The Red Hood : Chapter 3

Ugh, another dream. They always made him depressed. He didn't understand them at all.

Were they visions of this girls future? Strange, but a lot of them seemed to involve him in one way or the other. True, he had never met the girl, but he knew so much about her from his dreams. They always told him about major events that happened in her life, such as the first time she learned to ride a bike, the first time she'd read a book, the first time she saw her father with another woman.

He knew so much about her, yet she knew nothing at all about him . . .

Even though he saw the scenes play out, he never did know how she felt about them. For, she had never shown any emotions towards theses certain circumstances. Never did he see a tear being shed, or a sob escape from her lips, or even a whine of complaint. He figured she just buried it within herself, then let it out when she was alone. And it seemed she was alone very often.

Or maybe the dreams just weren't very reliable . . .

If they were, then he could tell that she liked to be alone. She liked not having to worry about what people were to think of her, or what she had to think of other people. She didn't trust anyone but herself, maybe that was the reason for shutting the door to her bedroom and not coming out for hours at a time.

Everyone hurt her. And she was so tired of being hurt, he could see. Her heart had hardened over time, guilt, pain, sorrow, and despair, hidden in a darkened corner of it. Almost forgotten. Emotionless. It seemed like she didn't care anymore, about her family, friends, pets. Herself.

Maybe that's the reason she spent hours outside, punching trees until her knuckles bruised, running up against them until her shoulders bled. She wore white gloves over her hands to conceal the bruising, while the red cape did its job with her shoulders, but he could see now She liked the pain.

It made her feel alive. That she wasn't dead.

God she was depressed, and it hurt him because she kept it hid from everyone. Smiling fake smiles and laughing fake laughs, just so she could reassure everyone that everything was okay. But it wasn't.

He knew it was the worst when she was alone, even though he couldn't see her at those times. He guessed that the dreams did give her at least a bit of privacy. He knew she cried though, even if he couldn't see her. She was beaten, but not broken, she was too stubborn for that.

She didn't like to be touched either, because it was her body. No one else's, she didn't like the thought of it being tainted by fingers of sickening, untrustworthy people. She just wanted to be alone.

He remembered in one dream, where she panicked. She was at school at the time, he recalled, and staring in space, as a boy named Damien gazed at her thoughtfully.

"What's wrong?" He asked, slightly pushing at her shoulder, causing her to flinch.

She turned her attention to Damien as the school bell rang, and she flew out the door, eyebrows furrowed in frustration, and red cape following suit.

Soul wished he could hear her thoughts at that moment, see exactly what was going through her head. But he was a dreamer not a mind reader.

He would admit it, he cared for the girl, seeing as he was pretty much there throughout her whole life. When had the dreams started? He cant remember, it was so long ago . . .

He pushed his eyes toward the sleeping girl beside him, watching her chest go up and down in rhythm to her breathing. She looked peaceful.

He looked out the cave, squinting his eyes so he could see better. It was nighttime, he assumed they'd been sleeping for about fifteen hours or so.

He sighed, sitting up and running his calloused hand through his white locks. Pushing himself from his wool bed, he walked to the entrance of the cave and gently leaned on it, bare skin shimmering in the moonlight.

He shuffled slightly when he saw Maka walking up beside him. She gazed at him, her green eyes boring into his cheek.

"Why are you like this?" She asked suddenly. Soul turned toward her and raised a questioning eyebrow.

Her brows furrowed, "Why did you save me? Why do you get so angry when there is a chance someone might hurt me? Why did you offer me food? Why don't you just eat me instead? I just need to understand . . ." Her voice softened at her last remark.

He sighed, "Because . . . I understand you."

She snorted in annoyance before mumbling, "No one understands me."

He sighed yet again, turning his whole body towards her, "You like being alone, you don't care if you die as long as no one else gets hurt in the process, especially if it benefits others, you can be selfish at times, but only so people will leave you alone, your silent, because if you say something people won't understand what you mean. And most importantly, you trust no one but yourself, because you've been hurt many times, and this causes you to not let any one in, ever."

It was true he did understand her, not only because of the frequent dreams, but he had just described himself perfectly.

She blinked in surprise, eyes wide. "How did you know all that?" She whispered silently.

"I told you I understood you."

She relaxed a bit, allowing her shoulders to slump. "Why don't you trust them, the others?"

He shut his eyes, before exhaling deeply. He knew he could trust her, he had seen the dreams where she kept everyone's secret.

"Because," he began again, "They don't understand. I mean, their good friends and all, but they just don't get it."

She cocked her head to the side, "What'd you mean?"

A slight pause, "They don't know what it's like to be alone."

She felt her heart twitch from a stab of pain, she didn't want anyone else to be like her. Especially someone she owed her life to.

She laid a hand on his shoulder, and he looked up at her, meeting her gaze, a mixture of crimson and forest.

"Can I ask you something? It might be a little personal . . ."

"Shoot."

