A/N: Oh LORD. I am never attempting to write a Soul Eater deathfic again. Seriously, this was emotionally draining. And just sad to write. Anyways, I hope that didn't scare you off, cuz I am pretty pleased with how this turned out. Just...don't expect another one like this anytime soon.

I still don't own Soul Eater. And even if I did, this wouldn't happen.

My Guiding Star

"Damn it," Death the Kid seethed, who despite his profanity and current defeated position on the ground, still sounded dignified as ever. "We can't gain enough ground, she's too strong."

"Kid," came Liz Thompson's concerned, echoing voice from the pistol on his left. "You alright?"

"I'm fine," Kid hissed, spitting blood onto the ground as he gazed up at the morbidly beautiful yet terrifyingly powerful witch before them. "She just—got me really—good. But I've created an opening—Maka should be able to strike now."

There was a long loud cry as Maka Albarn rushed forward, raising her Death Scythe Soul Eater, poised to slice the witch in half. Not that Kid was holding out much hope, their team had been at this for nearly three hours. With their chain resonance link so stable, he had been sure that when his father had called them in to deal with one of the Kishin's top allies, they could handle the job no problem. How horribly wrong he was, for every blow they dealt her, the witch Isabella seemed to throw something even more deadly back at them. Not only was she strong in this way, but the villain had the ability to create madness illusions derived from fear-that is, whatever the young meisters feared most. In fact, it was an image of Liz holding a lifeless and bloody Patti in her arms and wailing that caused Kid to drop his guard and take this nasty hit in the first place.

"How pitiful," Isabella drawled, flicking her long nails in Maka's direction, where sparks shot from her fingers. Maka screeched and was flung backwards onto the hard ground as a hot blast of lighting was shot her way. "Only one will die tonight…but who shall it be…?"

"Maka!" Kid cried, making to rush to her aid, but any strain on his bleeding abdomen caused him to crumple back.

"No Kid, just stay there," Patti said in an uncharacteristically serious tone. "You're only going to make it worse."

"You…you filthy…bitch," Maka choked out as she made to get up from her sprawled position. Rolling over onto her back, she gasped up at what she saw. The radiant witch had Soul, hanging limp and unmistakably dead in her clutches, laughing maniacally while she held a long glinting dagger in her hand, the blade having pierced Soul's chest through his back. Maka felt as if the ground beneath her were falling away as she plunged into an endless abyss, staring at the sight before her.

"Maka!"

Soul was dead…he's gone…she couldn't breathe…she couldn't think…there was nothing left to live for…

"Wake up, you idiot!"

She could still hear it, berating her, encouraging her…his voice in her mind…or rather—

"That's not me, it's an illusion!"

—right next to her, calling up to her from the scythe on the ground.

"I'm right here, she's distracting you with that fake!" Soul screamed. "Don't drop your guard, GET UP NOW!"

Maka rolled onto her side and scrambled away just as Isabella sent another fatal blast towards where she had laid moments ago, grasping her scythe in her arms.

"Maka…" Soul breathed as he felt how tightly Maka's grip was, the warmth of her embrace surrounding him—he could tell she was shaken by what she had seen.

"I—I'm sorry, j—just…" Maka stammered out, clutching the handle tighter against her chest.

"That was too close," came another voice, and Maka looked up to see Black Star standing over her fallen figure. "Looks like I'm taking center stage after all."

"Black Star, wait," Maka gasped out, reaching up to grab his wrist as the young assassin made to approach the witch. "Any attack you send on her won't work, she's too strong!"

"Maka's right," came Tsubaki's patient voice from the dark sword Black Star held tightly. "Enchanted Sword mode hasn't even made a scratch on her, Black Star."

