"You know, Maka-chan, Valentine's day is around the corner," Tsubaki said happily.
"Yeah, we get to make the guys swoon," Liz smirked.
The raven-haired girl sighed and shook her head, "No, I meant it is a time for girls to confess to guys, couples to show their love for each other and become intimate."
Liz snorted, "Honestly, I don't like that concept. In my opinion, everyday should be Valentine's day, not just one romantic day and 364 days to be a douchebag."
"It's just the calendar day, Liz!" Tsubaki sighed.
Maka sighed, "In reality, I don't like the concept either. Men are, generally, low creatures who will use women to get what they want and throw them aside."
"Maka…" Tsubaki gasped, "How can you say that?"
"My dad of course," Maka charmingly smiled, closing her for the timebeing.
"But you do know that there are exceptions to that, right? Not all men are like that," Tsubaki pointed out.
The blonde girl shrugged her shoulders and sighed, "There are people like that, I'm not denying it. I have to find one my age who acts maturely and treats a girl seriously."
"True that," Liz nodded, "Soul keeps talking about how he wants a curvy woman, and to be frank, it gets on my nerves."
"You would understand how annoying it must be to be reminded of having an iron-board chest then," Maka snorted.
The pistol-weapon winced in memories Soul would openly berate the scythe meister in public. Not out of hatred, of course, because the death scythe is incredibly loyal to his meister, to the point of risking his life to save hers. It is just his nasty habit of forming a stereotype of women, just like Maka has one of men.
"Well I'm gonna confess tomorrow," Liz shrugged, "What about you two?"
"I am going to make Black*Star some truffles," Tsubaki nervously smiled.
"I don't have a crush," Maka monotonously said, "Life is so much easier without a boyfriend for me."
"Come on, there's gotta be someone that makes you feel butterflies," Liz prodded.
"There is and it is called books," Maka rose an eyebrow and went back to reading.
"Only time can tell," Tsubaki said to Liz who in turn, nodded; the chain-scythe weapon didn't know how true her words were.
The girls bid each other goodbye and went their own separate ways home, not knowing the fiasco that tomorrow can bring.
-x-
Lord Death had been listening and watching their conversation through a reflective shop window. An idea popped in his head and in the way he suddenly became animated, Spirit knew something was up.
"You have a new prank, don't you?" Spirit asked warily.
Lord Death glared, but nonetheless nodded.
"I was thinking of a way for matchmaking," Lord Death sang in his chirpy voice.
"Oh no, what do you have in mind?" Spirit gulped.
"All the students of DWMA, let's add in the teachers for a good measure, will wake up tomorrow morning, dressed up in gender-appropriate clothing of their soulmate's normal everyday outfit," Lord Death clasped his large hands together, "Oh how a wonderful idea!"
"That seems creepy," Spirit sighed.
"Well it works. These students are always wondering if they will ever find 'the one'. Well now tomorrow will be the answer. If tomorrow comes and they are wearing their gender version of someone else's outfit, then they have a soulmate out there. If they're wearing their own outfit, then they have no soulmate," Lord Death chirped.
"That spells anxiety, but you're going to do it regardless of my opinion, aren't you?" Spirit asked.
"Yep!" Lord Death cheered.
"Anyways, this doesn't include the death scythes, do they?" Spirit asked.
"No, no they don't. Just the student and teachers," Lord Death answered, "Which will include Marie, but I guess she's an exception. Oh well! Ooh! And I can add a Valentine's day dance at the end of the day for the students to meet their soulmates!"
"You sure you can pull a party overnight?" Spirit asked, uncertain.
Lord Death shook his head at his loyal weapon, "Sometimes you are an idiot. Never underestimate the power of a Shinigami. Sometimes we make excellent cupids."
