Ooooo~ November 1st, the most scariest time of year~

Lol. Yeah, I know, not reallyxD Anyway, I hope you all enjoy the last chapter!

Warning, this chapter contains underage consumption of alcohol and lewd instances. If this discomforts you, proceed with caution.

"Come on. I didn't grab you that hard!"

A hard slap impacted the middle of Crona's shoulder blades, deterring him off balance. "Get it all out of your system man! I didn't snatch you from that stupid crowd just for you to get sick on me."

Crona took in deep breaths, his lungs overexcited to find that the calloused force covering his mouth was gone. He rubbed his chest where tough strength wrapped around him and looked up at the grinning ninja meister who tugged him away from Maka to plunge into the parade's sea of spectators.

"Every time you say you didn't grab someone roughly, you end up breaking one of their ribs." The nearby scythe retorted, his beast mask tucked under his arm. "And judging by how you practically jumped him once Maka's head turned, I'd say you broke a couple rather than one."

Black Star waved a hand at Soul, shooing off his comment. "Please, this big bad rock-star has more strength than he lets on. Even I can see that. And he doesn't complain when I grab him like that, unlike somebody I know."

Soul rolled his eyes and looked to the recovering Crona. "You doin' alright, man?"

"F-F-Fine." Crona's quivering voice responded. He rubbed his jacketed chest in soothing pets as he stood up straight.

"Good!" Black Star snaked a bulky arm around Crona's neck, trapping him in a neck-hold as he pulled the swordsman toward him. "Because this divinity's positive aura is going to be the bright light through the cloudy shit-storm that is your Halloween."

Crona fidgeted in Black Star's grip, carefully trying to worm his way out of his clutches. "B-But…I-I'm feeling a little better than I was before. Really, I-I am. The parade and Maka helped-"

"Nonsense!" Black Star rebuked. The grip he had on Crona's neck tightened. "Some lame parade isn't going to erase my memory of those scared pussies treatment toward you, or their insult to me for treating you that way!" A devious glint sparked in Black Star's eyes, making a shot of cold fear run through Crona's veins. "But I only held back my fury and took their dumb candy for what's to come later. The way I'm going to help lift your mood up into my heavenly clouds, is with some good ol' fashioned Halloween payback."

The swordsman gave Black Star a quizzical look as the ninja's arm unraveled from his neck. Crona placed an uncertain arm to his chest while the plotting blue-haired boy scratched his chin, examining the nearby houses. "I remember the first house we visited was down this way. So we can start with that banshee bitch first." He turned to Soul. "How much toilet paper you got at your house?"

Crona's brows furrowed from Black Star's odd question to Soul.

Toilet paper…?

"Not enough to TP fifteen houses." Soul commented casually. He scratched the behind of his head, irritation lurking in his eyes. "And even if I did have enough, Maka would probably cut off my ass and use it as a wall decoration if she saw more than three rolls missing. She's still sore about what we pulled last year."

"…she counts your toilet paper? Are you kidding me?"

"When you TP the outside of the academy and light bags of dog shit on teacher's doorsteps, you can bet Maka is going to keep all the lighters and toilet rolls under lock and key."

Black Star groaned in irritation, running a hand through his blue mane. "Fine. We'll just use the toilet paper at my house and grab the eggs in my spare stocks. They're nice and rotten too, so we can huck em' at people's windows and cars after they get a huge web of ass-wipes on their lawn!"

Soul grimaced, his brows lowering. "…now, even I know the difference in playing a funny prank, and just being an asshole."

Black Star frowned. He crossed his muscled arms across his chest. "Soul, I brought you along to help make this fun. Not be a fun-sucker. If I wanted that, I would have asked Maka to come along."

Soul shrugged. "Just speaking the truth."

As the pranksters spoke, Crona shifted in his spot, curiosity and disagreement stirring in his brain.

He didn't agree with Black Star saying Maka was a fun-sucker. If anything, she managed to make a night where people enjoyed being misshapen creatures or oozing blood buckets much easier for his frightened self to tolerate. And even though such gruesome costumes existed, she proved to him by people among the floats that there were funnier sights of the holiday, that people could get very creative and use their costumes to entertain the crowds. He really was enjoying himself by watching them.

…and although he would never tell anyone this… he felt being with Maka was much more fun and exciting than being with the boys before him. It's not that Crona didn't like them, they could be nice. But he found their pastimes and methods of fun…a little odd.

Kinda like the odd speech Black Star and Soul spoke in now, saying those strange terms that escaped him. What did they mean? He understood what egging meant, even he could figure that out. But what did the other term mean?

In order to find his answer, Crona stepped forward tentatively. He gently tapped the shredded fabric on Soul's shoulder, muttering, "Uhm…Soul?"

The scythe's head turned towards him, a questioning white eyebrow rising.

"…w-what do you mean by TP-ing?" Crona asked.

Soul blinked, confusion wrinkling the skin of his forehead. "You've seriously never heard of TP-ing?"

Crona shook his head and Soul's eyebrows raised in surprise. The scythe turned his head around in search for something, mumbling that there had to be one on such a common night for that TP-ing term. He lifted a clawed hand when he found his target, pointing to a house in the distance. "You take a bunch of toilet paper and do that to a house when they're asleep, or not home. There's a crap load of people around the parade, so I'm not surprised someone already took advantage of the chance."

The puzzled sword meister followed Soul's finger to look at the house far in front of them. His eyes widened as he spotted a house's tree having white streamers looping around and hanging off tree branches. Long ropes of white extended from the tree to the house in different directions, leaving an intricately messy cobweb to be paired with the dunes of stringy white unraveling along the lawn.

A nervous blockage clogged Crona's windpipe and Black Star roared with laughter. "And the funniest part is, it'll take em' days to take it all down! But that's only the beginning!" Black Star smashed his fist into his other hand, his sneer pulling wide. "Since they slammed the door in your face, we'll slam their pumpkins on their porches too! They'll regret ever daring to insult or scream at our friend!"

Soul eyes were closed, sharp teeth visible from his small smirk while Black Star laughed. Crona stared at the messy prank the boys planned to perform, anxiety tightening the muscles of his chest.

Crona didn't want to be any more trouble to the people who ran from him. He couldn't really blame them for doing so anyway. He possessed a freakish condition that was difficult for anyone to accept or to not fear. In fact, those panicked reactions toward him happened to him so often…he grew used to it. To some degree, it still hurt, but he could understand why citizens acted in such a justified fashion toward him.

So even though the boys wanted to use their own methods to make him happy through revenge…he couldn't do this.

"I-I don't think…I don't think this is a good idea." Crona spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. He looked up to the dunes and strands of toilet paper Black Star claimed would take days to be thrown away, lightly shaking his head. "I-I don't think I can do that to those people."

Black Star's head snapped toward Crona, incredulity residing in his eyes. "What? And why not? They'll never see it coming!"

Crona struggled to keep eye-contact with Black Star, his breathing coming in shaky gulps in fear he insulted a friend. "I-I just…I just don't think it's a good idea. Those people worked hard to make their houses look nice. I-I don't want them to be sad to see their hard work was ruined by us."

"Screw what they feel." Black Star brashly fought back. "They made you feel like crap! You can't tell me you don't want to at least get back at them."

Crona swallowed, his eyes fixed to the ground while he fumbled with the collar of his jacket. "I-I'm used to those reactions. I can deal with them…b-but I can't deal with TP-ing people." His shoulders slumped, his head hanging low. "I'm sorry."

