Soul's head was a mess; a thousand and one thoughts racing through his mind. He's halfway caught spiralling and running for dear life. With heavy, desperate feet, Soul frantically ran as fast as his damn feet could carry him, Jessica tugged along by the wrist. Where they were going was the last of their priority – as long as it was away from whatever the fuck was happening back there.

There was Maka then there was another Maka then there was Caiyt.

What the fuck.

After running for what felt like 10 million years of his damn life, the two finally stumbled a remote area just behind the academy. They skidded to a stop, finally able to catch their breaths. He hears Jessica sit down on one of the many dusty benches littered across what seemed like an unused courtyard of the DWMA.

Soul didn't even try to sit, staying upright just trying to catch what felt like the first breath he could take since this whole shitshow started. He's desperate.

Desperate for so many things.

The buzzing anxiety in the back of his mind actively scratched against his skull at that moment. Where's Maka? We need to find her – Death, where the fuck was she? Please let her be okay she didn't look okay he needed to get his meister back she wasn't his meister anymore oh my god why did he leave her fuckfuckfuckfuckfu

"Soul," he heard Jessica call out to him gingerly.

He feels his gut sink to hell and back.

Slumping down heavily on himself, he lets himself fall on the ground with a heavy thump.

"I should've been there for her – I should've never left," he choked.

"She's not… she's not your meister anymore- "

Soul whipped his head towards his girlfriend, eyes frantic. "DOESN'T MAKE ME CARE ABOUT HER ANY LESS, JESS!"

At his raised tone, Jessica tensed. He could see she was extremely uncomfortable – he's noticed she's been acting strange for a while now; almost as if she was hiding something. He let it slide, he didn't have time for this, there were bigger things to worry about.

Death, it looked like she was about to cry.

Soul sighed heavily, slumping even more.

"Sorry, I," he choked out. "I'm a mess right now, my brain is all jumbled up. I shouldn't have yelled at you".

Jessica didn't tense any less but smiles gingerly at him.

"Don't apologise, it's alright."

"We're fucked, Jess. Death knows what the hell is happening right now."

Soul runs his hands down his face, wanting to claw his eyes out in frustration.

"We need to find her," he said, voice shaky. "Did you see her?"

Jessica nodded hesitantly. The exact same thing going through their minds.

Maka wasn't alright.

"She didn't look like herself – she looked half dead".

"Soul, don't say that- "

The weapon felt his frustrations rise up again, patience running thin. He can feel the last remnants of his sanity slowly seeping away. Soul stepped up on his feet, stomping over to the girl.

"But it's true! You saw her!"

He deflates again suddenly.

Looking down, he can feel hot painful burning behind his eyelids. He wanted to cry, Death, he wanted to cry so badly. He wanted to cry for himself, he wanted to cry for them, he wanted to cry for Maka.

"I miss her".

He hears more than he sees Jessica fidget on her spot. There she goes again, getting nervous about something he didn't know. He could tell she was raking her short fingernails against the wood of the bench, but he didn't have the energy to really think about that. All he wanted to do was find Maka and the rest of his friends.

Soul heard Jessica whisper something, but he couldn't quite make out the words.

"What is it, Jess?"

"Soul- "she started nervously. "I – I need- "

"Out with it already, we don't have time for this."

"There's something I need to tell you."

In a split second, there's a ringing in his ears. A deafening explosion went off right behind them. Instincts took over and he grabbed the girl by the shoulders to protect her.

Trying to adjust his vision, he saw the previously empty courtyard filled with waves of dark green smoke.

From a couple of feet away from them, he saw a dark figure materialise within the dark green haze.

"Oh, this is interesting,"

With a loud snap of its fingers, the green haze parted away, clustering together towards the perimeters of the courtyard. Air cleared, the figure now stood clear as day; shortly cropped dark hair, piercing amber eyes, deathly pale skin.

Without a second thought, Soul transformed into his weapon form; his (current) meister catching only with a slight fumble.

The figure laughed.

"Relax, I'm not one to attack from the get go," they drawled. "Violence is unnecessary if we all just come to the same page."

Soul felt Jessica's hands on the scythe tremble.

"Who are you?" she demands, the tremble in her voice betraying her conviction.

