Chapter 1 – Harudori the Halberd
Hey there. This is Harudori Tsugumi, aged 13, an average middle school girl, A.K.A... Me. Right now I'm with my family, my mother, father, and elder brother, at Tokyo Airport. Surrounded by travellers entering and leaving the country I'm trying to contain my excitement. Soon I too will be boarding a plane and on my way to none other than Hawaii, USA!
Tsugumi smiled as she stuck close behind her mother. Her father and elder brother were just ahead of them, already handing their things to the security guard so they could go through the metal detectors. The line for the security checkpoint was packed tightly, and she would hate to start the trip off with something as mortifying as bumping into someone. Especially if they were male, she really didn't know what she'd do then, since she'd never really talked to a male she wasn't related to before.
"Tsugumi-chan, it's your turn." Tsugumi's mother chimed, hand at her back guiding her forward.
"Y-yes, I'm coming mum!" Tsugumi blushed; embarrassed that she had been caught spacing out. Tsugumi quickly removed her watch, and deposited it and her travel bag into the tray held by the waiting security guard.
"Thank you, now if you could just walk straight through the checkpoint miss?" The guard gestured her through. Tsugumi was quick to follow their directions, her embarrassment giving way to excitement once more as she walked towards her waiting brother and father.
Tsugumi startled as the metal detector's alarm suddenly blared in her ears. The security guard frowned at her.
"Miss, can you stand over here?" Tsugumi obediently followed them to the side, out of the way of the detector. "Have you forgotten to take something off? Or do you have a medical implant of some kind?" Tsugumi blanched.
"No! At least I don't think so?" She checked herself over, looking for something that could have set off the alarm.
"Well let's check you over." The security guard brought up a hand held detector. "With this we'll find the source of the problem." The moment the device passed over Tsugumi it set off its own alarm. It continued to do so as they waved it over her body. The security guard's frown deepened further. "Miss, you are aware of course that a weapon trying to leave or enter a country must declare themselves, under penalty of fines for noncompliance. You and your parents are going to have to come with us." Tsugumi froze, not believing what she was hearing.
"What? B-but I'm not a weapon?" She cried out.
"How far do these stairs go...? Does it go all the way to the afterlife? That would fit given the whole death angle... What if I never make it to school...?" Tsugumi wheezed, she had started to climb not too long ago and already she was out of breath and covered it sweat. Her new black sailor uniform, with matching knee high boots was just adding to the blistering heat.
Good morning this is the new DWMA student Harudori Tsugumi A.K.A. Me. At this moment I am beneath the burning sun in a desert oasis, in the state of Nevada, Death City, A.K.A. Death Vegas. I thought my first trip to America would be to the sprawling beaches of Hawaii, not a desert. But plans changed when I got flagged down by airport security because I turned out to be a weapon. We had to prove I didn't know I was one to get out of the fine which meant we missed the flight. I had to be enrolled in my new school, get ready for the new school year in a place across the world, and leave behind my family and friends. And now here I am...
"I thought this was supposed to be an oasis. I am so thirsty I could die on these long stairs. Never mind strengthening my legs for school, I will be lucky just to arrive..." Tsugumi braced her hands on her knees.
"Out of the way, a star is coming through!" A voice bellowed from behind.
"Huh?" Tsugumi felt rather than saw the person as they barged past her, leaving a breeze in their wake. She pin wheeled her arms trying to regain her balance on one foot. "Oh no, I really am going to die on these stairs!" She said as she finally began to fall backwards.
"Don't worry, I've got you!" A pair of arms wrapped securely around Tsugumi's middle, halting her decent and pulling her up against their chest. 'Small like me... It's a girl?' Tsugumi wondered as the unknown girl helped her get back onto her feet. "I'm so sorry! That idiot should know better, even if he does hate to lose! Are you ok?"
"Yes! I'm alright... Thank you so much!" Tsugumi could feel her face heating up under the other girl's scrutiny. 'Amazing, she came hoping up those stairs in no time and caught me, yet she's not out of breath... It shouldn't be a surprise since DWMA is the school that produces heroes of the world!'