As silence hovered between the boys, the top of Crona's bowed head felt to be near an open flame growing with heat, it's fiery aura seeping through his skin. His body shook from it, and as he looked up to pinpoint the source, his eyes were met with the hard creased face of Black Star, his furious green eyes boring into his.

The ninja leaned toward Crona, asking harshly, "What do you mean you're used to those reactions, Crona? You telling me this isn't the first time people here have done this to you?"

Crona froze, crystallized by the dominant gaze Black Star stared at him with.

Black Star's eyes narrowed, his tone rising with demand, "Open your mouth, and answer me. Do those assholes do worse than threaten to call the cops if you don't go away? Is this is how people treat you all the time? Is that why you're being a pansy on this?" A forceful hand grabbed Crona's shoulder, jerking him. "If that's the case, then you point those douche-bags out to me, Crona! Now!"

"N-No, t-that's not what I m-meant!" Crona' breathlessly stammered. He withdrew himself from Black Star's clutches and stepped backwards, thinking of another way to phrase his discomforts. "I just…I just don't want to throw anything at anyone. I-I don't want to be mean on a night that's supposed to be fun…that's all."

The troupe of boys stood in the barren street, Black Star's eyes glued to Crona's and Soul's calm gaze examining him carefully. He shifted uncomfortably beneath their gazes, and after silent moments passed between them, the scythe closed his eyes, saying, "If Crona doesn't want to do it, he doesn't have to. We'd probably get busted anyway. I wouldn't be surprised if everyone is already on the lookout for us or if the owners of that TP-ed house will just point the finger at us to make the search easy."

Black Star revoked his intense stare from Crona, the green pools lax after the passing storm. "Yeah, I guess so."

The ninja meister stroked his chin again in thought, thinking of other activities for the night while Soul joined him. His eyes became alight with realization as an idea dawned on him. Black Star snickered and launched himself up to slap his hands on his friend's shoulders, wrapping his arms around their necks to pull them closer, "You know what, Crona's right. This is supposed to be a fun night. We shouldn't be so stressed out on a holiday." Black Star turned toward Soul, a sneer splitting his face. "So whaddya say we take him with us to some place fun? Eh, Soul?"

The scythe peered at his friend, flashing a set of confident sharp teeth. "Sounds good to me."

"Alright, then let's go!" Black Star said, loosened his arms to drag the frightened swordsman by his collar. "Just follow us, Crona! We're going to take you to your night of fun and relaxation!"

Shivers ran through Crona as a foreign hand guided him to a location of relaxation. Discomforted by the pushy Black Star's strong grip, the swordsman attempted to tear himself away, but was halted by a sudden lead weight of guilt falling on his heart.

As much as he would love to flee from this odd guidance and run back to something calm and familiar, Crona saw all Black Star and Soul were trying to do was help him have fun after this exhausting night, to try and enjoy himself from the new experience of the holiday…like Maka wanted him to.

Crona winced, his heart aching as he looked back to the bright lights where the parade stormed the city's lively streets.

He hoped Maka wasn't worried. That instead of worrying about where he was, she would ignore her curiosity and leave him behind to enjoy herself. This was a holiday, after all. So she shouldn't have to worry about how a miniscule creature like him felt during this night. Above everyone else, Crona knew the consistently hard working Maka deserved to have a night to be relaxed and worry-free.

That's all he ever wanted. For her to be happy and worry-free…just like she managed to make him feel when around her.

A burning heat seared his face at the remembrance of Maka's gentle smile while directing their fingers toward the parade's floats. His heart quickened at the memory of her smile widening after he joined her in happiness, his scrambling feet feeling like jelly as he traveled with his friends to the farthest side of the boy's dormitories.

That tender memory of her was his only tool to calm himself as his group clambered up the steps of the dorms. He held onto that mental image of Maka as an icy flow of dread circulated through him, Black Star and Soul grinning as they laid their hands on the doorway.

And as they pushed open the wooden barriers to the boy's dormitories, the ice water within Crona felt to freeze his racing heart, his eyes bugging out of his skull in fear he stood before the doorway to hell itself.

In a large lounge room between two ascending stairways, Crona's gaze was met with a large barrier of close-contacted bodies jumping and moving, colorful lights flashing, and noises and yells that felt so loud and intrusive, his very insides shook. Panicked crystal-blue flickered around the room as more outfits of Halloween came into view.

Only this time…more of the boys and girls were in much more…revealing outfits than the ones on the parade floats.

"Here's your night of fun, Crona!" Black Star promoted, pushing the shaky boy through the door. "Welcome to one of the biggest parties of the year!"

"No kidding. There has to be a quarter of the school here." Soul commented, closing the large doors behind them. He peered at the crowd before turning his head to Crona, his crimson eyes curious. "So, what do you think of the place?"

Crona's mouth gaped in terror. Frantic breaths whistled in and through his lips, watching the loud rhythmic beats of music call more people to the over-crowded middle, dancers searching and grabbing for partners, hands holding red cups rising in the air.

Pelvises and lips gravitating way too close to the other's…

Jittery concern shook his nerves, ash and another pungent aroma stinging his nose. "I don't think I can deal with this..." Crona quietly whimpered, his voice barely audible over the music.

"Nah, that's always a beginner's first thought!" Black Star loudly consoled, placing a hand on the Crona's shoulder. The swordsman looked at his raucous friend, bewildered and even more frightened that such a place existed where he had to speak loud enough to be heard over music. "But don't worry! You've got Soul and I to monitor you while we get you to relax!"He dragged the sword meister by his collar again, pulling him forward into the ocean of bodies before them. "So let's go find where those guys stashed it!"

Crona yelped from the charge into the sea of thigh-revealing girls and muscled boys. As Black Star dragged him by his leash with Soul following behind them, Crona desperately tried to avoid the sweaty or make-upped bodies around him. He jerked when he almost ran into a couple whose lips were locked onto the other, unease settling in at how their bodies were practically glued together like their lips were. The frightened first-timer's apprehension reached its peak when a stumbling girl missed her partner's moving head, stamping her black-colored lips onto his cheek.

A cry of fright left Crona from the wet contact. His legs ran forward from a new fuel to escape from what he thought was the tormenting lava pit of the underworld. That had to be what it was, as this crowded and overly warm sea of people certainly matched his description of what a bubbling vat of agony was.

He didn't stop running until he felt a hard tug on his collar, Black Star yanking Crona back into a neck-hold. "And there it is!" He pointed toward the end of the room where a set of silver barrels rested. "Sweet, we've even got servers too!" The ninja meister marched toward the set of people idling by the barrels with nozzles, barking, "Hey, fill up a round for my boys! We need a good swig after a tiring night on the town."

An irritated sigh left one of the girls of the group. She turned her pink head to show them her irked, whiskered face. "If you want something, then get it yourself. I'm not your damn hostess."

"Could have fooled me." Black Star replied. He raised a suggestive eyebrow, his grin ascending higher. "'Cause for all I know, you could be one of those naughty hostesses, Kim. Or are you dressing up as a sexy cat for some weirdo kicks?"

"That's my girlfriend you're talking to, Black Star." A gentlemanly stern voice retaliated. A boy with thick glasses and pointy horns on the sides of his head turned to face them. "So I suggest you choose your next words wisely."

Crona watched nervously as Black Star puffed out his chest in challenge, looking to the white gowned man who spoke. "Oh yeah? And just who do you think you are to talk to me that wa-"

Black Star stopped as his eyes went up and down Oxford's costume. The young genius looked at the ninja oddly as he felt to be examined like a breath-taking person on a street. The group watched as Black Star's eyes traveled over the gown Oxford wore, and the familiar symbol stamped on his gown's chest clamp.