She closed her eyes, "How . . . How did you become a wolf? Were you born that way?"

His lips twitched into a small smile, "No, I wasn't. Actually, none of us can remember who turned us into a wolf, except for Liz and Patty. Kid changed them. All that I remember, was having an argument with my parents, then storming out of the house, and then it all went blank."

"Did you ever go back to your family?"

He grimaced, "Yes, but none of them understood, except for Wes, my brother. He talked them into letting me stay at the house, once they found out what I was, but nothing was the same. My own parents were scared of me, they wouldn't even touch me. I disgusted them. So, I left."

She gave him a sweet smile before replying, "I don't think you disgust me, nor am I scared of you."

He looked back up at her, and watched the sincerity in her eyes.

She spoke, "Do you trust me? Even though we just met?"

Hmm, would she get freaked out if he said yes? Seeing that they officially met yesterday, would she think it strange. Shoot, he didn't care. "Yes . . ." He whispered.

"Why?"

" . . . Because you understand."

She smiled, not knowing what else to do. She didn't know if she trusted him or not. It had been a very long time since she trusted anyone. . .

*Soul Eater*

The next morning, things went the same as the last, eating rabbit and listening to Black*Star rant about how "Godly" he is and such. But Tsubaki still didn't speak to her.

It went on like this for a while, almost every morning, for the next two months. She asked Soul why Tsubaki didn't like her once. He said that it wasn't her, just the fact that she was a human, and that humans hadn't treated her "coolly" in the past.

Speaking of Soul, they had really grown close. It felt great to finally have someone to talk to. He understood and he didn't judge. When she was around him she felt something she hadn't felt in a while. Happiness. Even though she thought that all men were pigs who she couldn't stand to touch, he was . . . Okay.

He was her best friend. Something she also hadn't had in a long time.

They could talk for hours on end, discussing hobbies, interests, and childhoods.

She even told him about her barbarian of a father. He didn't seem surprised or shocked, and he spoke little. It was like he already knew . . . Nah, that was impossible.

She had made friends with everyone in the cave, well everyone except for Tsubaki of course, they were all very nice to her, sharing their meals, and Kid complimented her symmetry daily.

Liz and Patty were some of the best. They always spoke kindly to her, and it was genuine. She really liked them, and they really liked her. Once they had a "Cave Sleepover" in a secluded room in the back of the grotto.

Tsubaki was invited to it too, but because Maka was going also, she quickly declined the offer. Maka confessed to the twin sisters that she was worried she was breaking up their friendship between the small group. But they comforted her, saying that Tsubaki had always been sore against humans, just like Soul had said. She was hesitant to ask at first, but ask she did. Why did Tsubaki hate humans?

Patty, as usual, giggled for no reason as Liz explained.

"When she had first been changed, someone saw her transform, and quickly ran off to tell the world. When everyone knew what she was, no one excepted her. It was like she was a witch. They thought she would harm humans in some way, and they didn't even know her. She was hated because she was different. Typical human behavior.

"But it didn't stop there," she continued, "One night, the hatred had gotten so bad that they ran her out of her small village. Her own home. And she did nothing to them. The fact that she merely existed, caused a rise of emotions. But who would think that humans could stoop so low to run her out of her only sanctuary."

"That's when Black*Star found her, on the ground, beaten and broken. He took her back to this cave. Where every one excepted her because she was different. She did well, actually. She started to laugh and smile, especially with Black*Star." She huffed, "She was the only one who could stand him sometimes."

Maka frowned, she hadn't seen Tsubaki laugh or smile since she got here.

Soul told her not to worry about it, that it wouldn't change anything.

"But, doest it make you sad? I mean that Im the one that's making her uncomfortable?"

Soul groaned, "No, what makes me sad, is that your stressing out about something that you cant control. And when your stressed, I'm stressed." He paused as a grimace formed on his face, "Geez Maka, your making me sound so uncool."

Maybe this was out of her control. Soul was always right, wasn't he? She gave in, yep.

She could honestly say that he was her favorite person on the planet, right now.

She scooted in her purple sleeping bag, nuzzling her head into her arms. She got herself in position for a long peaceful sleep. She drifted for a while, eyes closing then reopening, and just as her green orbs were about to close for a final time, she snapped back to consciousness.

She sat up quickly, causing her head to swoon. She peered around the cave, searching for any signs of life.

She sensed an unfamiliar soul approaching.

She nudged Soul awake. He grunted then slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes.

"Someone else is here." She whispered.

He jumped up from his wool bed, and quickly transformed. He stalked to the entrance of the grotto, his white fur swishing from every step.

Soul raised his nose in the air, sniffing, then lowered it back down. He walked along the entrance of the before exiting the cave. She couldn't see him anymore. She was alone.

She sat, frozen in place, starring at the entry. She knew she sensed a soul, she was dead set on that thought.