"You don't have to worry, Tsubaki," Black Star said calmly. Then slowly, he laid his weapon on the ground. "I won't put you in that kind of danger…" He looked over at where Kid was lying, panting heavily from his wound, his hand where he clutched his side stained with blood. He looked down at Maka, just as worse for wear, her Spartoi uniform torn, her pigtailed hair a tangled mess, but emotionally she was utterly defeated. He may not have always shown it, but Black Star was a team player, and just as he wouldn't let anyone steal his spotlight from him—he wouldn't let anyone treat his friends this way.

"Black Star…" Tsubaki said softly, fearfully. "What are you—?"

"I'm gonna shoot my soul wavelength at her," Black Star whispered loud enough for only Tsubaki and Maka to hear. "Get her from the inside. That'll teach her to mess with us."

"That just might work," Maka muttered, half in praise, half jealous of her friend's ability. But even more importantly, she saw just how much he had grown up in that short time since the Kishin had been revived, and through her trauma, she couldn't help but smile at him.

"You think you're so tough?" Black Star yelled out to the simpering witch, poised to strike again. He shut his eyes tight and shook his head roughly, clearing away the witch's illusion—Tsubaki lying prostrate on the ground, a thorny Camellia stem through her bloody chest. "Think that stupid magic trick's gonna fool the great Black Star? You forget—I'm the exceeder of gods!" He kicked violently at the Tsubaki lying dead, and she disappeared in a flash of smoke. "So you better lay off my Tsubaki and my friends, or you'll pay!"

Isabella threw back her head and laughed, while from the ground the Shadow Weapon's heart skipped several beats. My Tsubaki…?

"You've thrown aside your weapon," the witch observed once she'd regained control, staring down her final opponent. "Tell me, what exactly does a meister of your stature have against my power?"

"The power of a real STAR!" With a flourish, the assassin extended his arms out and shot a blast of blue light from his chest, straight into the heart of the glamorous witch. With a loud gasp, Isabella felt Black Star's soul wavelength sear through her like a lightning bolt, her hands scrambling to her chest as her fingers caught onto something. Something hot and sizzling…

"He—he did it," Maka breathed in astonishment as the boy with fiery blue hair laughed out loud, turning his back on his defeated adversary.

"No…wait—" From his closer position, Kid noticed the energy the witch had grabbed onto—the tip of Black Star's wavelength, caught in her grip. With a wicked chortle, Isabella tore the blue bolt from her chest as if extracting a sword's blade. "Black Star, MOVE!"

It was over before the gloating Black Star could even register Kid's warning, as Isabella flung his own resilient soul wavelength back in his direction. A blast that shook the entire ground rumbled beneath them all as Black Star was completely engulfed in a haze of fire and lightning, the explosion deafening, where the only sound that rivaled it in volume was Tsubaki's blood curdling scream.

"I warned you," the witch's voice echoed as she began to disappear, and Maka tore her eyes from where Black Star had stood to face her. Her form was slowly fading from view, and the scythe meister knew that the shot from Black Star's wavelength had done its job. "I warned you one would die tonight…my purpose here has been served…" With those words, the witch vanished completely as the entirety of the thick black smoke cleared from the surrounding area—cleared to reveal Black Star, lying motionless, broken and bloody on the ground.

"Black Star!" In a flash of yellow light, the enchanted sword lying a few feet away shifted back into Tsubaki's human form, getting up and sprinting over to where her fallen meister lay. "Black Star!"

"No…no, NO!" Kid bellowed, suddenly feeling Liz and Patti's arms restrain him as he made to get up once again.

"It's alright, he's—he's fine," Liz managed to say, her breathing shallow with fear as she kept one hand holding pressure on his wound, her gaze on Tsubaki huddled over Black Star. "C'mon, this—this is Black Star we're talking about, he can't just—"

"But…but sis…?" Patti hugged herself tightly, her eyes filling with tears as she waited vainly for Black Star to get up again, saying that he was indeed perfectly fine. Moments passed, and nothing…

"Shit! SHIT!"

"Soul!" Maka cried as Soul returned to his human form in a flash of blue, and he and Maka ran to kneel beside Black Star across from Tsubaki.