The figure squints at her, mouth quirking into a shit-eating smirk. "Oh sweetheart, you should be very familiar with me."

"Don't play games."

"Sweetheart, there are no games to play," they snarled.

Soul was about to take matters into his own hands when his meister stomped forward a step, brandishing the scythe towards the imposing figure. He sees the figure raise their hands, mock placating.

"No need for such violence," they mentioned.

"Jess, this guy's wasting our time, don't let them fuck with us," Soul whispered to Jessica. He sees her nod firmly. Without a second more to waste, she charged forward, arm poised to attack. The figure's rather attractive face contorted into a fierce snarl, obviously annoyed at Soul and his meister.

Soul's sharp edge of the blade was about to pierce into the other's flesh when the figure, in a split second, evaporated into a puff of swirling smoke. The momentum Jessica built up to attack only to meet no contact led her to stumble forward. Her grip on the scythe loosened in a bout of lowered guard, when Soul could feel himself being ripped away from Jessica's hands.

He felt himself being thrown into a wall as he quickly transformed back into his human form.

"Soul!" he could hear Jessica call out, frantic.

His flailing body hit the wall with a loud crack. Something was definitely broken, he thinks to himself, grimacing.

Gathering himself from the floor, Soul felt something wet trickle down his face before he noticed the throbbing soreness from the side of his head.

Something sharp, pointed to his throat.

Any attempts to make it back to his meister would be fruitless when a tip of a sharp blade was mere inches away from his throat. He feels the rough bottom of a boot push down onto the base of his neck, restraining him.

The more Soul attempted to push back, the harder the boot painfully pushed into his neck. He glared up upon his attacker, the same person as before; eyes glinting cold, face displeased.

From the corner of his vision, Soul could see Jessica take a step forward towards him. The figure whipped his head to face her, snarling, "If you prefer this boy and yourself still breathing, I suggest you stay right there, doll."

Fear stricken; Jessica froze, not wanting to risk further angering the other.

"Please," she pleads. "Who are you? What do you want from us?"

The figure rolled their eyes at this, huffing.

"I work for Caiyt, I am merely doing my job." Their eyes shifted from Jessica back to Soul, still restrained under their boot. "I told you I'd rather not resort to violence."

Soul squinted at them; teeth gritted. "Let's talk, then," he choked out.

A smile.

"Wonderful," they drawled. "I'm sure you'd like to know how our dearest Maka is doing."

Soul's eyes widened; he could feel the hairs on the back of his nape stand.

With a snap of the figure's deft fingers, Soul feels himself lifted off his back and onto his feet. The dark tendrils of smoke floating around wrapped around him, cool to the touch before it slowly turned more solid, forming into a body of a snake.

Without fail, Soul was restrained within the tight coils of a large snake, scales glittering almost prettily; gold, olive and black.

With the threat of a blade to the throat no longer present, Jessica ran up to the weapon. Surprisingly enough, their attacker allowed it, choosing instead to stand back and watch as the girl fussed over the weapon boy.

"This is highly amusing," the figure drawled.

That caught the two's attention again, back to the situation at hand.

Swirling smoke swiftly formed into a large high-backed chair, before the figure calmly sat themselves down, eyes keenly trained on the weapon-meister duo, glinting in amusement.

"Glad to know we're providing you with a sick sense of amusement," Soul snapped out.

The figure merely threw their head back to laugh. Cold laughter echoed through the empty courtyard. Their eyes snapped back onto the duo, regaining their calm again. The figure leaned lazily against the armrest; chin poised elegantly on their hand.

"Let's cut to the chase, shall we?"

"We've been waiting to since the start."

Another chuckle.

"You humans are truly something else," they drawled. "So easy to play with." Their other hand, resting on the other armrest, started to drum their fingers slowly. Their eyes squinted, pointed at Jessica.

"I'm Envy,"

The weapon squinted his ruby eyes at Envy.

"Envy? What are you – the embodiment of it?"

"The others like to refer to themselves as Gods," Envy paused to chuckle. "I'm delusional but I'm not that delusional."

"You're not a God."

"Maybe not, but I'm damn well close to being one."

"You said you worked for Caiyt?"