-x-
After forcing Soul not to blow his money on ramen at the grocery store and some high-quality chocolates for Liz, Maka teased her death-scythe weapon partner until they had to go to sleep. The meister/weapon heard about the ball Lord Death was going to hold tomorrow, and instantly dreaded it. Not that she will have less time to finish her homework (she finishes it during lunch) but the fact that she has to look nice and mingle with bastards.
"Oh death help me get through tomorrow," Maka said as she dozed off.
The next morning… wasn't at all what the blonde meister had planned. She got up, feeling like she was in an oven. She didn't wear anything too heavy to sleep, just a simple silk nightgown. Now she was rethinking, maybe silk isn't the ideal cloth to have in a nightgown… it is stylish but not comfortable. Cotton is comfortable. But still… it wouldn't be feeling like she was wearing five layers of clothing.
Getting out of her bed and walking into the mirror, Maka's face contorted into one of horror.
"WHY IN THE NAME OF DEATH AM I DRESSED UP LIKE A NUN?!" Maka yelled.
She dashed to her wardrobe and tried to pick out another outfit, only to find duplicate outfits of the one she was currently wearing.
"Maka? What kind of prank is this?" Soul yelled, barging into Maka's room, but then he smirked, "Oh no."
"Soul, you're in deep trouble," Maka growled.
"What? I didn't do anything! Honest! Look at mine!" Soul exclaimed, unwrapping the blanket away to show his outfit: a red turtleneck shirt, a white tie, blue pants with a belt, and black shoes.
"I better not be dressed up as Patty," Soul shivered.
Maka cocked her head to one side but then shook her head, "No Soul, you're not. Patty wears puffy shorts. I'd say you're dressed up as Liz."
Soul sighed in relief but then blushed at the mention of her name, "Oh god how would she look, dressed up like me? I thought we would be dressed up in each other's Spartoi uniforms."
Maka shrugged, "They looked so identical so I guess it would be hard to tell whose is whose."
"Not in your case," Soul smirked, sniggering at Maka's nun outfit.
"Do you want a broken skull?" Maka asked.
"No," Soul mumbled.
"I thought so. Now get out of my bedroom. We need to get ready for school and get this day over with," Maka grumbled.
"Wow that's a start, normally you would wish to be at school forever," Soul teased.
Maka aimed at a book which slammed into his skull, "It's because today's the 14th. Now get your butt moving."
Soul shook his head. What's so wrong with the 14th? Rest assured Death the Kid would love that number… except the fact that it splits into two asymmetrical numbers of 7's. But still, an even number! What's her problem though?
He peered at the calendar and found out the reason. It is February, no matter she's pissed off.
-x-
"Oh, dear Death, what happened Maka? Did you raid Justin's closet?" Liz smirked, dressed in baggy jeans, jersey jacket, headband with "LIZ" written on it, and tennis shoes with jagged lines on it.
"Oh I could ask the same from you," Maka smiled, "Did you raid my weapon partner's closet?"
The demon pistol blushed and shook her head, "No, I woke up like this. Thought this was a joke and decided to change out of it; only to find out that there were copies of this outfit."
Maka sighed, and murmured, "I wonder if we have to sleep in this outfit, what about nightgowns?"
"Do nuns even wear nightgowns?" Liz asked.
"How should I know? I'm not a nun," Maka shook her head and sighed.
"Maka, what's the meaning of this?" Tsubaki asked, dressed up in a ninja outfit, but then her face morphed into relief, seeing Maka's and Liz's outfit.
"What? Like seeing us look like idiots?" Maka asked sarcastically.
"I look less of an idiot than you do! You're dressed up as a nun!" Liz exclaimed.
"It's February during winter and a chilly season indeed. Practical outfit, though I wouldn't go for a nun," Maka sighed, analyzing her outfit.
"Maybe this is symbolic," Tsubaki smiled, as always trying to be optimistic in the bunch, "We'll find out during the dance that is tonight!"
"Dressed up like this?" Liz exclaimed, showing off her Soul-like outfit.