"Black Star! C'mon man, get up!" Soul shouted, gazing horror-struck down at how pale the young assassin's face had become. "Get up, it's over! You won!"

"Where is it?" Tsubaki panted as if she had run a long distance, almost hyperventilating. "His soul…Black Star's soul, I can't feel it!" She grasped his hand tightly, crushing it in her fingers desperately. "It's got to be here! It's got to! Where is it?"

Maka clutched his other hand and waited, using every ounce of her willpower to sense that bouncing, energetic ball of fire that was Black Star's soul. "C'mon, Black Star…" Tears sprang to her eyes. Nothing…

"Black Star!" Soul yelled at the top of his lungs, grabbing his limp form and shaking him by the shoulders. "What the hell is wrong with you? Get up and say something! You're gonna surpass God, remember? Say you're gonna surpass God, you son of a bitch!" His voice began breaking on his loudest statement yet as Maka's whole body began to shake with sobs.

"It's gone—it's gone—" Letting go of Black Star's hand, Maka slumped back resignedly onto her ankles, staring at her lap as tears began to splash onto her bent knees. "From the blast of—of his own wavelength, his soul—his s-soul must have sh-shattered—!"

"What do you mean 'shattered'?" Soul screamed, rounding on Maka now and grabbing her by the shoulders. "You don't mean that blast—he can't be—Black Star's not d—!" He closed his mouth and looked up at Tsubaki, pressing her forehead against Black Star's with her eyes closed while gently stroking his face. In a sudden fit of rage, Soul whipped back around to Maka and shook her roughly, "Tell me he's gonna be alright! I swear to God, Maka—tell me he's not dead!"

His only response was Maka bursting into anguished sobs, burying her face in her hands as Soul just stared at her, shaking his head in utter denial. From behind them, Liz and Patti had helped Kid over to where the four of them had gathered, Tsubaki still silent as she tried desperately to reach Black Star.

"Is he awake?" Patti asked in a quaking little voice, clutching onto Liz's arm.

"No, Patti," Kid bent over Black Star and placed a firm hand on his shoulder, cold as ice now. Stifling back a sob, he shook his head solemnly, "There is nothing…that can wake him up now."

"You—you mean that witch—she—she killed—oh my God," Liz stammered with her hands over her mouth, and Kid gently wrapped his arms around her and her sister, holding them closely as they both cried quietly into his chest.

"What's wrong with all of you?" Soul roared, staring at every one of them before his gaze fell back to his meister. "It's Black Star for God's sake! He can't just die on us like this! He can't-!"

"Soul, it's done!" Maka finally yelled over him, raising her green swollen streaming eyes to meet his wild crimson ones, grasping him just as firmly by his shoulders as he was her. "He's left us, Soul. Black Star, he…he's not c-coming b-back."

No sooner had she spoken these words than a long shrill scream erupted, and everyone turned to see Tsubaki cradling Black Star's body in her arms, her head thrown back to face the sky as a cry that shook every one of their souls tore through her throat. She did not have to say a word, they knew: Tsubaki had been unable to find or reach her cherished meister's soul.

The trek back to the Academy was long and wordless, no one bothering to utter a sound until they reached the Death Room. Lord Death was prepared with his usual whimsical greeting to congratulate them on defeating the witch, but once he saw the body wrapped in a white sheet, he stopped short. Everything passed by in a haze: Stein taking Black Star's body to prepare it for burial, Sid's insistence that the funeral must happen within the next day, giving them all a very limited time to say their goodbyes, and worst of all the aftershock of what had just happened. Of everyone in Spartoi, they were certain Black Star would have no trouble surviving, holding his own, and keeping his vow to surpass God Himself. Maka did not know who was taking it worse: Tsubaki or Soul.