Crona jumped when the boy's foreheads slammed together, an electric spark of rivalry cracking between their eyes as their teeth grit harshly in their jaws.

"And just what the hell are you thinking dressing up as Zeus, Ox?" Black Star snarled. "You and I both know I'm the only one you can pull him off!"

"Ha! Oxford mocked. "Perhaps in some parallel universe, you may have been able to. But not this one. There is only one true Lightning King, and that is me."

"You wanna settle this the old fashioned way then?" Black Star replied darkly, cracking his knuckles.

"It would seem that is the only way to resolve this troublesome matter."

"Ox…is this really necessary?" Kim asked, her tone sounding more annoyed than concerned. "We came here to have fun, not pick fights."

"For a man, it is. For not only must I defend the honor of my lady, but there can only be one superior god of the clouds. Therefore, we shall fight!"

Battle cries were made between the fighters as Kim rolled her eyes and shook her head, Soul ignoring the scene by walking to one of the silver barrels. Crona jerked when loud calls of a fight were made around the room, and people flocked around them to cheer on the competitors.

There was no time for Crona to react before someone grabbed the plastic guitar idling on his back, yanking it to pull him into the approaching wave of people to steal his spot. He yelped and cringed as he was bounced around the waves of running bodies like the silver ball of a pinball machine; his sunglasses popped off from his tossings, and the plastic guitar was ripped off his back in the excitement as he fell to the ground.

Once the torrent of sprinting people subsided, Crona gasped for air, picked himself up, and placed hand on a nearby armchair for support.

He followed his calming mentor's advise and breathed in deep breaths as he stood in the depths of the oceanic array of people. Crona's breath hitched as Ragnorak erupted from his back, screeching, "Well hot damn! Now this is what I'm talking about! This night is finally going somewhere!"

The swordsman lifted his head to give his weapon a perplexed look. "W-What are you talking about? You actually liked it when people tried to run us over?"

A scoff left the small demon. "Not that." Ragnorak pointed a small hand in front of his meister. "That, you blind idiot."

Crona blinked in wonder as he moved his head, Ragnorak hurting his eardrums as he strangely yelled to "go, go go!" When he met Ragnorak's reference, Crona's breath felt to evaporate from his lungs, a blush of embarrassment, fear, and shock taking over his face.

Unintentionally, Crona sought support from a chair that held two girls in a bunny and devil costume; their lips dragged across their companion's and bodies were held together so tightly, Crona thought they were trying to mold themselves together. His panic skyrocketed as he saw they weren't the only ones too, as other couples sitting or laying on sofas were doing the same thing as the girls.

He would have screamed if he knew where his voice went, but like his voice-box, his body was frozen. Fear and horror struck him like lightning when the girls parted, looking to him in awareness of his observing with their brows furrowing.

His body finally reacted when the girls peered at him, recoiling his hand with a quick outcry and zipping back into the crowd of bodies again. He ran into a nearby couple while fleeing, the irritated dancers pushing him away when he bumped into them. Crona tried to apologize, but his attention was too focused on dodging the many bodies moving around him, his ears aching from the music and victorious yells from Black Star and the crowd as his fight ended, Ox's body flying into the air.

All Crona could do in this strange place of people closely expressing themselves to the other, was dodge the dancing passerbys, and wish that either Soul and Black Star would find him, or a route to the exit would reveal itself.

While his meister dodged, Ragnorak tilted his head, saying, "Hey, Crona. Do me a favor, and lean to the right a bit more."

"W-Why do you want me to do-that!" Crona squeaked, drawing back from his forward step when a girl in a witch outfit jumped a police officer boy. He flinched to the right when a boy in a caveman outfit guided a laughing girl to the lounge room he just fled from.

Another jarring sound shook Crona as he moved, a smack and a loud shriek vibrating his eardrums. He turned to meet the twirling head of an infuriated girl in a tight and revealing cat-woman outfit.

Stinging pain engulfed his cheek as the girl swiped a hard slap across it. The cat-woman's eyes flared with rage as she seethed, "You slap my ass again and I'll do something much worse, you little pervert!"

Crona stared in confused surprise while the girl marched away on black high heels. Ragnorak snickered from the hiding spot behind Crona's head and settled his hands on his meister's skull, yelling, "Oh yeah? Well that's your reward for dressing up like a skank, you bitch!"

The swordsman stood in astonishment, his fingers holding his pulsing cheek while Ragnorak's curiosity branched out to their surroundings. Just as it was odd how the girl claimed he had touched her inappropriately, his weapon strangely clung and raved about them stepping in on two girls kissing. He didn't understand why that was such a big deal, or understand anything of what was happening…so Crona settled for keeping his head bowed, hoping to not let his eyes fall on any more viewings that were probably meant to be private.

"I can't believe it." Ragnorak cackled. "This place must be what heaven is like! This place is slut-mania! There has to be whores as far as the eyes can see here! Crona! We've hit the fucking jackpot!"

"…we've hit what-mania? What are you even talking about? And w-why are you so excited?"

Ragnorak's lowered his head to stare at his meister. "Because, fuck-tard, you've been edgy ever since that boned-faced freak lifted your exile sentence, and it's been bugging the crap out of me. But now, we've finally found a way for you to relax!" He pointed out to the lake of costumed bodies around them."And that's by being with one of the skanks in this place! They'll be all over you like those two girls who were making out! Hell, maybe if I'm lucky, one of those girls will be drunk enough to do stuff with me."

Crona shook from Ragnorak's statements and the powerful beats of the loud music. A maelstrom of anxiety and fear swirled in his stomach. "I-I don't understand…I don't even know any of those girls. So w-why would I do anything of what you're saying with them?"

"Because you'll feel like you're walking on God's fucking face in the sparkling clouds if you do. Now quit being so picky on where you point your damn compass, and do something already!"

"…point my what?"

"Oh for fucks-." Ragnorak grabbed his meister's head, shaking it around in promotion to the promiscuous crowd on the dance floor."Just grab one of those girls, take them somewhere, and bang them already! They've already hit second base with those other guys, so just fill in the spot before they go further! The guys said they wanted you to have fun, so do it!"

"N-No!" Crona refused, fighting off his weapon's grip. "I'm not doing any of that with-OW! R-Ragnorak, knock it off!"

"You're going to do it, and you're going to like it!"The demon fought back, tugging Crona's hair harder.

"No I'm not!"

"Yes you are!"

"No I'm not!"

The peculiar pair combated the other, Crona stumbling to the floor and fighting off his partner while inebriated gazes fell on them, some amused, others confused.

Once the demon released Crona from his grip, he stood up, and began looking around the crowded atmosphere that sent him closer and closer to a panic attack. He looked back to a jumping Black Star who sprayed weird smelling contents out of one of barrels onto the crowd, Soul looking away with irritated eyes but wandering around the crowd curiously.

As strange as this place was to Crona, this was Black Star's and Soul's place of fun, this was their way to relax…so he shouldn't burden them with his desire to leave. If they liked these sort of things, they didn't need a downer like him ruining their good time.

So Crona moved his gaze away from the partying boys and began his lone search for an exit, ignoring his partner's loud rebuttals.

As he observed the large room, Crona wasn't keen on traveling through a sea of bumping bodies again to reach the door on the other side. And every other entry way to another room on the bottom level was full of people.

Maybe he could sneak out of the windows on the second level?

Hoping that was a route of potential escape, Crona sucked in a deep breath and carefully weaved his way through on opening path of the crowd toward a stairway.

When his destination was reached, he cringed at the larger amount of people he'd need to pass at the stair's entry way and settled for jumping over the railing instead. He jumped and caught hold of the railing to lamely pull himself up, telling his aching muscles it was either this way, or go through the traumatizing waves of warm bodies again.