"Well we don't have any other things to wear now do we?" Tsubaki asked.
"True," Liz sighed, "I just want to go home and crawl into a hole."
"I would like that too," Maka sighed, "And I usually love school."
-x-
Kid was dressed up as Crona, and vice versa. Black*Star was dressed up as Tsubaki. And Patty… she was dressed up as a giraffe. Something told Maka that she should have seen it coming. That girl took her love of giraffes to a whole new level.
"Oh look who looks ridiculous!" Ox teased.
"Oh look a pervert! Did you steal Kim's clothes? You rapist," Maka smiled.
"Same can be said about you, sister," Ox smirked.
Maka remembered hearing Giriko call Justin a father because of his priest outfit, and honestly, she never understood why it never got on his nerves. Possibly he wanted to become a priest or something of that sort. But wouldn't he have taken a celibacy vow? So why is she dressed up like him? Unless, he didn't take it!
But Maka's right eyebrow twitched as she yanked the earphones out of her ears (they weren't playing any music, but she got fed up with them. Dangling down, she reached into her bag and took out a book. Standing eerily quiet, she mysteriously smiled at Ox's quivering form.
"Maka… chop," Maka said in an everyday conversation voice as she slammed the hardcover book down onto Ox's cranium with the speed of light.
Seeing his twitching form on the floor, Maka smirked, "And you ever call me that name today, you will get one of these suckers. Just saying."
With that threat, Maka walked away with a pissed off expression on her face.
-x-
"Ne… so she's dressed up similar to me," Justin sighed, watching through Death's portal. He had taken off his headphones once he saw Maka through the portal. Something about her made him give all of his attention to her, including un-plugging his music.
"It's a part of my matchmaking process," Lord Death giggled.
The blonde was taken aback by this and sputtered, "W-What?"
"This applies to the students of DWMA, but this morning, they would wake up to find out that they would be dressed up in the gender appropriate clothes of their soulmate. If they wake up wearing the same thing they would wear to school on any other day, then they have no soulmate," Lord Death explained, "And I guess that Maka is your soulmate."
A fresh blush coated his cheeks as he listened to this. He always thought she was adorable when she got angry but when she went into killer mode when killing the Kishin or any pre-Kishin (especially when she makes the famous "I'm going to take your soul" threat), she looked gorgeous with those murderous eyes. And he couldn't help but be entranced by such a strong willed personality. He couldn't believe that Black*Star could overlook such a personality and deem her weak; it was because the ninja was blind and teamed up strength with physical attributes, in which he was painfully wrong.
"Ah so you do like her," Lord Death sang.
"I-It doesn't matter, anyways," Justin shrugged, "I won't get to tell her."
"Or would you?" Lord Death asked mysteriously.
"What is the second part of your scheme?" Justin asked, weary of his plans.
"My, my you doubt my good intentions? It's okay, I forgive you! There will be a Valentine's day dance in which all the students are required to attend, to find their soulmates. Normally it is optional for death scythes to attend, but in Soul's case he would have to attend since he is still a student, and you might want to as well, so you can confront her," Lord Death explained.
"Oh dear," he mumbled, "Oh alright."
"MY DAUGHTER IS GOING TO GET VIOLATED BY A RAPIST!" Spirit wailed.
Justin got ticked off and Lord Death got annoyed. Raising his large hand, he slammed it down, while yelling, "Reaper chop!"
-x-
"Ready to go to the dance?" Soul asked.
"I for once would like to skip," Maka grumbled.
"Aw, that's not like you! Gimme back my original meister!" Soul grabbed at Maka's shoulders and shook her around like a maraca.
Maka slammed her fist on his head and her partner rubbed the sore spot, while grumbling, "Yup, that's Maka alright."
The said girl sighed and rolled her eyes, and mumbled, "Let's get this over with, Soul."
"I hope tomorrow morning we will get our original clothes back," Soul sighed, "Even though my outfit was not as embarrassing as yours, I miss my old headband."
