PROLOGUE

Lazy days

-And that concludes this lesson, I guess...-

The students began to gather their things as fast as they could yet their 'dear' professor wasn't willing to let them slip that easily.

-Heh, also you will give a 1000 word essay about how the weapon's abilities can limit the meister and vice versa, and thaaaat's it!-

He pushed himself back, skidding across the floor stylishly before reaching the door, where his chair met an abrupt stop, making him fall so hard if it wasn't for the fact he already had a screw running through it, his head would've been cracked open. He smiled crookedly as his old students passed him by, a small stick protruding from where he would usually place his cigarette. His students passed over his body and walked on, there were weirder things at Shibusen...wait, ok maybe he was really weird.

A hand pulled his chair from under him, flipping it upright and then turning it. A bold looking teen sat on it backwards, just like the stitched professor had been doing only a few seconds ago. Grinning and flashing his shark-like teeth in his best cool-guy pose that hid his eyes from view was SOUL EV-

MAKA CHOP!

The poor white haired teen fell flat on his back with a new ATM slot freshly installed onto his skull.

-Baka...-

She muttered, as she tried to help the professor to his feet. The guy seemed a little dazed, either for the fact she was helping him or the fact that she was being so gentle with him, when only two seconds ago she'd slammed a 458 page history book into a guy's head. That was Maka for you. He took his chair and promptly sat on it, his head lowered creepily as he analyzed the strange relationship before him.

Ever since the defeat of the Demon god Kinshin, Maka and Soul were closer to each other, yet while in Shibusen they remained the same obnoxious brats everyone knew and loved. A ruse, he'd seen them lately, when they though no one was looking, they could be so amiable...so secretive. Something was going on, he'd seen the intense way Evans looked at Albarn, yet she seemed to be in some sort of denial...It would be so lovely to just interfere...create a little chaos and stand back to enjoy the consequences...they should already be connected enough so that any conflict would bring them closer together...

-Stein, your tea!-

-Good morning Marie-sensei!-

-Hello Maka, Soul. I see you've earned yourself another 'maka-chop'-

The gentle blonde woman placed a tray atop the desk and walked over to the professor, calming his soul and chasing away any cold thoughts, even making his features ease a little into a pleasant expression. She handed him his tea and bowed as a greeting to the teens before her. Now a little older and quite wiser, the weapon and technician evoked in her such pride she almost felt like their parent.

She greeted the small figure that almost seemed to be hiding in the corner next to the door, waiting for her friends. A shy bow and a lopsided smile as a response and then they were separate, that wall that always kept that delicate figure apart from the world, rising suddenly. With her one eye Marie could see the nervous expression melt into one of concentration. With her heart she felt the child struggling to overcome her shyness, yet he never let her.

-What do you want, Zigzag woman! Were fine Ok!-

-Hello to you too, Ragnarok- she tossed him a caramel thinking of how childish he still was, even though the intensive training with his meister had almost returned his body to its original, more muscular appearance... well, except his hands, that still remained digit less mittens...

Licking his huge teeth savagely he grinned madly before making a half challenging, half greeting gesture and dissolving into liquid once more. Stein shook his head distractedly and gulped down the last of his tea, Marie taking the cup without even looking at him and placing it on the tray. She was so aware of him all the time, he couldn't help but feel a little like a child she was taking care of, yet un-admittedly, he enjoyed the attention. Dropping his head onto the chair he allowed himself a smile as he thought of some way to surprise her later.

The students said goodbye and headed out. After a long day in school, greeting some new students and doing their homework in Maka and Soul's house, the group of friends headed down to the park, for a game of basketball. Again a little bickering ensued over Chrona, for the simple reason that Ragnarok would sometimes butt-in which would result in either really good things or really bad things...it all depended which team had the most candy...

He'd pop out of the thin girl's back and steal the ball, dunk it and make rude gestures before she even realized what had happened, the game would end quickly once he joined and Chrona, distracted as always would not know half the things he did. They were almost winning, their team made up of Kid, Liz and Chrona overcoming the other four, Soul, Black Star, Tsubaki and Paty. Though most of the game was played by Kid, since Liz didn't want to break her nails, Chrona would make a few plays, cheered by Maka who watched from a nearby bench. Due to her height, Chrona had quite the advantage, yet her awkwardness usually lead to some tripping and a few falls.

But the star was Ragnarok, and pretty soon Black Star got into a tizzy for being out-staged in 'his own' court, so much so that not even Paty's goofy antics wouldn't cheer him. He challenged the demon sword to a one on one...or two on one. Soon they were tied, Ragnarok's height and strength, combined with Chrona's flexibility and agility competing with Black Star's great speed and mad skills. It was a close match until Ragnarok took Paty's hat and while she was distracted he seized his chance and went for her boobs. Chrona tripped and fell hard against a bench, having tried to push away the near indestructible weapon.

Blood dripped down from her temple and left a little mark upon the bench corner, but she was used to pain. Keeping her composure she got up, shook the dirt off her clothes as the other's approached her. She bowed and offered Paty an apology managing to only stutter about five times, a new record. Yet the short blonde was focused on getting her hat back and didn't seem to mind. Once Black Star calmed, having won the match while everybody was distracted, he walked over and stared down the huge figure looming over the skinny body of the Demon Sword wielder.

He stared him off, his X'd out eyeballs oddly brighter than usual. As the bickering began, with an awkward Chrona in the middle a shout broke through.

-Ne, If you like Paty just say so! TEME! At least I have more guts that you monkey-boy, I say everything to your face! COWARD! GWEEEEHG- (he stuck his huge tongue out rudely and made a vulgar arm gesture)

A stirring silence followed...not a sound...the world had ended...not really, yet they all stared at the monochromatic figure that began to feel a little uncomfortable. He held the rude gesture and tried not to seem insecure, yet the glances coming from all the people around him made him feel...nervous...More importantly the monkey hadn't even returned the insult, he just frowned stupidly, his mouth hanging limp. Even Paty stopped her 'hat song' to stare at him.

-OOoooo! Look at his funny hand! Hee,hee, hee. Funny Ragnarok has a stubble!- She chortled.

He couldn't take it, seeing as even Chrona had lifted her head from her embarrassed pose and craned her slight neck to look at him. Her gasp was a little ragged sound and he couldn't take it anymore, gulping he looked down. His little X eyes crossed in the middle of his face, staring down the strange protrusion that stuck out of his hand. He shook his hand this way and that, a little panicked yet once he stopped he looked down to see something strange... He seemed to stare for such a long time...the seconds dragging by as painful as nails across a chalkboard. The sun had started drooling as it tried not to fall asleep, drifting closer and closer to the horizon...and all he could do was stare.

It had been two years and a half since he'd last seen his hands.