But when a hard slap shook his unguarded rump, a newfound energy sparked in Crona's arms that hiked him up into the air with a high-pitched squeak, rolling over the railing to fall on the inclining stairway.

The cringing swordsman groaned as he lay on the bumpy ground, blushing as loud laughter rose because of what someone yelled was a "nice ass-slapping". He shakily lifted himself up while rubbing his bottom, and as numerous howls for the presentation of his rump lifted in the air, Crona squeaked and scrambled up the flights of stairs to find his escape route.

Yearning to find his way to freedom, Crona frantically searched the corridors of the dormitories' second story. But it was difficult to keep up with his huntings, as his eyes constantly fled from the intimate expressions from people clustered by the windows or pressed against the walls. Just looking at them made him feel intrusive, that he was invading their privacy with a simple glance. That feeling felt more justified when Ragnorak yelled loudly at the kissers to "go get a room".

It was so…confusing to him. He wasn't even sure if he was rude for looking, or if kissing was not allowed like it wasn't at school; at least, that weird term "making-out" wasn't.

So…did that term describe the ones whose lips were softly touching the others, or the ones who looked like they were attacking the other?

Or was he just making a bigger deal out of this than it needed to be…?

Crona groaned and shook his hurting head, not able to tell the difference. All he did know was that the easiest method to avoid more bothersome questions was to ignore it. Ignore it and keep his longing eyes directed for an exit rather than the people showing off their mutual affection.

Once the swordsman saw the hallway's windows were too cluttered with people to sneak past, he looked to one of the dorm rooms across the way.

Maybe one of the dorm rooms would have a window? His home may have been a lonely dungeon, but it had a window. It was barred, but still a window. And if his home had one, the temporary rooms of the students should also have one.

His eyes brightened with hope as he walked toward one of the doors, extending a hand to grab the knob.

"I wouldn't do that if you're hell-bent on keeping your purity card." Ragnorak suggested.

Crona's brows gathered together. "What do you mean?"

Ragnorak snorted, snidely replying, "Even I know to listen closely, moron. You want to be rude?"

Crona kept his clueless look as he stared at his moaning partner. The sword grabbed his head to press his ear against the door, emphasizing to him to listen. The meister flinched as his weapon kept him at bay, his ear twitching and forehead crinkling from detection of the sounds behind it. His wonder faded as sharp noises and heavy breathing were made behind the door, the strange creaking of bed springs like someone was jumping on it, breathless demands for something faster and-

A loud shriek left Crona as he recognized the reason for such noises, darting away from the door like his ear had touched an open flame. He fell to the floor and scrambled to the closest corner of the hallway to ease himself. Ragnorak guffawed while pulling his meister's ear, feeding his meister his daily diet of harsh words of how much of a coward he was.

And like the previous feedings, Crona didn't resist, because he knew Ragnorak was right. He was a coward, and he feared this place now more than ever. Uncertainty flooded him on just what in the world this place was. Was this some new form of punishment upon him?

Whimpering, Crona stood up from his spot, his head pulsing from mental strain. He couldn't deal with this place anymore, couldn't handle the odd smells, sounds, and sights. He just wanted to run and seek out the one source in the world that could help him reach mental serenity.

As his eager feet walked to reach the corridor's exit, Crona stopped in his tracks. The skin between his brows merged as he noticed the brunette in the bunny outfit from earlier stand in the middle of the exit, hands on her hips, and a strange smile on her lips.

Crona stared at the girl oddly, his eyes darting back and forth, muttering, "Uhm…excuse me?"

The bunny girl's head tilted up, her eyebrow slowly rising. "Yes?"

His fingers fumbled together as they stared, the new song playing making his insides quiver and heart palpitate with the beat. From her firm stance, the girl didn't seem inclined to move, so it may be best to not say anything. Crona settled for apologizing instead of interacting and turned to take the other exit in the hallway.

A heart attack felt to dawn on Crona as he saw the other exit was blocked by the girl in a tight devil outfit.

"I guess I just wouldn't believe it until I see it again." The bunny-dressed girl said, smiling widely. "It really is the Demon Swordsman. And to think I thought it was just another weird creeper."

"Told you."The devil girl pouted, approaching slowly. "But I guess this outfit proves it really is a he."Crona shivered with concern as hazy eyes went up and down him like an elevator. "A pretty cute he."

"We don't know that for sure." The bunny-girl stated. "Both girls and boys dress up as rockstars." Crona's cerulean depths shook as the girl smiled wider, speaking in a sultry tone, "But maybe if 'he' is up for it, he'll let us find the prize in his pants to prove what he is."

Crona shook as the girls giggled drunkenly. He looked down to examine his image, searching to find what they were talking about.

Yes, he looked different than he usually looked. But why were his pants such a big deal?

Feeling his overwhelmed brain begin to short-circuit from strain, Crona pushed forward to delay his breakdown, asking, "P-Pardon me, but can I p-please get through? I-…I need to be somewhere."

The black-haired devil lifted her eyebrows while the other tapped a painted nail to her chin, still standing in his path to freedom."I don't know. I'd have to take two full steps to the side to do that. It seems like a lot of work…" She then stuck out her hand, an insinuating eyebrow raising. "How about you pay the toll to clear the way, and I'll step aside."

Slender pink brows furrowed in confusion. "Toll?"

"Or maybe, you really do have the key to opening up the pathway."The devil girl smirked. "At least, if you know where it is, and where to put it."

Crona wriggled uncomfortably from the advancing girl's laughter, his limbs twitching and jerking like ants were crawling over his body.

What are they talking about?

Catching onto his blank stares, the bunny girl said while winking, "Just think of the key as your 'Demon Sword', tough guy."

…that didn't help Crona's confusion at all. What did Ragnorak have to do with any of this?

Said demon snickered within him, commenting through the resonating channel within them, "Now I'm fucking impressed, Crona. You weren't even trying and you already reeled the chicks in!"

"What are you talking about? What is even going on?"

The sword just snickered again."Looks like you're about to become a man younger than I thought."

"Wha-"

Before he could finish, the bunny girl drifted far too close to Crona for comfort, almost feeling her breath on his face as she spoke, "Or if you need some guidance, we can help you find it."

By sheer instinct, Crona launched himself into a nearby corner, the girls following not far behind. His teeth chattered as he saw his usual method of comfort was working against him, trapping him as the girls kept saying they'd help him find Ragnorak.

Why did they want to find Ragnorak so badly? Did they like it when he cheered them on? Or did they want to dig his weapon out of him to punish him?

Concerned blue eyes shrank to pinpoints at that thought. He most certainly could not deal with that!

The questions battering his brain and approaching lips of the girls were pushing the fine line of Crona's sanity. The only thing that could help him not fall under the advancing shadows of turmoil…was to run. Run now.

He cried out and ducked when two pairs of lips launched at him, messily slithering past the space between the girls to run through the hallway's opening to salvation.

Crona didn't care how weird he looked when he jumped off the second story to clumsily land on the first. He ignored the odd faces and murmurs toward him and turned his head to find the two girls traveling down the stairs. He panicked and used his fear of them as fuel to plunge back into the large crowd of bodies again.

As he maneuvered and dodged through the waves of moving people, ignoring the sultry calls of his demonic title, Crona crouched down to mold himself into the crowd, camouflaging his body. When he looked back, he hoped some sliver of luck would be on his side to not be noticed by the frightening women.

That may have been the case, as soon the calls were swallowed under the superior noise of the party, and for a minute, a breath of relief left him at the thought of finally being free.