"Don't worry about it. You must be new right? Since I was racing with that idiot I should take responsibility, I'd feel terrible if I caused someone to get hurt when they were so close to finishing their first climb of the legendary staircase." The girl smiled at Tsugumi reassuringly.
"Still thank you... I-I'm Harudori Tsugumi, I'm 13 years old and it's my first day here, it's nice to meet you senpai. Please take care of me." Tsugumi bowed her head to the other girl. 'Not even hear for a day and I've already done something to embarrass myself in front of such a cool senpai.'
"It's nice to meet you, Tsugumi." The girl said with a hint of laughter in her voice. "My name is Maka Albarn, you can call me Maka. I may have been a student here longer than you but I'm still 11 so don't worry about using any suffix ok?"
"You're younger than me?" Tsugumi blinked owlishly at her. Maka, she could tell even from the step below, was at least her height, and wearing the same black uniform their figures seemed just as close. Even her blonde hair was tied in neat pigtails that made her seem at least as mature as Tsugumi herself, with her hair plastered to her face and neck due to sweat. It was only looking at her face that she could see signs that the other girl was younger than her, her cheek still rounded by baby fat.
"That's right. Say..." Tsugumi snapped out of her thoughts. "Would you like to walk to the top together? We're nearly there, so you just need to hang in a little longer. But company will make it go by faster."
"Yes, I'd love to!" Tsugumi smiled back at Maka, before hesitating. "But don't you have a race to get back too?"
"Oh I definitely lost already. By now the idiot has probably already started the first fight of the year while waiting to rub it in so I'm in no hurry." Maka sighed. "I knew I wasn't likely to win so I made sure not to make a bet with them." Side by side the two girls began the trek up the stairs.
"I made it." Tsugumi groaned gratefully at the sight of the top stair, and promptly collapsed face first onto the concrete. Maka laughed good-naturedly as she knelt beside her.
"Yeah you did well Tsugumi. Stay right there I'll grab you a drink in celebration." Tsugumi rolled her face to the side to look Maka in the eye.
"I'd argue but I think I've reached the point in life where I don't care about manners anymore due to those stairs." She moaned out.
Maka was quick to return with a can. She teasingly put its cold surface against Tsugumi's forehead. "Here you go." Feeling revived by the cold feeling against her skin Tsugumi accepted the can and stood up.
"Thank you." And with that she popped open the can.
"Tsugumi, can you do something for me?" Maka asked mischievously.
"Yes?" Tsugumi murmured, already halfway into a large sip of the drink.
"Turn around Tsugumi." Unsure Tsugumi did as she was asked, and was greeted with the sight of Death City in its sprawling glory. "Welcome to the DWMA Tsugumi." Maka said, the smile clearly audible in her voice as Tsugumi felt awe surge inside her.
Mum, Dad, big brother can you believe this? This place, Death City, and the school I'm now attending, DWMA are amazing. I'm getting excited.
Tsugumi followed Maka as she led the way to the school entrance, her head turning constantly to take in as much of the school as she could. Rather than doors, the school had large archways, and Tsugumi marvelled at the sheer size of the school. And it seemed sorely needed to as the entrance was already packed with people both human and weapon. Though they seemed to be surrounding something, was an event going on?
"Try again in another century, punk!" A booming voice called out, and just like that Tsugumi's excitement gave way to terror as the crowd parted like the red sea to avoid the person sent flying towards her.
"What?" Tsugumi exclaimed. With all the grace of a veteran student clearly used to this strangeness Maka rolled her eyes at the poor student and swiftly pulled Tsugumi out of their flight path with her as she took a step back.
"I'll be sure to kill you next time." The loud, and in Tsugumi's opinion terrifying voice, growled out. The fighter's face twisted into a fierce glare, and with an irritated huff they moved a lock of bright blue hair out of their face. Powerful muscled arms clearly visible through the persons thin dark blue T-shirt twitched in anticipation of violence, and their dark boots clunked on the concrete floor as if daring the other to get back up as they approached. Though their hands now tucked into the pockets of their tan cargo pants as if they were just strolling though innocently, Tsugumi felt her knees shaking. 'Even the fights here are off the charts, I think this is to high level for me!' A snort to the side of her reminded Tsugumi that Maka was there, her hand releasing Tsugumi's arm.