The Shadow Weapon was beyond consolation. When she was not staring aimlessly off into space with the blankest of expressions, she was crying off and on while the girls took in turns wrapping their arms around her in an attempt to ease the pain of her loss. Maka stayed with her the longest; she had always thought of Tsubaki as a sister, but she also couldn't bear to be around Soul, still refusing to believe the inevitable. Not that Maka herself was fairing much better. She and Black Star had grown up together since infancy, her playmate around the Academy when she visited her Papa at work, constantly bragging about what a big star he was going to be someday while she simply looked on in admiration. The fact that he was never going to be around anymore, shouting his signature "Yahoo!" from the roof of the Academy was impossible for Maka to imagine. But it was really true—and it was something that Soul had yet to accept.

"Quit hovering, would you?" Soul muttered as Maka approached him quietly from behind in the hallway outside the infirmary, where Black Star's body now lay and Tsubaki wanted to be alone with him. Soul shoved his hands deep in his pockets and looked away from his meister's tear-streaked face.

"Soul…are you okay?" Maka asked him tentatively.

"Sure, I'm fine."

"Don't lie to me," Maka whispered. She reached out to touch his arm and he recoiled, folding his arms across his chest, leaning against the wall. "You can't keep all this bottled up Soul, it's not cool."

"Shut up," Soul said huskily, turning further away from her and leaning his head on the wall. Maka watched him carefully as her weapon closed his eyes tightly, covering them with his hand. "He was—" His voice broke and he swallowed hard, "He was more of a brother to me than Wes ever was."

"I know, he was to me too," Maka sniffled, wiping her eyes on her sleeve before reaching out to Soul again—this time he let her. "It's okay, Soul…"

"Maka…"It was all Soul could manage to choke out before Maka flung her arms around his neck, holding him close as they both sobbed quietly, soaking eachother's shoulders in tears.

"Tsubaki?" came Nurse Nygus' voice from the doorway of the infirmary. "Time's up…we have to encase him for the funeral now."

"R-right," Tsubaki said quietly, a shiver running down her spine. The fact that her partner was going to be buried underground and remain there forever was more than she could bear. Reaching over, she gave Black Star's hair one last stroke through with her fingers. "It's not fair…you're just going to leave me here all alone?" The tears bled freely down her face, "I heard what you said back there, Black Star…you called me 'My Tsubaki'. You—you really meant that, didn't you?" She could hear Nygus approaching where she sat, and Tsubaki briskly sat up and planted a soft kiss on Black Star's lifeless lips. I love you, Black Star…so much. Sudden warmth sprang between their lips, only for a moment before Tsubaki pulled away with a soft gasp. "Black Star?"

"Tsubaki," Nygus whispered, placing a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay now, sweetheart…" Tsubaki looked back at her and nodded before getting up and exiting the infirmary. In the hallway, she leaned against the wall and slid down to the floor, resting her head on her arms. She saw that Patti had fallen asleep on Liz's shoulder, while the older Thompson sister had her arm around Kid, who was slumped forward with his elbows on his knees, face buried in his hands. She could hear Maka and Soul crying softly as they held eachother so close, as if they would die if they broke apart. And Tsubaki thought of her own partner, whom she loved as much as Soul and Maka did eachother, and that sudden flare of energy that had glowed when her lips met his. What was that…?

Night had fallen by the time Black Star's funeral was about to begin, the grinning moon hanging high with blood dripping from between his teeth. The entirety of the faculty as well as a large amount of students had turned up in the DWMA ballroom that had quickly been converted into a sort of funeral parlor for people to pay their last respects. Nygus had done a rather outstanding job of fixing Black Star up for his casket, knitting up most of his wounds so as to make him look presentable.