But it was a repeating cycle that his luck would run out quickly, possibly used to further humiliate him as he ran into the legs of a person in the crowd, both crying out as they tumbled down to the ground.

A pulsing ache rushed through Crona's brain as he slowly sat up from his body cushion, apologizing while nursing his throbbing head.

Then another call sang through his ears, its tune airy and sweet as it played out, "Crona?"

His racing heart stopped. The swordsman looked down to find a startled Maka resting on her front on the ground below him, her eyes wide.

"M-Maka!" He said. He unsteadily got up and lifted Maka from her spot on the ground, both their eyes shining with relief to see the other. "Are you alright? I didn't hurt you, d-did I?"

"No, don't be silly." Maka smiled, waving him off. "I'm fine." Her welcoming eyes twinkled with curiosity, moving around to examine him. "But Crona, are you alright? Why are you out of breath? And where are your costume props?"

"I'm doing a-alright." Crona responded, purposefully avoiding her other questions. To save her worry, he felt a tiny lie was in order. "I-I was just happy to see you come in, s-so I ran from the second story to see you."

Maka's forehead scrunched in surprise. "Hold on…was that you who jumped off the second story?"

Crona cringed. "Uhm, y-yes, but…" He looked into her eyes, seeing they were filled with the concern he tried to avoid. "But I-I'm okay! It doesn't hurt when I fall off things. Ragnorak helps with that." His eyes joined her in curiosity, and he found himself wanting to ask his own questions. "But what are you doing here, Maka? H-How did you find me?"

Maka placed her hands on her hips, a knowing eyebrow rising. "Even the bookworms know when someone's hosting a big party they're not invited to. This party has been the biggest talk around school for the past month. I figured those idiots would drag you here."

"And like the fun-sucker you are, you manage to ruin parties too!" Ragnorak bellowed. A long string of black lifted out of the startled Crona, his solidifying face sporting a scowl. "Because this idiot was on a freaking mission to get back to you, he tapped out on a chance to play slip and slide with two hot chicks!"

There it was…those weird terms again. Like he hadn't had enough of those for one night.

Crona begged Ragnorak to stop his rants, but his comment had done enough to spark interest, as Maka's slowly hardening face didn't seem as excited as him to see this topic end.

"Ragnorak, what are you talking about?" Maka asked. Her tone had a familiar demand to it, but it was darker than usual. Almost too sinister to belong to her.

A shiver traveled up Crona's spine from such an unfamiliar tone. "M-Maka it's nothing. He's just-"

"Because of you pushing your goody-two shoes manners on Crona, this moron didn't take the chance to bed two girls that were all over him! They even trapped him in a damn corner and he still ran off! So technically, even if you weren't here, you're the reason why Crona didn't get laid tonight!"

Those stupid terms…

"Ragnorak, I-I said that's enough!" Crona ordered. He launched a hand up to grab his weapon, but the weapon fought back against his snatchings.

While the meister and weapon pair struggled, Maka stared in frozen shock at Ragnorak, responding with multiple blinks and her mouth dropping low enough to leave a small opening.

Crona stared as her mouth snapped shut, her tongue rolling over teeth behind lips, and jaw moving side to side. "Crona?"She flatly asked. He froze when scornful eyes not meant for him moved to meet his. "Where are these girls now?"

A squeaky whimper shook his throat as firm green eyes drilled into his, "Maka… " He started. "I-It's not important. They didn't do anything. So…"

"No." Maka said sternly. "I know people like that come out during this holiday, and I know how pushy they can be. Whatever they were doing to you, you didn't want it, and they should have respected that." She planted two firm fingers into his shoulder, her voice losing some of its fire as she asked again, "Who was it?"

For the first time since his mind was drowned in the Madness, Crona shivered from Maka's gaze into him. Fear invaded him, but compliance to his best friend was stronger than his resistance. His head turned from a stern Maka to filter the heads of the crowd, searching for the costumed girls who tried to trap him.

But no matter how much he tried, there were simply too many different colored heads and costumes to make out anyone's position. Looking for two people in such an occupied place would be impossible…so he gave up.

"M-Maka…"Crona quietly started, lowering his head. "R-Really. I'm okay. Nothing happened." He thought back to the pranks Soul and Black Star wanted to do, thinking that was a possibility. "Maybe they were just playing a prank on me, right? M-Maybe what they were trying to do was their way of having fun?"

Ragnorak let out a sharp laugh and Maka's eyes narrowed. Crona's heart sank that his attempt at relief didn't ease her, the pain extending as she replied in a low tone, "Yeah, I bet they were having loads of fun with you."

Crona gulped while his costumed friend retrieved her eyes from him, exhaling. She ran a hand through her hair as she closed her eyes. After a couple moments, a softer gaze presented itself to Crona as her eyes opened, saying, "Okay. If those girls are not important, then let's find someone who is." Her head looked out to the crowd, eyes darting around. "Where did Soul and Black Star go? The ones who I know brought you here."

Crona's lungs felt to crushingly sandwich his heart, making his breath come to him in short breaths.

"Crona," Maka said, her tone turning softer. "You're not the one in trouble here. They are. There's no need to be scared to tell me."

Then why did he feel like his confession would end up betraying people who attempted to make him happy? That felt like enough reason to fear.

The swordsman struggled to comply, mentally at war to tell his best friend, or sell out others who did as she attempted and tried to take him somewhere to have fun.

But he must have been uncharacteristically lucky tonight, as it seemed to return to him when a familiar shouting of "Ya-hoo!" and outcries of "Dude!" caught Maka's attention.

Crona lifted his head to find Black Star on top of a table, lifting up his gown to reveal his bare derriere, yelling there was a "full-moon" toward a disgusted and turning away Soul, yelling at him to spare him off the sight.

Anger radiated off Maka as she spotted them, her head lowering and eyes blazing like a bull about to charge. Her threatening aura emanated off her as she stomped forward, steaming from her pores so ferociously that the sea of people formed a path for her pass through, not wanting the storm of scolding to strike them too.

The sword meister wrenched his eyes shut as shrieks of awareness were heard, feeling that this place may have truly been hell. As screams and howls so pained could only come from souls who endured torture for their wrongdoings. The sounds were so daunting, that even Ragnorak fled back within him, saying "I'm getting the fuck out now while I can".

His eyes snapped open when a marching Maka took him by the arm and guided him out the dormitories' door. Crona turned his head to view the damage done, feeling his spine ice over toward the bloodied forms of Soul and Black Star deeply cratered into the wall and ground, each an example of those who dared cross Maka Albarn.

Only now did Crona understand why Ragnorak used the term "poor bastards".

Maka and Crona quickly traveled through the park, both aiming to get as far away from the party as possible. The leader finally stopped on an arched bridge over the park's pond to pull out a portable mirror in her pocket, calling Kid to call off the search, that she found Crona.

After telling her friends to do whatever they wanted for the remainder of the night and tucked her mirror back in her gown, Maka turned to the water below the bridge, staring at her own angry reflection.

Every time. It seemed that every time Maka even attempted to make something more pleasant for Crona, her efforts would explode right back in his and her face.

First it was the residents screaming and slamming doors in his face, then it was losing him in a large crowd and finding out Black Star and Soul were also missing, then it was hearing that he was almost jumped on by two intoxicated and promiscuous girls.

The constant explosion of messes made Maka want to yell out in seething fury, but she kept her rage caged away until she had her bedroom pillow that was large enough to absorb her frustration.