"You idiot, can't you wait a few hours before picking a fight? You don't have to be first to cause a brawl every death year!" Tsugumi's head snapped to look at Maka in fear. 'Please I don't want to die! Let him not have heard!' Tsugumi turned back to look expecting a charging lunatic. Except... The clearly enraged fighter was gone.
"Maka don't be like that!" The booming voice whined. "You took forever! I know you're not a star like me but it's like you weren't even trying! I waited for ages before this guy picked a fight with me." In their place was a bubbly boy, an exaggerated pout on his face, and bright blue hair bouncing in tune with his over exaggerated walk. Tsugumi rubbed her eyes and looked again confused. He was wearing the same outfit, but surely that was no way someone could change so quickly.
"I took so long because you nearly took someone out on the stairs! Since I'm actually a decent human being I stopped to help them." Maka huffed, her arms crossed in front of her. "If you weren't such a klutz I could have made a comeback." The boy laughed at that.
"As if, you were a good 30 seconds behind me the entire time, you weren't going to catch up! Even if you weren't such a..." He raised his hands into quotation marks. "Decent human being... Who'd I hit anyway?" Maka nodded at Tsugumi.
"Harudori Tsugumi, it's her first day idiot." The boy looked Tsugumi top to bottom before breaking into a wide grin.
"So you're a newbie huh? I thought I hadn't seen you around before. Sorry about before..." He reached into his pocket, and proudly displayed a... autograph card? "So here, the Mighty Black*Star's autograph, free of charge!"
"Um, thank you?" Tsugumi accepted the card doubtfully. 'Boys are even stranger than I thought. I don't think I'm mentally prepared for this!'
"Don't encourage him Tsugumi; I'm the one who has to put up with him when his head gets even bigger than usual." Maka groaned. "And you!" She grabbed his shirt. "Are coming with us, otherwise you'll end up late for this year's welcoming ceremony! Don't forget the two of us are looking for partners for real this year." She then proceeded to drag him behind her, only to pause and look back. "Tsugumi let's go. The school is like a maze so be sure to keep up with me ok?"
"A-ah yes Maka!" Tsugumi scrambled to follow after Maka.
Tsugumi stared at the door in front of them. Maka beside her, as Black*Star picked himself up off the floor and dusted himself off, having been dragged the entire way. Almost as if Maka thought he'd wander off on his own if not in her clutches Tsugumi mused.
"Welcome, new students..." Tsugumi read off the banner above the door. "This is it!"
"Yes." Maka nodded. "By now a lot of other students like us should already be inside. Maybe even a partner for him." She glanced at Black*Star. "But let's not expect any miracles..." She said teasingly.
"Hey! It's not my fault if the world hasn't produced someone amazing enough to be on my level yet." Black*Star snorted and gave Maka an amused glance. "Besides if I got a partner before you, you'd never let me hear the end of it, it's less whiney this way."
"Oh?" Maka took a step towards him. "Whiney am I-?" Tsugumi pushed herself between the two.
"Let's not fight! We need to..." She tried not to wilt under the force of both their stares. "Go inside and find our p-p-partners!" Thankfully for Tsugumi the two backed down, tension easing from their shoulders.
"Alright, Black*Star is in the house!" Black*Star burst through the door past them, full of good cheer. Maka sighed and followed, her face set to pretend she did not know him. Tsugumi followed her nervously.
"Black*Star tone it down!" The single adult in the room called out. He tossed something small into Black*Star's waiting hand. "Put that on, others need to know you're a meister."
"Yeah, whatever you say Sid." Black*Star said, continuing to walk without looking back, though Tsugumi noticed he did as he was told. Maka walked up to the man, who was standing by the Podium.
"Good morning Sid." Sid rolled his eyes fondly at her.
"That's Professor Sid, don't forget." He looked again to Black*Star. "That means both of you; I'm a man who separates home and work after all." Maka looked sheepish. "Right and one meister badge for you as well Maka." He handed it over with a smile before turning to Tsugumi. "Alright, what's your name?"
"Harudori Tsugumi!" She blushed, trying to fight down her nerves.