"I have some kind of feeling that Lord Death would do this," Maka sighed as she sat on the motorcycle behind the death scythe.
"True. He's the only one who would do a prank this big," Soul agreed.
-x-
The motorcycle skidded to a stop and Soul helped his meister down after parking his motorcycle. Maka looked in dread at all the cheery pink, red, white, and purple decorations in the ballroom of DWMA.
"I just want to go home and read," Maka said nervously, fidgeting with the hem of the nun dress.
"Come on, like you said, let's get this over with," Soul convinced her; truth be told, even HE didn't want to go into this creepy dance, but then again he had to give those chocolates he bought to Liz or else Maka would skin him alive.
"I guess so. You promised to give those chocolates to her, right?" Maka grinned.
Soul showed her the bag of chocolates that had the approval stamp from his meister and hid it in his bag, "Yep. All set. Now, come on, everybody's waiting."
The moment Soul and Maka came into the ballroom they split up; Soul went in the direction of where Liz was standing, and Maka stood awkwardly in the middle of the entrance. Not knowing where to go and not wanting to face the guillotine death scythe, she decided to go to the refreshments table.
"Ah, so someone isn't socializing? That's weird, you always seem outgoing to me," someone's voice spoke behind her.
Maka almost dropped the ladle of punch and heart-shaped ice cubes (almost EVERYTHING had to be symbolic to love, to her distaste). Turning around, she saw, to her disappointment, her other half and the stupid reason she was stuck in a nun outfit.
"And your outfit didn't change?" Maka sneered.
"He left the death scythes, exception of Marie-sensei and your partner Soul, and himself out of this matchmaking prank," Justin sighed, taking out his blaring earbuds and miraculously turned off his Death Pod.
"So if he did include you in it, you would be dressed up like me?" Maka smirked.
"In a nutshell, yes," Justin nodded.
"And this is how he decided to play matchmaker," Maka said after a minute of silence.
The blonde priest nodded, "Indeed. But I have to say, you do look beautiful when you're dressed up like that."
"It's a nightmare when this is the only outfit in your dresser," Maka grumbled.
"However," Justin ignored her last statement, "There is something I want to correct?"
"What? My face?" Maka asked sarcastically.
Justin lowered her hood and tugged on her pigtails until the hairband came out. Ash blonde hair tumbled down her shoulders, cascading like a waterfall.
"Perfect," he breathed, taking in the beauty of what others chided as a 'pre-pubescent teen'. She looked more like a young woman when her hair wasn't in such a childish hairstyle.
"T-Thanks," Maka grumbled, yanking the hairbands out of his hand and slipping them around her wrist.
"Why don't you wear your hair like that more often?" Justin inquired.
"Because it doesn't get in the way when I study or fight pre-kishins," Maka said simply.
Justin shook his head. Of course, practical Maka.
"Well, would you wear your hair like this more often?" Justin asked, "It does serve a purpose too."
"Well what is it?" Maka asked.
He swooped down and whispered directly in her ear saying, "It can get Soul and Black*Star to quit teasing you on your lack of feminine looks."
Maka blushed but nonetheless nodded. However, Justin pulled back and sighed, saying, "But then again, it might not be a good idea."
"Why not? You just said it was a good idea," Maka argued.
"Well then you might attract boys and I don't like it if you garner unnecessary attention, because I am the only one who is deserving of it," Justin smirked as he placed a quick kiss on her cheek, fully aware that Maka wasn't ready for an actual kiss.
-x-
The next morning, Maka's clothes returned to normal. All her PJ's, school clothes, gym clothes and casual attire was re-arranged in her closet. Except one small thing.
Justin's cross necklace, one identical to the one he always wears, was rested upon her spartoi uniform. When she dressed, she wondered, should she wear it?
Smiling a little at the fiasco that happened yesterday, she decided to wear it. After all, he is her soulmate.
-fin-