"I'm sorry," Maka muttered solemnly. She took her gaze away from the pond to peer at Crona. "I'm really sorry this night has been nothing but a big mess. I really am. I just…" Maka struggled to keep her inner anger and remorse buried, choking it back. "I just wanted you to enjoy your first Halloween."

Crona kept his head bowed, his face appearing almost as grieved as her. "It's not your fault." He said. "I should have been more careful. I r-remember Black Star mentioning a party the other day…so I-I should have been more wary about this."

It was typical. Of course he would direct the blame back on himself.

"No." Maka denied. "Even if Black Star is too much of an idiot to notice discomfort, Soul should have known better than to take you to such a place. The blame is solely on them."

"B-But…I followed them there. Doesn't that mean I'm to blame too?"

"Let me guess, you were dragged by Black Star while that happened?"

Crona opened his mouth to speak, but slowly began to close it. He glanced away and nodded.

Maka closed her eyes, sighing. "Thought so. Being dragged by a friend whose pushing you to go is not the same as going willingly, Crona"

She placed a hand to her forehead, the image of an infuriatingly cocksure meister hovering over her brain. Maka hoped her punishment had been enough on him, because it most certainly didn't feel like enough to her.

Spreading her fingers out over her face, Maka looked through the cracks to look at Crona. Her brows knitted together when her eyes detected a wet black mark on his cheek.

Was that…lipstick?

Maka's eyelid quivered, a weighty flood of venom filling her chest. Her anger and relief blocked her from seeing it before, but now she saw a possible infliction onto him from one of those girls Ragnorak had mentioned, one that tried to sink her dirty claws into Crona.

Her hands balled into tight fists, anger and fury burning hotter that someone even tried to hook their filth into a sweet and pure boy that was her dear friend. Such women didn't deserve such a genuinely kind person. In fact, no one she knew did; Crona was much too special for anybody.

She tightened her jaw and carefully breathed out to vent her anger . Maka's eyes moved to meet Crona's, saying, "Crona? You've um…you've got something on your cheek."

Crona gave her a confused look. His hand raised to the wrong cheek, and she shook her head, saying it was the other one. When his hand came away with black wax on said cheek, he stared at it in blushing bafflement. He quickly tried to rub it off, but that only made the smearing worse.

"Here," Maka offered. She licked her thumb, and brought it to his red-tinted face. "I've got it."

Her thumb swiped away the slick wax on Crona's cheek, rotating it around in firm circles. An unconscious smile formed on her lips when he cutely flinched, and she soon found herself hypnotized by him as she rubbed the lipstick off.

When her deed was done, her thumb lost its firm force, softly lingering on his porcelain cheek to slowly glide down his face. The fluttering sensation flapped inside her gut again, the fingers resting against him feeling how soft his blushing, sheltered skin was.

How truly untouched and pure it was…

Warmth invaded her cheeks when she noticed Crona's stare, puzzled why her thumb was staying on his face. Hoping to play it off, Maka settled for gliding her hand down to rest it on his shoulder, asking again, "Are you sure you're alright? It's okay if you aren't."

Crona kept his red face down, messing with the edges of his jacket. "Y-Yes. I feel m-much better now."

Maka withdrew her hand and swallowed hard, hoping to press down the storm of newly hatched butterflies flying inside her stomach. Her attention diverted to the black material staining her fingers, and a shiver shook her body.

"Enjoying those kinds of parties must be something else I can't understand." Maka said. "Or maybe it's an acquired taste of a pastime. Black Star and Soul have to be the only ones I know that can like being in a place with so many people cramped in one space." The bridge of Maka's nose wrinkled as she thought of another constant partier. "Well, them and Spirit."

Crona tilted his head to the side, holding his arm tightly. "I thought your father was passing out candy like the other parents, not going to parties. H-He looks too mature to be at a party with a bunch of teenagers, o-or doing what I saw them doing."

Maka smiled at an innocent boy who didn't know the filthy habits of her father, or common pastimes of adults. "That's sweet of you to give him so much credit, but that's not the case when it comes to him. With women dressing like sexy seductresses on a night they can get away with it, Spirit probably thinks Halloween is like an early Christmas. That's probably why he hosts his own Halloween party for adults every year." Her nose twitched again and a vein throbbed in her temple. "And it's why he invites only women to it, too."

Crona shrunk back into his shell, defeated in his defense, and Maka apologized to him again. He didn't know any better, and he most certainly didn't know Spirit. She could understand.

The pair stood in silence on the bridge as they gathered themselves. Maka swiped hair behind her ear as she inspected her surroundings.

There had to something in this city, anything that could help Crona forget the scarring experiences of that party. Someplace where his mind could writhe in happy sceneries rather than confusing scenes of lust and partying. She had shown him there were brighter sides to Halloween with the parade, so surely there had to be more.

Maka glanced along the tops of the trees and saw a large Ferris wheel rotating nearby, flashing rides twirling and musical tunes chiming.

The idea she searched for came to mind, and she looked back to her nervous friend.

"Crona," She began, leaning away from the arched balustrade of the bridge. "I have one more idea that may help turn this night around, but only if you're willing to see it. I know tonight has been a lot for you to process, so I won't push you in what you want to do." A dark eye peeked out of the drape of uneven bangs as Maka extended her hand. "And if you want to go, all you have to do is take my hand. If you don't, I'll understand, and I'll take you back home. Okay?" She smiled at him. "What do you say?"

Crona slowly straightened his back as his eyes drifted to her hand, inspecting it. Maka remained still and quiet, knowing a mental rampage may be ravaging his brain. That was easy to understand, as she would also be reluctant to take the hand of another friend who helped make his Halloween unpleasant.

But Maka was pleasantly surprised when the shy boy's long, slender fingers reached out to intertwine with hers, their palms softly touching as their hands clasped together.

Her smile beamed brighter at his acceptance, and a tiny smile from him was rewarded to her.

Not bothering to say more words, Maka gently tugged on Crona's hand, leading him into the brightly lit streets.

Crona knew people celebrated many different occasions, whether it was someone's birthday, or like that day Professor Stein and Marie got married. But he was nervous about this type of celebration gathering, not just because of his recent escape from a startling party, but because the Halloween carnival Maka was leading him into had many people and peculiar activities.

He kept close to her as they walked through the loud carnival, watching costumed children scream while running. The kids and other bystander's smiles were large as they held caramel apples that looked like carved pumpkins, or the orange jack-o-lantern buckets used to stuff with treats after visiting game booths.

The game stations people flocked to had interesting attractions, but Crona found people plunging their heads into ice water to snap at floating apples was a little starting. He also didn't feel too inclined to try the tossing of rings onto a witch hat peg like the station's promoter wanted him to.

Maka must have known that, as she kindly waved off those promoters and watched the animated players with him instead of participating. She used the same tactic on the fast rides around them, settling for giggling at exiting people who twirled in circles or stumbled over their feet rather than board them together.

To him, it was like she just wanted him to observe again. To see the smile-inducing joys of this holiday, not the funny behavior and funky smells that occurred behind closed doors. Like Maka had told him, everyone liked different things, and partying or trick or treating was an acquired taste to certain people.

That taste of liking those kinds of parties was something he may have lacked, as he felt much more at ease by being away from it, calmer just by being beside Maka as they walked with their hands held tightly together.

And as Crona traveled with her through the carnival, he wondered how much longer this sweet dream would last.

"Oh my goodness! Your costume is so cute, Maka!"

The pair's heads shot to the side from the comment, their eyes going wide as they found their smiling teacher wearing a ponytail behind metal bars, her clothes consisting of black shorts and a long tank top.

"Professor Marie!" Maka called. Through their clasped hands, Maka guided Crona towards the booth their teacher sat in.