"Are you a Meister or Weapon?" Sid intoned, checking her name off the list.
"Weapon Professor..." He nodded and fished out another badge and handed it to her.
"Alright, keep that on, you're going to need it today so everyone can easily tell who's what and pick a partner accordingly." Sid gave her an encouraging smile and waved her off to deal with more recent arrivals. Tsugumi pinned the badge to her shirt and hurried back over to Maka's side in hopes of easing her nerves. Maka smiled as she approached.
"So you are a weapon then? I kind of figured but didn't want to assume." Tsugumi gave a nervous smile back.
"I-I am or so they tell me. I can't really transform yet..." Tsugumi fought down a sense of shame. 'I wonder if someone like me is even fit to have a partner.' Maka gave her a piercing look.
"That's fine Tsugumi; most people can't control their transformation when they get here since so many get found on accident. That's where we meister come in to teach you to become weapons. So don't worry." Tsugumi felt herself lighten at Maka's words. 'Maka's amazing... I wonder if I she could be my partner?'
"Alright, it looks like everyone's here." Sid said, putting his clipboard down on the podium. "I'm Sid, part of the school staff. We called you together today to get a good look at you. Each meister and weapon will get partnered up with someone, but there's no need to rush your decision. Take your time and find a partner who suits you."
'A suitable p-partner... Could I be a suitable weapon for Maka?' Tsugumi slid her eyes to look at Maka at the thought.
"If you have trouble finding a partner here or can't decide, there's a bingo tournament this weekend where we'll be holding a 'Feeling Partner' game that will help you. As a matter of fact that's where I met my partner. What can I say I'm not the most social guy?" Sid picked up some handouts from the podium. "I'm going to handout some sheets with a schedule for upcoming events. Take one and pass them back." At her turn Tsugumi grabbed a second sheet and held it out to Maka.
"Here." Maka smiled gratefully.
"Thanks Tsugumi." Tsugumi smiled back before handing the sheets onwards to Black*Star. He was clearly uninterested but took them anyway.
"Okay, that's a wrap for today. You're dismissed." Sid said. With a glance at one another Maka and Black*Star seeming agreed they were done and began walking out. Tsugumi followed after them, not yet at the door when Sid continued. "Anyone who was exhausted by the school trip should put effort into cutting down their time for the future."
Tsugumi flinched. She had forgotten about those stairs. 'That's right I'm going to be going up and down those every day for the near future!' Pushing that terrifying thought away Tsugumi rushed to catch up to Maka.
"Can you believe what brats are being counted as meister?" A drawling voice complained.
"They're probably here since their legacy students or some bull." Another agreed. Ahead of Tsugumi Black*Star and Maka stopped, Tsugumi peered around them to see a pair of what appeared to be high schoolers blocking their way. 'I have to watch out not to get paired up with jerks like them.' She thought to herself in disgust.
"You punks got a problem?!" Black*Star snapped, the veins in his neck twitching, already he seemed ready to pick a fight. Tsugumi shrunk into herself, Black*Star was suddenly a believably terrifying person once more.
"Leave it Black*Star, guys like them aren't going to get past NOT anyway. Don't waste your time." Maka said primly looking down her nose at the pair.
"The hell did you say little girl?!" The teen sneered getting in her face. Tsugumi felt conflicted. 'Should I... Do something?'
But what could I do? I've been a normal girl all my life... Just because I'm at DWMA now doesn't mean I'm suddenly a hero or anything. I'm so sorry Maka, you've been so nice to me but I can't..! I can't be a hero...
'What can I do? What can someone like me who can't even transform yet do?' Tsugumi took a step back in fear.
"Those are big words coming from a flat little girl." The other teen laughed haughtily. Both boys having seemingly having decided to focus their attention on Maka. To Black*Star's clear displeasure, as he seemed ready to jump the pair then and there. "You better be ready to back it up strength is what matters at DWMA."
"Fine then, bring it you buffoons." Maka glared fiercely at the two, not in the least intimidated.
"You'll regret this!" The first teen jeered. "Transform!" His body vanished in a scattering of light, only to reform in the hand of the second teen. "How's this? I am a rapier which can transform perfectly, except for my hand!" Maka snorted at the sight of the human hand in place of a guard on the swords hilt.