Envy rolled their eyes, "That much is obvious, boy. She made us an offer too good to refuse." Their fingers drummed faster. "And I'm driven enough to not pass an opportunity when I see one."

Jessica remained strangely silent after Envy revealed their identity.

And Envy knew exactly why. They smirked.

"Shall we talk about Maka?" Envy started slyly, voice knowing.

Soul was sure he'd have blunt teeth once this was over from the amount of times, he's grinded them tightly. Jaw clenched tight, eyebrows furrowed. At the mere mention of his beloved former meister, his guard is immediately up 1000%. Old habits die hard.

Devotion die hard.

"What do you know? Where is she?" Soul asks, frantic and desperate.

"Poor girl, she was doomed from the beginning," Envy said, voice condescendingly concerned. Mocking. "Caiyt knew she wasn't dumb enough to be fooled straight on – but with enough pawns at play, it was a sure process to success."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Soul gritted through his bared teeth.

"Desperate, are we?"

Soul knew he looked frantic. He was frantic. "I AM desperate."

"I admire your devotion to her. Even when she's no longer your meister," Envy looked once again across to Jessica. "It's obvious to the world that you and her have something no one else can ever dream to understand."

Something is up with Jessica, I'm sure of it, Soul thought to himself. Envy's been subtly taunting her. They know something.

"Just a shame some people are so driven to come between the two of you," Envy sighed pitifully. "Who wouldn't want such a strong connection? That's truly something to be envious of."

Soul could see Jessica clench her hands so tightly, the tremble obvious to him.

"Dear Jessica, you should be well acquainted with that feeling I'm sure."

This left Soul confused. What the hell are they talking about? He turned his attention to the girl next to him, her body tense; shoulders hunched up, jaws clenched, hands in fists. Her eyes were wide with fear. Her face paler than death.

What the fuck?

Envy laughed once more.

"Oh, you poor boy! And you know nothing!"

"I don't understand- "Soul choked out. If he wasn't desperate before, he was absolutely shaking now.

"Well then, shall we fix that?" Envy swirled their hands, commanding the tendrils of green smoke to snake around the girl. "Jessica, sweet girl, don't you have something to tell to your beloved boyfriend?"

Her eyes grew even wider now, her trembling obvious to the world. Her eyes darted nervously between Soul and Envy.

Soul could feel his heart plummet into the pits, beating so hard he was afraid he might explode. A small part of him suspected exactly what it was she needed to tell him but he refused to believe that.

With barely minimal trembling, he pleaded with her, "Jess, what are they talking about?"

Jessica's breath hitched. She couldn't meet his eyes.

"I – I – I – I – "

He could see tears forming at the corner of her eyes.

"Don't tell me you're too much of a coward to admit it, dear Jessica?"

"ADMIT WHAT?" Soul yelled; he was reaching his limit. "JESS. JESSICA, just tell me, please."

The smoke tendrils, crawling up her legs, wrapping around her neck, taunting and suffocating.

The silence was suffocating. She refused to answer.

"Oh my," Envy teased. "Would I have to be the one to admit your sins, sweet girl?"

Soul was sure he was dead at this point.

Growing impatient, Envy's eyes glowed – the tendrils around Jessica's neck forced her head to look up from where it was hung towards the ground, her eyes meeting Envy's now bright green orbs. They shook their heads, clicking their tongue.

"How disappointed I am," Envy taunted.

With a snap of their fingers, Jessica's body flinched violently, her eyes glowing the same green as those of Envy's.

"Sinners unwilling to admit to their sins that they willingly chose to commit truly have the darkest of souls," Envy voiced firmly. "If you're unwilling to speak for yourself, I'll make you."

With her inhibitions and self-control gone, Jessica spoke.

Oh, what words could do.

"I made a deal with Caiyt," she spoke.

Crack, the sound of Soul's heart breaking.

Little did she know, her eyes stopped glowing. Envy was no longer making her speak; they knew once the first words came out, it'll come stumbling out without stop. But Jessica didn't need to know that.

She trained her eyes to Soul's.