Her caramel eyes went large as they approached, looking to Maka's pink-haired companion. "Why, Crona! Look at you! You look absolutely adorable!"Crona stared in blushing bafflement as Marie clapped her hands together, eyes sparkling with motherly awe. "Just look at you in your cute little jacket and chain pants! It suits you so well! Did you choose that all by yourself? Why didn't you tell me you were dressing up?"

"He had some help." Maka responded. "He didn't have an outfit when he came over, so he borrowed Soul's spare rock-star costume in his closet." She looked to Crona, her grin pulling wider. "He pulls off a hard rocker pretty well, don't you think?"

Marie's smile extended. "In all the years I've been alive, I've never seen a rocker cuter than him."

Crona groaned at the compliments, hearing Ragnorak moan within him "Oh brother". He bowed his flushed face, his cheeks growing hotter as the girls giggled at his shyness.

"But what are you doing here, Professor?" Maka inquired. "I thought you said you were passing out candy tonight."

"I volunteered."Marie replied. She leaned forward on her bare knees, shifting on an awfully flimsy plastic seat. "I wanted to do something different, so I put Stein in charge of passing out candy this year."

"…are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Maka, he might give the kids a good scare, but I doubt he'll pass out real eyeballs or organs to them."

"Are you sure about that?"

"…I-I'm pretty sure."

"Positive?"

"Maka…"

"Alright, alright." Maka laughed. "I'm sorry. I couldn't resist."

Marie smiled while shrugging, and leaned back in her chair. "Well, what are you kids waiting for? Are you going to stand there? Or are you going to play the dunking game?"

Crona inched his head to the side, blinking as teeth peeked out from Maka's smile.

"Dunking game?" He questioned.

"You take three balls after paying the ticket fee from the table over there, and attempt to take revenge on your teacher as you aim for the small target." Marie joked. She laughed lightly, a sweet smile advancing farther. "I can't even count how many students have passed by here and made it their mission to make me fall. Just look at me, I'm completely soaked!"

"I guess you're going to add two more students to that soak count then."Maka grinned. She walked over to the man behind the booth and handed him the ticket fee. She came back to Crona and offered one of the balls to him, asking, "Do you want to have the honors of the first throw?"

Crona's chest muscles constricted. He moved his gaze to settle on his strangely happy teacher, directing it back to the ground as he brought his arms to his chest, "I-I don't know. I thought throwing things at people w-was a bad thing."

"Not at this booth!" Marie assured. "We welcome it!"

"It's all a part of the game." Maka added. "We won't even be aiming for the professor, and for the idiots who try, that's what the metal bars in front of her are for." She pointed her hand out to the small target beside the tank. "That's what we'll be aiming for."

The swordsman's eyes shot from the balls to the target, processing their claims.

"Gah, just do something already!" Ragnorak roared, erupting from his meister's back. He grabbed his meister's cheeks to stretch them around. "Come on, you big pansy. When is the next time you'll be able to dunk a teacher? This is our big chance!" He leaned in closer to Crona, quietly cackling, "Plus, we just might be able to get a better look at her chest if we get that shirt wet. Just imagine the view. Her melons are much better than Bossy Pant's mosquito bites."

That comment struck an unsuspecting nerve from Crona. His hand shot up to slam under Ragnorak's jaw. He grabbed his weapon, focused ebon fixed on him, quietly hissing, "Don't talk about Professor Marie or Maka that way. You hear me? Not ever."

Ragnorak stared at him, x-marked eyes staring into his determined ones. A snort left the amused weapon as he shrugged, obviously not caring how he insulted such a motherly woman and his caring friend.

Crona apologized to the pondering women, and noticed that Maka had withdrawn her extended hand from him.

"Here, I'll start first."She said. "Hold the other two for me?"

Crona complied and took the spare balls from Maka, watching as she readied herself.

Like a professional baseball pitcher prepares themselves to throw, Maka did the same. She whirred her arm around to warm up her muscles and lifted her leg to twist her body and throw.

And as Crona watched her display her skills, he was surprised to find that Maka's superior physical abilities…did not extend into the sport world. The ball didn't even hit the target, it just…missed it completely.

The astonished Crona almost blushed with her as red rose in her cheeks, moving her head away to hide her face, muttering, "I uh…I guess I need to work on my fastball more than I thought."

"No kidding." Ragnorak remarked. "How fast did that go? Negative fifty miles per hour?"

"Shut up."

Maka resigned her scowl from Ragnorak to curve a gentle smile at Crona. "You want to give it a try now?"

Feeling uncertain, Crona looked to the objects held in his hands. He looked to Marie again and the warm, maternal smile she often gave him revealed itself. "Don't worry about dropping me. It's all a part of the booth." She promised. "Trust me, if I didn't want to be dropped in a bucket full of water, then I wouldn't have volunteered."

An insecure smile shook Crona's lips from Maka and his professor's accepting gazes. Gathering his resolve, he lifted one of the balls held in his hands, and did his best to follow Maka's form to throw, lifting up a leg, and turning his hips to aide his tossing's direction.

And as the ball completely missed his target…Crona found he's not much better at pitching than her.

"Wow, you guys fucking suck."Ragnorak criticized.

"I said, shut up."Maka snapped. Her stern eyes aimed at Ragnorak warmed when shifting back to Crona. "The last one is all yours, Crona. You're the one with more potential here. I bet you can make it."

"One more strike and you're out~" Marie sing-songed. Her feet moved back and forth on the chair, fingers moving to her lips in faux astonishment. "Can it be that two of my best students can't hit something so simple as a target?" Small tsks left her. "And just what would my poor prideful husband say about this?"

Maka raised an amused eyebrow to pair with her corner smirk. "She seems to be acting pretty high and mighty, don't you think?" Her smirk upturned higher. "We have the advantage, Crona. There's not much she can do inside a box. Want to show her what a couple of the best meisters at the academy can do?"

Crona stared raptly at Maka's confident grin. Slowly, he regained his resolve and warmed up to throw again, straightening himself, and mentally aiming for his target.

Just as his hips turned to initiate a throw, Crona felt the ball shoot up out of his hands, a loud "Nope!" ringing in his ears.

Maka and Crona looked up to see Ragnorak bring his arm back, the ball in his hands, yelling, "There's no way in hell I'm missing this chance because of you talentless assholes! It's my turn!"

The demon swung his arm and the zooming ball struck the small target nearby the tank. Marie squealed as her seat fell underneath her, dropping her into the water residing beneath her with a loud SPLASH.

Crona turned his head to strike Ragnorak again, but stopped when Maka let out her mesmerizing laugh. The rising Marie from the rippling water soon joined her, laughing breathlessly while combing back wet strands of hair, emphasizing how the chilly desert night may have helped the water become colder than she remembered.

Subtle shock struck Crona that neither of the girls were angry at the re-submerging Ragnorak. Instead, they laughed heartily from the professor's dunking, Maka wiping her eyes and Marie climbing back up on the chair with a large smile.

"Say," Marie began. She wiped the water off her face with a hand." Where is everyone else? I thought you kids were going trick-or-treating together tonight."

"Everyone got tired after awhile." Maka replied. From her side-glance, Crona could tell she didn't want Professor Marie to know specifics about what happened earlier. "So Crona and I took the chance to come here."Her eyes met his and a smile lit up her face. "Since he's never been to a carnival and all."

Crona flushed and Marie lifted a blonde brow. "So, you two are alone?"

"Yup! I thought I might show him around a place that's filled with the Halloween spirit. It's something that can't be missed." Awareness glimmered in her green eyes as she looked off in the distance, moving her head back to their teacher. "And I actually have one more thing to show him. "She grabbed Crona's hand and began to walk away. "It was nice seeing you, Professor! Happy Halloween!"