Tsubaki looked around and wondered just how many of these people really knew Black Star the way she had. She regarded Kilik, Ox and their partners as they spent a few moments in front of the casket, then each came up to embrace her tightly. Kim and Jackie dissolved into tears the minute they saw her and engulfed her in a hug before moving aside to talk quietly amongst themselves. No, most of them didn't know her partner at all, aside from being that kid who always yelled about how great he was on a daily—no, hourly basis. Maybe they were glad he was gone. Maybe they were whispering just that to eachother so as not to be overheard by his weapon. His weapon, who knew better than anyone just what a huge heart Black Star had underneath that enormous ego—and if anyone believed otherwise, she would—she would—

She shook her head roughly, clearing those vicious thoughts from her mind. What in the world was she thinking? Was it grief causing her to think this way? It wasn't right of her to assume something like that about people. It sounded like something Maka would do, and Tsubaki would be the one to tell her to see the good in others, not the other way around. She sighed deeply and turned to see Maka, clutching Soul's hand tightly and staring at the open casket. Tsubaki smiled a bit in spite of herself. She could never tell if Soul and Maka were actually together or not; from day one, they acted amusingly like a married couple, bickering one minute and saving eachother's lives the next. There was love there, no doubt about it; they expressed it every day. Either way, she was happy for her friends, and only realized just now how lucky they were to have one another to lean on at a time like this. Tsubaki, however…had never felt so alone in her life.

It was nearing eight 'o clock in the evening when people began to file out of the parlor and into the courtyard behind the Academy for the burial. Kid had to practically beg his father to leave Black Star's casket open for a few more minutes so their team could say their final farewells in peace. Lord Death agreed as he and Spirit brought up the rear of the crowd heading outside, shutting the door behind them. All was silent, aside from the shuffling of their feet as the six of them moved closer to the gleaming casket, where Black Star lay, almost with a soft smile on his face.

"He kinda looks like he's sleeping, huh sis?" Patti finally broke the silence. Liz looked down at her and smiled through her tears, throwing an affectionate arm around her little sister's shoulders, "Yeah Patti, he kinda does…"

"It's so unfair," Maka whispered almost inaudibly, hugging herself as if she were cold as she moved to the head of the coffin. "I mean, one second he was fine and the next—" She broke off, unable to finish as Soul came up behind her.

"—he was just gone," the Death Scythe finished with an air of finality—an air of acceptance. Maka turned around and gave Soul a slight nod before he wrapped his arms around her petite frame.

"It should have been me," Kid whispered, gripping the edges of the casket, staring down at Black Star's face. "I was fatally injured in the battle, yet here I am—standing here as if nothing happened to me at all. I should have been the one to die, not him—he—he did nothing to deserve this."

"No, Kid," Tsubaki finally said quietly, but firmly. "What good would you dying have done any of us? We would all still be standing here, mourning the loss of a team member—a friend—except you would be lying in this coffin instead of Black Star. Liz and Patti would be feeling the exact way I do now—like half of their soul has been destroyed beyond repair." She could feel herself getting choked up again, and Maka went over to give her a long embrace, murmuring it was okay. "I loved him, Maka," Tsubaki admitted aloud at last, her face crumpling as she whimpered "I really did…"

"I know that," came a sudden voice. A voice they all recognized immediately, but no…that was impossible.

"Look!" Liz cried out, pointing to the body in the casket. A small ball of blue light began forming at its chest, growing larger and larger until it shot to the ceiling like a searchlight beam. The body remained immobile as a figure began to take shape in the beam. From the torso up, the image looked remarkably like—

"Black Star?" Soul exclaimed, drawing closer to the beam of light. "But…how?"

"I can see you guys through my soul, you know," Black Star spoke casually in an echoing voice, as if he were conversing normally and not through what was obviously some sort of spiritual connection.

"But—but I thought your soul was destroyed in the battle against Isabella!" Maka called out, pressing a hand to her heart in astonishment and disbelief.

"Not all of it," Black Star responded. "Most of it broke apart when the witch got me, but there was a small piece still there. It's a pretty secret part of my soul—the part that only my partner can make a connection with." His eyes found Tsubaki's, wide and wet.

"But I couldn't," Tsubaki breathed. "On the battleground, I couldn't reach your soul at all."