"I saw what you and Maka had; I – I wanted it. I wanted it with you, I was so consumed with envy, I didn't think twice to accept Caiyt's proposal. It was too good to pass up – at least it was back then. All I needed to do was pull the two of you apart, to keep as close of an eye I could to Maka, to gain her trust. It was a win-win situation for both Caiyt and I." Tears started running down her cheeks. "She'd rid Maka of her beloved weapon, make her vulnerable, give her the powers you all thought would hold no repercussions – when it was all actually a plan to slowly break her. To slowly break down the defences, and in turn – and in turn… I would get you."

She wheezed out a sob.

"This is all partly my fault – I played a hand in this. I reported back to Caiyt, she had me put a tracking charm on Maka – that charm I gave her before she left about a year ago? That was how Caiyt was able to keep an eye on her."

Soul felt numb.

"Please Soul, I – I didn't think it would go this far! I never truly wanted to hurt her to this extent – I", she was hysterical at this point. "And after getting to know Maka I – Please! Please believe me when I say I would've never even thought of going through with this if I'd had known- "

Whatever held Soul together snapped.

"ENOUGH!" he growled, teeth baring. His heart was pounding, hot rage consumed his entire being.

Betrayed.

Hurt.

Angry.

Devastation.

"ENOUGH!!"

He didn't even realise he was out of his bounds; he couldn't remember his body moving towards the girl. Every cell in his body burned.

He didn't notice his hands around her neck.

Maka, oh my god, Maka. I left her – I was too stupid to realise. My meister my partner, and my best friend.

His mind was a hurricane of thoughts.

He didn't notice hands pushing at him, trying to push him away.

He couldn't hear the choked pleas of mercy.

He didn't realise he was heaving, sobs wracking his body. Hot tears burning down his cheeks.

He was crying for him.

He was crying for Maka.

Flashes of her played in his mind. Memories of them together, her voice cutting through the haze.

"Soul, breathe."

He could physically feel his sanity click back together, the world around him slowly coming into focus. He felt too much at once.

He could feel his hands around someone else's throat-

A violent jolt reverberated through him, he jumped back.

Oh Death, I've been strangling her.

Jessica's body laid slumped on the ground, the violent rise and fall of her chest visible, trying to regain her breath. Horrible coughs and wheezing rang through the courtyard. Soul could see her trembling hands come around the front of her throat – where his hands were tightly coiled around her slim neck – trying to regain whatever was left of her composure.

She's alive. I didn't kill her.

He heaved a sigh of relief – but far from relaxed. His senses were tingling, his nerves raw.

"Oh, you would not believe how envious I am of Maka."

Envy's voice cut through his thoughts.

His back was turned to them, but he could picture them; chin resting over the palm of their hands, mouth in a jealous pout.

He turned his head to the side, angling to see Envy from the corner of his eyes.

"Envious of her?"

"Why of course," they sighed. "To have such a devoted person in their life – someone willing to kill another for them."

Fuck off, Soul spat internally. This person was making light of his meister's situation; envious of such a horrible thing happening to her? To have her walls broken down – to be corrupted from the inside out.

Envious of that?

He turned, slowly walking towards the smug figure sitting there. Coming a small distance from Envy, he stopped, putting his hands on either side of the other. He leaned forwards.

"You'd do anything to get what you want?"

Envy eyed him smugly.

"Yes."

"And what you wanted was to be in Maka's shoes?"

"If it's to get someone like you, of course," Envy breathed out.

Soul let his mouth quirk up into his signature smile.

"Then, hurt, fucker," he spat.

Envy's eyes widened, coming to their senses. They were so overcome by envy they let their guard down.

Before the "God" could snap their fingers, the sharp blade of a scythe made itself home in between their chest cavities.

Envy choked on the blood rushing up their windpipes.

Soul kept his eyes firmly locked onto Envy's, gaze not leaving as he twisted the blade of his hand deeply within Envy's chest.

"Not so well spoken anymore, huh?"

The world shifted around them as Envy's eyes rolled back, body limp.

With a puff of smoke, Soul was left standing alone on the courtyard – the only other soul with him, lay limply a few ways behind him, wheezing for air.

A rough, scared voice struggled through the silence, "S- soul- "

"Never come near me again, Jessica."

"I- "

"Get out of here, find your way back to safety. You're not needed here anymore."

With a new burning resolution to find his real meister again, Soul stepped off. Walking away from the courtyard.

The silence was deafening.