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Chapter 9: Unfinished Business

After everything that had happened the day before, Kid and Maka made sure to stay close to each other. Kim naturally was somewhere in the Gallows Mansion as well, but she knew better than to impede the couple. She stayed in her room for the most part, trying to focus on collecting her magic for the next onslaught of Ravageous. The two meisters sat on the step just outside the front door, conversing about the situation.

"Maka, I just don't know how this keeps happening. I'm sorry." Kid spoke, an ashamed look on his face as he stared at his lap. His hands clenched up. "I'm trying - really trying - to stay in control of myself but I'm just not strong enough. And you, and everyone else around me, has had to suffer for it."

"Kid, that's not your fault. Besides, that's why your father is taking precautions by making me and Kim your personal bodyguards." Maka spoke, trying to lighten the mood a bit. The young reaper gave a slight smile at the remark. Maka blushed a bit as she took his hand in hers. "We're here for you, Kid. I'm here for you."

Kid's face became sheepish, before becoming serious again. "Maka, yesterday... Oh, this is gonna sound so awful, but..." Kid shook his head before looking Maka in the eyes again. "Ravageous never really took me over. He just made me think that you were him, or her, or... whatever. But before all of that, we..."

Kid blushed fiercely, aggravated at himself for getting so worked up. Maka gave his hand a squeeze to urge him on. He took a deep breath and said, "We- we got physical. That was... real, right?" The blonde meister fisted her skirt in her free hand as she nodded, face red as could be. Kid breathed a sigh of relief. At least I'm not a pervert, he thought to himself. Now that they had gotten past that, it was time for the more important question. "So, Maka, where does that leave us?"

Maka's blush lessened, but remained. "With all honesty Kid, I don't really know." Kid looked up at her with a start. "I mean, before all of this started I wanted to be with you but, you... you were reluctant." The shinigami nodded with understanding. "But that doesn't change anything for me, Kid. I still want this."

She caressed his cheek with her free hand and then released the other so she could cup his cheeks wholly. Slowly, she leaned up to brush her lips against his. Kid's hands held Maka's at his face. When they parted, he pulled her into an embrace, mumbling, "I want this, too."

Maka and Kid sat together on the sofa, while Kim sat in a recliner not too far away, all watching the television. Kim flipped through the channels listlessly, nothing catching her eye. "Do you guys have anything you wanna watch?" Kim spoke before flitting her eyes to them. Before they could answer, she spoke, "Oh, I forgot you're way too wrapped up in each other to care. My bad."

"Th-That's not true!" Maka pulled her hand from Kid's and balled her fists in her lap. Kid reacted likewise, pursing his lips at the witch.

The pink haired girl sighed before clicking the tv off. She blankly stared at the pair before getting up and taking Kid by the wrist. "You're coming with me, mister." Kid was flustered, sputtering as Kim dragged him upstairs with her. "Don't worry, Maka, I'll bring him right back!"

Maka gave a small laugh and waved.

As Kim and Kid arrived in his room, she turned and shut the door. When she faced Kid again, a small smirk appeared on her face. "So, now you're gonna spill, Kiddo."

"W-What?" the boy stuttered. Kim flopped herself on Kid's bed, landing on her stomach, propped up on her elbows. "Spill?"

"Yes! Like what's going on with you and Maka? I need details, now." Her legs swung back and forth behind her excitedly. When Kid stood there flushed for a moment, she pleaded, "Oh, c'mon! I'm dying of boredom here! Give me some entertainment."

Kid hesitantly sat on the bed beside her. "Well..."

Maka sat tapping her foot restlessly for about twenty minutes. I wonder what they could be doing up there. Flopping back onto the couch, she stretched out and sighed. Maybe I'll take a nap, she thought as she turned onto her side, eyes fluttering shut. It had been a while since she had gotten a full night's rest. A warm aura came over her as she faded into the black haven.

Ravageous's laughter was quiet as the entity neared the helpless meister. "Time to have some fun with you."

Huh? Maka thought as she wandered through the familiar quiet void. Back here again... And just like before the little light appeared, floating slowly toward her. She reached out her hands to catch it. Just as it was about to make contact, hands covered her eyes. "Maka," a gravelly voice spoke. "I've been waiting for you." Maka shivered with anticipation. Another one of these dreams? What's wrong with me?! Maka quickly dismissed the thought when the hands wandered down her body, resting on her hips where they squeezed aggressively. Maka leaned her head back on a shoulder, quirking her head to the side to look at the assailant. Just like before, gold eyes stared back at her. The lines of sanzu gleamed brilliantly white in this darkness.