"That isn't what perfect means genius." She stepped back into a fighting stance.
"He transformed into a weapon!" Tsugumi cried. 'Oh this is bad... Maka's going to get hurt what do I do?!' Sid came up behind her and placed a firm hand on her shoulder.
"Calm down, this is just the kind of school this is." Tsugumi looked up at him fretfully. 'He isn't going to stop this?' Sid turned to her. "If you're that worried then back her up. Transform here and now."
"But... I can't transform... I don't know how...!" Tsugumi gripped her shirt tightly.
"Just use your imagination!" Tsugumi startled at the sound of Sid's voice. "If you imagine the sharp blade that sleeps within your soul, you will transform. Your desire to live up to your own sense of justice will allow you to fight!"
Imagine... Blade that sleeps within my soul...? But if I don't why did I come here in the first place? That's right I have to pursue my own sense of justice! I am, Harudori Tsugumi, age 13, A.K.A... A weapon!
Tsugumi closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her fingers eased from the death grip they had on her uniform as she looked inside herself. 'The blade sleeping within my soul... Let me reach it... As things stands I would never deserve to ask Maka to become my friend...! I am a weapon!' At the sight of the light signalling her transformation everyone turned to look at Tsugumi.
"Tsugumi...?" Maka whispered in surprise, though her lips twitched into a smile. She reached out for Tsugumi to catch her in her new form.
"See? I knew you could do it." Sid said.
Black*Star gave a whistle of approval at the sight. "She's a halberd? Death, Maka's got all the luck!" He joked, easing once more into a happy-go-lucky stance.
"Hey, don't ignore us!" The meister teen snapped, leaping at the two. "Weapon or not there's no hope for a little girl like you!" Maka smiled at him, looking every bit the innocent school girl.
"I guess I'll just have to give you a few knocks to the head to change your mind then." She dropped back into a fighting stance, and brought the tip of Tsugumi's spear down towards the ground ready to swing. "Follow my lead Tsugumi, we'll do this together!"
"Yes." Tsugumi agreed readily. The two breathed deep in sync, focusing on the pair coming towards them, and swung. The blunt edge of Tsugumi's axe met their opponent's sword blade dead on, the momentum pushing it back straight into the wielder. Their opponents flew back though the hallway, bouncing along the floor as they went, until coming to a stop in a pathetic slide across the floor as their momentum finally gave out.
"Well that's that." Sid looked over at the crowd of observing students, that Tsugumi belatedly realised must have been watching the entire thing. "We've got two injured students, someone go to the nurses office and get Nurse Medusa." With that embarrassing realisation Tsugumi's transformation released, and she took her first steps back in her human form.
"That was great Tsugumi! See you can do it if you try!" Maka grabbed Tsugumi's hands in excitement, a broad smile on her face.
"No, no... I wouldn't have been able to do anything if it had been just me..." Tsugumi blushed, though she couldn't deny the proud feeling growing in her chest. 'I really did it, didn't I?'
"Tsugumi, I've been thinking... We just met but I can tell we're on the same wavelength!" She leaned in excitedly. "If it's you I know we'll be able to be two in one, our souls can definitely resonate! Would you please be my partner?" Tsugumi felt her own lips stretch into a matching wide smile 'Maka wants to be my partner! Someone as cool as her would really want to be my partner!' She nodded franticly.
"Me? Yes of course if you'll have me I'll be glad to, sure!" Maka gave an adorable laugh.
"It's settled then! Please take care of me Tsugumi." Tsugumi felt a matching giggle rise in her own throat. She could swear she could actually feel Maka's honest joy through her hands, her own nerves unable to withstand its warmth and comfort fell to the back of her mind.
"Oh yes, I'll be in your hands from now on Maka." And with that she gave in to the warmth washing over her from Maka and let herself laugh.
Well I never would have dreamed I would be so lucky, but today, on my first day at DWMA, I found myself a partner. She's pretty and cool, and always seems into know what she's doing. I'm not sure yet that I really deserve to be her partner yet, but I want to try! My time here has just begun and I'm ready to work hard to be the best I can be for her...