Then why not fall?" Soul..kicks her feet, making her lose her balance. She falls backwards..her hands latching out..she grabs the stair's railings barely..stopping herself from falling down all stairs they just walked up..Stopping herself from falling..and breaking her neck.. from dying again. "Careful now." Soul grins..before he walks up the rest of the way.

Maka stares at him with disbelief..she slowly gets herself back up..her heat beating so fast...that could have been bad..

"I'm giving you a gift..immortality."

Maka walks up the stairs..Soul is waiting by the door..grinning at her madly.

"You could have fucking killed me." Maka growls..she retains herself from hitting him..this isn't Soul..it's only his body.

"That's the point." He chuckles. "Why does it matter if you die? You have plenty of lives left."

Maka's face falls at that..trying to wrap around that concept..that if she dies..she'll come back again?..Can the kishen really give her such a power?

Soul takes out his keys..and unlocks the door..opening it. "ladies first." He grins.

Maka marches past him..trying to keep herself straight..trying to look stronger than she feels..as soon as she walks in..her eyes fall on.. him..

Crona..sits on her living room couch..He's curled in a ball, his knees against his chest..hugging a teddy bear Maka had won him a year ago at a carnival..His head is in his knees..

This feeling..her chest tightens so much..a lump forms in her throat..she takes a step forward..the wood creaks under her foot-

Crona gasps and whips his head up looking at her with wide eyes..his mouth opens..he looks shocked. He gets up quickly..like he was doing something wrong. "M-Maka I d-didn't think y-you would c-come back till later t-today.." his gaze shifts..he seems really nervous now. "I-I'm sorry! I-i know I s-shouldn't b-be here! I-it's just..i-i.." he trembles..those droopy blue eyes looking any where but her.

Maka can't take it.

She runs towards him quickly..Crona makes a squeak of fright, closing his eyes tightly..waiting for her to Maka-chop him..or hell at him-

Maka pulls him into a embrace..She hugs him tightly, burying her head in his shoulder..Crona tenses..his eyes wide..but soon he melts in her warmth..wrapping his around back around her..holding the girl close..

"M-Maka are you okay?" Crona frowns.. "D-Did the mission go okay?"

"It went great." Soul grunts..getting Maka to tense. "The old man was crazy, no mermaid." He yawns. "I'm going to get some sleep. Long day..huh Maka?" She can hear the smirk in his voice..as Soul walks away..walking into his room..and closing the door.

"I-I'm sorry there w-wasn't a mermaid Maka.." Crona's frown grows. " I k-know you were excited about it-"

"I don't care about that anymore." Maka speaks against his shoulder..she doesn't move her head from the crook of his neck..hiding the silent tears falling down her face. "I'm just glad to see you..I missed you."

To see Crona..not mad..shy..the boy she knows and loves..she couldn't hold her tears in..her tears of relief..

This is what she sold her soul for.

Crona's breath catches at her words..his grip tightening on her the slightest..he lays his head in the crook of her neck. "I-i missed you too Maka..i-i'm gald your back."

In his voice..Maka knows..he was here, waiting for her..sitting with the teddy bear she got him..what if she died for good today?..what if she never walked through that door?..

Maka knows what would happen..

"Crona.." She pulls away when the tears have stopped..She locks eyes with this boy..looking into those pale blue eyes..they shift..before they lock gazes with her.

"Y-Yes Maka?" He looks at her intently..in his eyes..a determination..he would do anything for her.

"Don't ever change." Maka smiles almost sadly at him..as she puts a hand on his cheek..He blushes..but he always does that.. "Stay just like this..."

"J-J-Just like this?" Crona blushes more when she rubs his cheek..her smile grows.

"Just like this." She leans her forehead against his...his face feels hot. "Your perfect the way you are."

"M-Maka.." He says her name in a gasp..she's never seen him so red..he looks so nervous..his gaze shifts..before he gives her a smile..it's one of those genuine smiles..the one he gives that always melts her...because it's a smile he only gives her..it's her smile. " i-if you don't w-want me to c-change..i-i won't.." his words are sincere..because..he would do anything for her.

Maka feels the lump in her throat..She quickly hugs him back, burying her head in the crook of his neck again.

"M-Maka-" Crona tenses at how her shoulders shake.

"Just let me hold you.." Maka speaks quietly..not able to look at him..those tears falling again..

Crona doesn't say anything..he only holds her back..

This is what she almost lost..what she almost left behind..This is what would have been destroyed..

Standing here..hugging this boy..she can't regret her decision..even in a few days from now..when she realizes the hell she made for herself..

As long as Crona is like this..as long as he is okay..

she can never regret her decision.

She can never regret breaking her halo for him.

Here you go! So you know how maka got her power..she sold her soul to arusa for Crona. Hopefully this answer some questions. I'm going to do one more part of the prolodge before we get back to the story.

Till next time:)