Maka saw the five black lines over his mouth but her attention quickly dissipated as the hands came up to cup her breasts. She gasped, breathing becoming difficult. Arching her bottom into Kid, she once again felt his excitement. His hands pulled her arms up to loop around his head and then ghosted down her sides, little whispers of pleasure. Kid nibbled her neck almost ferociously, making his way down to her shoulder. She moaned deeply, yanking his hair slightly. This seemed to give him incentive to slowly, teasingly, drag down the zipper to Maka's skirt. Her nails ran through Kid's hair, hoping she could do the same to him as he was to her.

With her skirt gone, she remained in her tank top and thong. Oh, geez! I forgot I wore that today! This is so embarrassing! Kid chuckled, muttering breathily into her ear, "Is that for me?" Maka couldn't answer, her voice stuck somewhere in her throat as intense red stained her face. Kid ran his fingers in light circles just above the lacy hem all the way around her body. Grabbing both straps on either side of her, he pulled the thong up and wriggled it just the right way. It definitely lit a fire in her stomach. Kid took little bites at her ear, the grazes of his teeth making Maka's breathing labored. "P-please, Kid. Don't tease me anymore," she gasped. She sought his lips, but he caught her chin with one hand, turning her face forward again.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," Kid voiced and ran his chin roughly down the side of her face and neck. Finding her pulse, he bit her softly, running his tongue over the soft flesh. Maka moaned before grunting and wincing; Kid had bitten down harder and broke the skin. She flitted her glance over to him, finding him savoring the taste of her blood as it ran down her neck. "T-Take it easy, Kid."

At that, the reaper suddenly pushed her face-first onto the ground, pinning both wrists down as he mounted her. He pushed himself closer to her, grinding into her hard. "Is this better, princess?" The voice had changed... This wasn't Kid!

"Ravageous! How did you-?" Maka was shut up as Kid's mouth bit into the other side of her neck.

"Didn't you know, gorgeous? You may have a grigori soul, but as long as I don't physically touch you, I'm not affected at all."

"So in other words..."

"In this dream, there's no one to save you."

"Anyways, I probably need to get you back to your girlfriend before she thinks something's up." Kim exited the room with Kid following close behind.

Descending the stairs, Kim started to say something but shut her mouth as she saw Maka sleeping. As the meisters came closer, they could hear Maka's grunts and see the pained expression on her face. "Maka!" Kid shouted, shaking her shoulder. It was then that he noticed the red running down the sides of her neck and he became pale. "Is that-?"

Kim came to rest her hands on Maka's wounds, the pink glow letting Kid know that she was being healed.

Ravageous had removed Maka's shirt and was unclasping her bra when he noticed the bites on her neck begin to fade. "What the hell?" He could just make out the voices beyond the darkness. "It's that damn witch."

"Kim..." Maka gasped lowly. Maka could hear the voices as well, though very faintly. "Please help..."

"Shut up!" Ravageous grabbed Maka by her hair, pulling her up before slamming her face back to the ground. Maka yelled out in pain as her teeth pierced her lip.

"Kim..." Maka groaned in her sleep. "Please...help..."

Kid gasped and Kim's eyes narrowed. "Something's not right. What the hell is going on here? These cuts didn't come out of nowhere." She eyed the reaper beside her. "You haven't been getting frisky, have you?"

"N-No! It's not-!" Before Kid could finish, Maka winced, eyes still closed, as a bruise appeared on her cheek, followed by blood dribbling from her lip. "Maka!"

"Could it be-?" Kim started before speaking magic words. "Tanucoon Raccoon-coon Ponpon Ponkitanu!"

Maka's entire body was enveloped with the warm pink glow.

"If your friends knew what was good for them, they'd stay out of this." Ravageous spoke. Maka sobbed softly. "Aww, what's wrong, little meister? Don't like that reaper anymore? Maybe you'd prefer this form."

Kid's black and white locks and gold eyes were no more, replaced by snowy hair and red eyes. Soul's shark-sharp teeth grazed Maka's ear as he came close to give her a look. She turned her face to the ground in horror. Soul's hand caught her by the chin to turn her back toward him. "Well, aren't you picky..." He scowled. "C'mon, make up your mind. I have any number of dream forms I can transform into. Just tell me which one tickles your fancy, dollface."

Ravageous changed into multiple different appearances, thankfully no one Maka recognized. There was one he stopped on that gave her chills. A woman with long, moonlit white hair and golden eyes. Maka's eyes widened. "Y-You-"

"Hm?" Ravageous mumbled in the woman's sweet voice. "Find something you like?"

"You... You're the one who killed Kid's mother?"

"Oh, that. Heheh." The lighthearted words spilled from Ravageous's mouth easily. "You see, ever since Death got rid of me long ago, I've had this obsession with collecting everyone around him that ever meant anything to him. I've been waiting on dear Kid for quite a while. I was around when he was still a newborn, a bag of flesh with nothing but endless tears and dirty diapers."

"W-What?" Maka said, her eyes wide. "You were close with Kid?"

