The halls of Shibusen on the day before classes started were full of meisters and weapons, all trying to find partners to team up and fight together with. Maka Albarn, a new meister, found herself tired of all the polite introductions and socializing, and most of all, her father hanging around, shooing away boys.

She slipped away from yet another crowd of people, walking into a conveniently placed corridor. She walked down the first set of stairs she saw, finding herself on a floor that was almost deserted. None of the people here took a second glance at her, which she was grateful for. She was really tired of Spirit, her father, trying to impress on all the female weapons that she was the daughter of the great Death Scythe, while threatening to cut the heads off any boys who approached. Of course, she didn't really mind that part . . .

Wandering around the lower level, Maka's sharp ear caught a sound that she barely identified as a piano playing. Interested that someone who be all the way down here playing music, she followed the sound as best she could. The song sounded classical, and fairly simple, though Maka couldn't be sure. She knew that she had a hard time understanding music, especially its difficulty.

Eventually, she came to a room, deeper than she knew there were floors in Shibusen. The room appeared to be an auditorium, for concerts and such. The seats were all empty, however, and on the stage, there was only a piano. Sitting at the piano was a boy. She could only see his white, spiky hair and his black pinstripe suit. He was playing the piano, his fingers creating the melody she had heard. Maka approached, stepping onto the stage as quietly as she could. He didn't turn around until the last notes faded into silence.

"That was beautiful. I mean, I'm not a musical expert or anything, but it sounded really nice." Oh great, I must have sounded really stupid, Maka thought to herself.

Crimson eyes regarded her for a minute, and then the boy smiled, revealing a mouth of sharp, pointed teeth. "Thanks." His voice was deeper than his age might suggest. "It's an etude by Chopin. Some people call it 'Raindrops'." Maka nodded, having only understood one word out of every three in those two sentences.

"Although," he continued, "it's just for practice, really. I'm not like that song, and so I only play it to improve on playing my favorite music." He swung around, placing his fingers on the keys. "This is the kind of person I really am."

Maka listened in amazement as another song filled the air. She stood spellbound as shadows and darkness seemed to flow through the room in time to the music. Rather than being threatening or scary, they almost seemed enticing, fascinating her with the idea of someone who could be so dark and yet so . . . interesting. When again, the last chord sounded, leaving only memories and a lingering echo, she held out her hand.

"My name is Maka Albarn. I'm a meister." The boy at the piano considered her for a moment, then flashed his grin again and clasped her hand. "Soul Eater. I'm a weapon, a scythe."

Maka stood incredulously for a minute. Then, like the sun coming from behind the clouds, a smile spread its way across her face. "Really? My mom was a scythemeister." "Albarn . . ." Soul mused. "You're Death Scythe's girl, right? Your mother was his meister." Maka blushed. "Yes, and my dad will probably have a hissy fit if he saw me talking with a boy weapon. Though, you're not like most boys I've met. You feel more trustworthy." Soul laughed. "You don't seem to be like most girls, y'know."

A short, awkward pause followed this statement. Maka dropped her eyes to the floor to hide her blush.

"Hey . . . how would you feel about being a scythemeister?"

For the second time in as many minutes, Maka stared at Soul Eater incredulously. Finally, she said, "I'd like it very much, if you'd be my weapon."

"It's a deal," the scythe replied without hesitation. Now, we should probably go and find your dad before – "

"MAKA! NOOOOOO! HOW COULD YOU, MY DARLING DAUGHTER?" An all too familiar voice called from the doorway.

"Oh boy, here we go again," Maka Albarn, newly made scythemeister, said to Soul Evans, her new scythe and weapon partner.