Sensing souls? When did that start happening, you ask? Actually, it had never really "started" it was always there, since birth. Maka never told any one about it, not even her parents. She was afraid people would think she was crazy or something. So, she kept it hidden, like she did a lot of things, only using it for tracking purposes and such.

It had been about ten minutes before Soul crawled back into the cave, then lazily slumped back onto his bed.

"Did you find anything?" She asked, eyes wide.

He snorted, "Your losing it, Tiny Tits, the only thing I found was a dead mouse." He licked his lips at the last sentence.

Wait, Tiny Tits? What the hell?

"MAKA-"

"Hey, where'd that book come fro-?"

"CHOP!"

"What the hell?" He screamed, clutching his bleeding head in pain. "What was that for?"

She huffed, "Why did you call me 'Tiny Tits'?" Her eyes narrowed.

He grinned, running his eyes over her body, "Isn't it obvious?"

She growled, raising the come-out-of-nowhere-book once again, "MAKA-"

"Oh shit-"

"CHOP!"

*Soul Eater*

Another week passed quickly, but nothing had changed really. Tsubaki still wouldn't talk to her, or even glance her way at that. Kid still was in love with her symmetry, while Black*Star ranted and raved about how he'll surpass God and such.

Liz and Patty held another sleepover, and Liz actually confessed about her feelings for Kid, much to Maka's surprise. And Soul . . . well he was still Soul. It had only been a week after all. The only thing that had changed with him, was Maka's new nick name "Tiny Tits", much to her disproval.

At the end of the week, however, things took a devastating turn.

Maka shifted in the sleeping bag, tossing and turning, rest could not come to her tonight.

"Be quiet, Tiny Tits." Soul mumbled, sleepily.

"Sorry," she apologized, "I cant sleep."

He simply gave a grunt for a reply, she huffed and slid out of her bag, standing up and walking toward the entrance of the grotto.

"Where ya goin'?" he asked, crack one blood-red eye open.

"Just for a walk."

"Mmm, okay, but don't take to lo . . . n . . .g . . ." She smiled when he started to snore lightly.

She exited the cave silently, being careful not to wake him. She walked to a tree in front of the tiny grotto, and felt the texture of it's bark. It was rough and imperfect.

It's imperfectly, perfect, she thought to herself.

She sat underneath it, feeling the wind against her pale skin, and sighed in content. She watched the leaves of the tree sway to the rhythm of the breeze, before closing her emerald eyes, smiling. For once everything was okay. She was happy.

Her eyes snapped open, and they widened in surprise. She sensed a soul. Wait, no, two souls.

She recognized one of them, it was a calm soul, but seemed to escalate in fright as the seconds ticked by. Maka began to panic when she realized who it was.

Tsubaki.

She jumped up from her sitting position, trying to focus on the second soul, it too, seemed familiar. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to think. Where had she sensed this soul before? Think, think, think . . .

She got it.

The soul from last week, the one that she sent Soul after. The one that he thought wasn't there.

She tensed up then darted into a sprint, heading for both souls. Tsubaki's seemed to become more and more frantic, not calming down one bit. Something was very wrong.

She dodged trees and rocks and roots, desperately searching for the source of the two souls. Her eyes darted in each direction as the perception kept getting stronger and stronger, this was it, she had finally arrived at her destination.

What she saw made her heart stop.

Tsubaki was struggling, kicking around mercilessly and clawing in every direction, but she was still in her human form. Maka turned her attention toward the being Tsubaki was fighting with.

He had long gray hair that reached his waist, and piercing silver eyes. She couldn't tell his age, nor did she care. He had scares all over his pale face, clearly from fighting experience. He adorned a black leather suit, short spikes sticking out from his shoulders, and his breastplate enhanced his muscular build.

He had Tsubaki by the arms, pinned in a helpless manner. It disgusted Maka. She went after him at full force, aiming for his head. She pulled her fist back, and just before planting it on his pathetic face, she was grabbed by the waist and thrown to the ground, causing her head to spin in pain.

She looked up at her attacker, but it was too dark to see his features, but she knew he was a man. She was yanked by the arm and forced to stand.

"Scream and I'll kill you." He hissed.

She threw her fist back once more and forced it into his cheek, making him stumble forward. She turned back toward Tsubaki and was about to repeat the process with the gray-haired man, until an unbearable stab of pain entered her side, and she let out a agonizing scream, before falling to the ground.

"Maka!" Tsubaki gasped, as she was being dragged out of the forest.

Maka was dragged upward, once again. Only to be led in the same direction as the female wolf.

*Soul Eater*

Soul sat up in bed, panting. The same dream he had two months prior, had just revisited him again. It got to him this time, though. He knew Maka a lot better now, and the thought of her dieing made him want to break down.

He laid back down, sweat dropping off his forehead, and tried to go back to sleep.

His eyelids drooped, as he slowly faded into slumber.

"AHHHH!" He jerked forward at the sound of the scream, as his heart began to race dangerously fast.

He recognized the voice.

Maka.