She waved and their teacher wished the same back, her smile broad. Crona turned to say his own goodbye to his teacher, and saw she was giving him a warm smile. She gave him two thumbs up and a wink before turning her attention to other drifters toward her booth.

What was that all about?

From another tug on his hand, Crona was pulled out of his thoughts when Maka steered him into a line to a Ferris Wheel. The hand clasped against hers quickly became sweaty as they are led into one of the carriages, but he felt instead of her drawing away from his moist hand, she held him tighter. He wished he could look at her peaceful face so it would pair her touch, but he couldn't deal with keeping his eyes open. Just the thought of doing so as their carriage ascended made a sickly feeling bubble in his stomach. He jolted when the ride stopped, but a portion of his tension melted when Maka swiped her thumb over his knuckles, assuring him this sort of thing is supposed to happen.

"Please, Crona." Maka softly implored. "Please open your eyes. I promise you'll be okay. You don't need to be afraid."

The last of his resistance faded from her gentle request, the muscles in his eyes loosening and allowing him to slowly peek an eye open. As the lid lifted, he couldn't help but have the other quickly follow in suit.

A birds-eye view of Death City sat before them, mazes of city blocks resting below with ant people running and walking through them. Orange and yellow lights blended together as lights from decorated houses and normal residences merged into one. A blanket of diamond-like specks rested above them, littering the sky until it touched the mountainous horizon.

"I know you've seen the city during the day," Maka began. "But I wanted to show you what it looks during the night. How much more lively and bright it is on a holiday like this. " The smile on her face turned softer, like she was falling back into a memory. "Ever since I was small, this ride has been my favorite. I'm not sure why, but it just is. Being up here…it makes me feel like even if I can't achieve what I want, if I can't make Soul into a better Death Scythe than Papa, I can still be on top of the world here. I can feel like a champion when I'm high in the sky like this, even if it's only temporary." She paused and giggled to herself after a moment. "But now that I think about it, I guess that's just some little kid's weird fantasy, isn't it?"

Crona couldn't find his voice, so he settled for shaking his head and kept his transfixed eyes on the tender smile Maka delivered to him.

She pried her attention away from the intricate design of Death City to peer at the sand dunes in the distance, the light of the city shining on their faces. "Even if it's dark, the city's lights are so bright you can see the greener parts of desert from here. From the ground it looks like nothing but sand and mountains, but up here you can see the palm trees and long grass, even the oases from far away."She moved to place her arm on the metal bar built to stop them from leaning out too far, her chin resting atop her forearm. "It's amazing how even a sandy wasteland can bear so much life, don't you think? That even though there's barely any water here and the atmosphere is so rough, things can still survive."

Crona's throat closed at that, his breath dissolving from his lungs. He stared at the view while his mind delved back into the memory of his own soul, how once it was as course and grainy as the dry dunes around him; a desolate wasteland with no life, no flecks of green or streams of blue to decorate its surface.

Such a state must have been how the desert was around him once, that only until nurturing water passed through its territory was it finally able to feed new life, to give something the opportunity to grow.

It must have been how it was…because that's how it was for Crona's sandy plains. He knew for certain that if the goddess costumed girl sitting on her rightful seat in the sky didn't pass through his territory, if she never held him and acknowledged his existence…there would be no cleansing water to wash away his restrictive lines in the sand; he would not have grown and sprouted into his own person had that water not been there to feed him.

A stifled hiccup shook Crona's throat, his face burning, a stinging pressure building behind his eyes. It took all his will to not make a sound, to use his habits of locking away the urge to cry…only this time it's not tears of sadness he's trying to hide.

"Crona?"

His head shot up at the call of his name, and stared at a puzzled Maka. By the harder clenching of her hand around his, she must have noticed he had started to shake. "Are you okay?"

Crona blinked away the liquid happiness threatening to spill over, breathing deeply. "I-I'm fine. It's just…"He took his merged hand away from her to rub his arms in comfort, and quickly found he could use his habit to his advantage. "It's j-just been getting colder. That's all."

The worry in Maka's eyes waned a little, and she joined him in holding her own arms, replying, "Now that you mention it, it has gotten pretty cold lately. The weather always does turn glacial during the nighttime."

Crona inspected her, seeing her gowned body lightly tremble and thought the flimsy material of such a costume couldn't offer much protection against the cold like his did. Quickly, he took off his jacket, leaving himself in the undershirt to wear under his costume, and placed it over Maka's shoulders, saying she could have it.

She looked at the jacket in shock, then drifted her eyes back up to him. "But didn't you just say you were cold?"

Red flooded Crona's face, and he aimed his eyes away from her. "Y-Yes, but…I don't mind it too much. I can deal with it."

Maka eyebrow rose. "You must have minded if you complained about it. You hardly ever complain."

The swordsman responded by keeping his face away, hoping keeping quiet would be a better answer than say anything else that could be used against him.

While keeping his head turned, Crona flinched when the jacket draped over his shoulders, an unfamiliar warmth building below his neck. His eyes enlarged as he looked down, seeing Maka's head and side of her body rest against him, binding them closer with the jacket and her slim arms that wrapped around his waist. His blush turned fire truck red as he breathlessly asked, "M-Maka…?"

"I know you're not going to back down from me having your jacket, just like I'm not on you having it back."Maka candidly replied." So I can settle with sharing it. I don't mind." She moved her head so her chin settled on his shoulder, hypnotizing green starting into his. "Do you?"

It was almost scary how she could render him speechless, as he was only able shake his head rather than give a verbal response.

She smiled and a shiver ran through Crona as her lips accidently brushed against the side of his neck when settling back against him. His body heat soared as their carriage remained parked in the sky, watching the city gleam under the light of the grinning moon and its own incandescence. And not for the first time that night, Crona's mind steadily drifted back to the party.

He remembered seeing softer couples that were like this, that instead of acting like wild animals fighting for dominance, they would lounge against the other comfortably, their touches and kisses gentle. The building fire behind his skin felt to steam out his ears at the memory of those soft exchanges of lips, shame adding to his blush as his mind wrongfully replaced the faces of those couples with his and Maka's own.

Heat rushed fiercer through him as Maka brought herself closer from chilly gust of wind, and wrapped the jacket around them tighter. Crona's skin itched and tingled, like a bug crawling under his skin that was searching for greater touch from her, the images of close-contacted bodies from earlier in the night not helping his resistance. He finally caved when a soft, content sigh left Maka, the sound loosening his neck muscles from staying straight and stiff, to eased and relaxed. Crona closed his eyes and focused on the touch he was fortunate to have, only allowing his chin to gently settle on her head, and a shaky hand to rest on her waist.

With their close contact and Maka's arms holding him tighter, memories of the two girls and party scene began to wash away from him, like gritty sand beneath soothing waves. For once tonight, Crona finally thought for certain he was at peace and was enjoying this holiday. That through following Maka after seeing the believable truth expressed in her eyes when she extended her hand, she managed to make this a memorable night.

And as they sat there underneath the grinning moon's gaze, Crona couldn't help but be forever grateful that the cheerful light of day once again came to save the grieving night.

This Ferris wheel scene was inspired by the song "If I Never Knew You"-by Jon Secada and Shanice. If you're a nineties kid or lived during the nineties and watched Pocahontas, then maybe your nostalgia feels will be touched by this song like mine werexD

I hope you'll tell me what you enjoyed in this series or what I can fix, and thank you for reading!

Aaaaaaand, back to main story!