Black Star threw back his head and laughed his signature robust laugh. "No offense, Tsubaki—but you were trying way too hard that time! But you did reach me. Remember earlier tonight…when you told me something? And then…you kissed me?"

Tsubaki drew in a shaking breath, her eyes swimming with tears on the brink of overflowing as the others looked at her in surprise. "W-when I said that…I love you?"

Black Star smiled at her, "You really meant that, didn't you?"

He got his answer when Tsubaki fell to her knees, her entire body racking with sobs. "Don't—d-don't leave me, Black Star, please! I need you, more than I ever realized before!"

"Hey," Black Star said to her in a rather soothing, comforting tone. "Believe it or not—it's really hard for me to say goodbye to you, too. To all of you." He turned to look at Kid, "Don't you start blaming yourself for what happened, Kid. It wasn't your fault, so don't start wishing you got it instead of me. 'Cause these guys—they really need you."

Kid glanced up at him and nodded, forcing a tight smile on his lips as Liz and Patti moved beside him, the latter waving brightly, "Bye, Black Star!"

"See ya, Patti," Black Star smiled, before looking to their left where Soul and Maka stood. "Maka—stop being so stressed out about everything!"

"I am not str—!" Maka began to defend herself before Soul gave a sharp jab to her ribs with his elbow.

"I mean it, you're kinda uptight to the point where it's scary," Black Star added, and Soul couldn't help chuckling in agreement. "You gotta loosen up a little, life's too short not to—I guess I know that now better than anybody." He gave her a wink, "Can you do that for me?"

Maka gazed up at him, tears streaming freely down her face as her shoulders started to shake again, "Sure thing, Black Star…goodbye."

"Soul," Black Star rounded on him next, "Stay cool."

"C'mon dude, I always do," Soul shrugged, attempting his usual "cool" persona.

"Ya know what I mean," Black Star said. "Stay who you are—I mean the music thing is pretty awesome. And…and take care of Maka. Someone's gotta make sure she breaks the rules once in awhile when I'm gone, and…I know a cool guy like you would never hurt her."

Soul looked at Maka and wrapped an arm around her, placing a soft kiss on her forehead, "You're right…I wouldn't. Thanks, man."

Tsubaki had finally composed herself enough to rise back to her feet, gazing up at her partner with deep love and affection in her violet eyes. "Black Star…"

"Don't worry Tsubaki, the greatest stars always save the best for last," Black Star said with a grin. "C'mere…"

Tsubaki stepped closer to the beam of light that was Black Star's soul, feeling its warmth and energy immerse her the closer she came. "Right here?" she asked, standing directly in front of his ghostly form, inches apart.

"Yeah, that's perfect," Black Star whispered, before leaning forward and kissing Tsubaki on the lips. His touch was so light she could hardly feel it—but she did feel it. Through every fiber of her being, she felt the radiance of his kiss, his love and devotion to her that was not always expressed, but it had always been there regardless. "I love you too, Tsubaki…now go make yourself into a Death Scythe. For me, alright?"

"Right," Tsubaki whispered, smiling for the first time in what felt like forever. "No matter what happens…you'll always be my star."

Black Star chuckled lightly as the beam began to rise upward, "Thanks…I'll always remember that." His form faded from view completely as the beam left his body in the casket and carried him upward through the ceiling, and undoubtedly towards the heavens.

"Tsubaki?" Maka asked as Lord Death and Spirit came back to close the casket and wheel it outside to be buried. "Are you gonna be alright?"

Tsubaki continued to stare up at the ceiling where Black Star had vanished for good, then looked back at Maka with a smile and nodded, "Yeah, I think I am."

Linking arms with eachother, the six of them slowly made their way out into the chilly night air for the burial, looking up at the clear night sky. For every one of them could have sworn that there was a new star in the sky that night—one that burned brighter and would burn longer than any of the others.

A/N: Reviews are nice :) Please leave one on your way out.