"Well, not Kid per-say. But his mother and father, yes." Ravageous had Kid's mother's face scowling in remembrance. "I was one of Death's trusted guards, always by his side, every day. That was how I met her, Rose."

"Lord Death's wife..." Maka filled in.

"Yes. Rose was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. She could light up a room just by being present." The expression on the woman, Rose's, face turned pleasant. "I fell in love with her."

"And what," Maka cut in. "If you couldn't have her, no one could?"

"Tch. Shut your little mouth." Ravageous slammed his knee into Maka's back, knocking the wind out of her. She gasped for air. "That fool, Death, claimed to love her as well, but wouldn't give her his immortality. He could let her grow old, rot, and die. Oh, but that was alright as long as he was always by her side. Heh. So I took matters into my own hands. One night, one of the most horrible nights of Rose's life I would presume, I claimed her soul for myself, ended her suffering. That was how I vowed my love to her. To this day it still burns inside of me. And that is the reminder of why I must take everything that that damn Death loves."

"That's not love." Maka said. "That's possessive. She was not something you could claim for yourself. Love doesn't work like that!"

"And what would you know about love, little girl? You think that little reaper won't follow in his father's footsteps; leave you behind when he's done? What a fool."

Bright pink light closed in on the everlasting darkness around the pair, causing Ravageous to scream, the image of him as Rose burning before Maka's eyes.

When Maka came to, she sat up with a start, tears pouring out of her eyes. She latched onto Kid immediately, and he reciprocated the action. "Oh, Maka! I'm so glad you're okay."

"Hey, a little thanks might be in order here." Kim tapped her foot with her hands on her hips. Maka thanked Kim, pulling her into a hug as well. "H-Hey, I asked for a 'thank you' not a groping!"

"Oh dear, just as I was so close to having my way." Ravageous's laugh rang through the house. "You win this time, kids. But Maka," at this the blonde's ears perked up. "Remember what I told you."

The feeling of the entity disappeared, a calm falling over the mansion once more. Maka did not want to believe Ravageous's words. She knew it was a ploy to get her riled up and distrust everyone around her. She wasn't stupid enough to fall for that. But there was a piece of her mind that was filling with what ifs. The blonde looked at Kid, staring in thought for a few moments before he noticed her gaze. She looked away, not out of embarrassment, but out of shame. She was doubting him.

"I-I need to go do something." It may not have been the best way to exit the room, but it sufficed at letting Maka have her peace. Neither of them tried to stop her, but she did hear Kim mumbling about what had just happened because she was alone. She wasn't going to argue with that, but she was stubborn about her privacy when she wanted it.

She entered the bathroom, locking the door behind her. Sitting on the lid of the toilet, she held her head between her hands, trying to concentrate on how to deal with this situation. Ravageous could physically attack her, but could only withstand so much from her soul. He could breach her mentally as well, it seemed, but as long as she stuck with Kim it should be fine. She wondered what Kim and Kid's limits were, how far they could go before being overcome.

As Maka fled the room, Kim and Kid were left standing there turning the moment over in their minds. Seeming like she wanted to say something, Kim kept glancing at Kid and wringing her hands. She cleared her throat.

"Kid, there's something I think you should know." The pink haired girl caught his attention. "When I used my healing abilities and pushed Ravageous out of Maka's mind, I could hear their... conversation, for lack of a better word."

The look on Kid's face was confused and but also intently interested.

"I-It's about your mother." As Kim spoke the words, Kid struggled to contain the outburst inside of him and simply nodded for her to continue. "Ravageous can change his appearance based on the souls he's absorbed. Your mother is one of them, Kid. I heard Maka and Ravageous talking about it. Apparently, Ravageous used to be one of your father's allies and was very close to your family. He fell in love with your mother, Kid."

"In love with my mother?" Kid's hands were clenched at his side as he spoke through gritted teeth. "Then why would he take her soul? That monster is incapable of love, obviously."

"I-I," Kim stuttered, trying to get off of that particular part of the discussion. "Well, that's what he said. His words, not mine. Anyway, he was upset that Lord Death wouldn't make Rose, er, your mother, immortal like him. Of course, I'm sure he had his reasons. Ravageous took her soul for himself at her time of death as oath of love, or so he said."

"That bastard," Kid sneered. "I'll kill him."

"Yeah, yeah, you're a big bad reaper but don't forget you haven't fared too well against him so far." Kim said, her hand on her hip with irritation. "Guess you're gonna have to learn some new tricks."

"I know that, Kim." Kid said, sighing. "But it's just so frustrating. I mean, how am I supposed to beat him? No one seems willing to help, not even Stein or-"

The young shinigami stopped short, his next words left unsaid. Kim looked at him, almost as if syncing with him when they locked eyes. She pondered, "You think..?"

"I think we need to go see my father again."