Chapter 1

Maka let her head fall back against her headboard. She was reading a book and found herself thinking about the battle with the Kishin. Although it had been at least three years she still found her mind wandering back to that time. Her and her friends were graduating this year and Soul had become a Death Scythe about four months before.

Glancing over at her clock she decided it was time to get up. It's eleven o'clock for Death's sake. Just then Soul's head peaked around the door. "Hey Maka, someone is here to see you."

Thinking it was her, annoying as hell father, Maka swung the door open and was surprised to see Kilik's smiling face looking at her. Immediately his dark skin blushed pink and he said, "You look pretty." That's when Maka looked down and realized that she was in pajama shorts and one of her old, ratty shirts, and her hair probably looked like a bird's nest.

"Kilik, what's up?" she asked, embarrassed. She noticed his two weapons, Pot of Fire and Pot of Thunder giggling uncontrollably behind him. She glowered at them.

"Oh I was just wondering if you possibly wanted to go out to dinner with me tomorrow night? It could be fun," he said with a smile.

Maka was taken aback. She had been asked to dinner before, but never by anyone she really knew or particularly liked. It could be fun… Then she made up her mind. "Sure, that would fun."

"Really? I mean great! I'll pick you up at around 6:30 tomorrow if that's ok with you?"

"Sure, I'll see you then," she smiled back at him.

Kilik's grin widened as he said "Awesome." He turned around and started walking away as the twins followed him giving each other a high-five. Maka shut the door and turned towards the kitchen. Her stomach grumbled as she took out a plate and started to make lunch, sense it was too late for breakfast.

"What's up with Kilik?" muttered Soul as he gulped down milk out of the carton. His ghost white hair was messy as usual and his blood red eyes stared at her with mild interest.

"You know, Soul, its rude to drink right out of the carton, I want to drink that milk too and I don't want your added drool." She rolled her eyes. "And Kilik just wanted to go to dinner with me tomorrow." She added happily.

Soul straightened up and gulped down the remaining milk in his mouth. Then he asked stiffly, "Like on a date or somethin'?"

"Ya," she said.

"Why'd you say yes," Soul growled, "it's not like you've ever said yes to anyone else before." It was true that Maka had been asked out a number of times, especially since she had "developed." Her hips had become much wider in the last couple of years and her breasts had become quite a bit larger.

"I don't know why I said yes," she replied. "But it's not like when the other guys have asked me, he's a good friend so maybe it'll be different. I guess I trust him more than I trust a random guy."

"Maka, today is the night you are supposed to cook though…" he said. His voice was strained and his body tensed.

"Soul, just order out, " she said as she turned her back to him to munch down on her cereal. As she waited for his reply she realized he hadn't even moved. "Soul?" As she asked this he whirled around and stomped off angrily to his room then slammed his door roughly.

Maka tilted her head at his sudden outburst. It was so unlike Soul to lose his cool, so she shuffled over to his door and tentatively rapped on the wood.

"Soul, is something bothering you?" she asked gently. The only reply was a loud crash inside his room. "Soul you can tell me anything." She finished.

It was at that moment Soul burst through the door struggling to put on his favorite leather jacket and Maka noticed his motorcycle keys dangling from his fingers. As he roughly shouldered past her she felt his soul spark with feeling such as anger and betrayal. The feelings were so strong that she took a step back, cringing.

"No I can't tell you," he spat at her before he kicked on his shoes and pushed past the front door. Maka was still standing in the same place by Soul's door as she heard the familiar rumble of a certain bright yellow motorcycle start then speed off down the street.

It was a while before she recovered from the shock of what had happened and walked to the kitchen to pick up her phone. She dialed Soul's number, which she knew from memory so she never had to use caller i.d. After three or four rings it went to voicemail. Anger flared inside her chest when she realized he had saw her call and ignored it. The beep sounded loudly in her ear and she blurted out, "Soul, what the hell? Come home now so we can talk! I know something is up and I need to tell me what it is!" She hung up the phone and smashed it down on the counter.

Maka plopped down onto the couch and slid her hands over her face. She massaged her temple in anticipation of her oncoming migraine. After a couple more angry voice messages on Soul's phone Maka began to get ready for her date with Kilik.

She picked out a navy blue dress that hugged her body, showing off the curves and breasts she had gotten over the years. It ruffled around her knees and had a velvet black bow tied about her waste. She looked in the mirror with satisfaction. I really have grown up, she thought to herself.

She picked up her phone and made one last call to Soul. "Well Soul, I'm heading off to dinner, so I probably wont be around when you get home. I made you some spaghetti, it's in the fridge you just have to put it in the microwave." Just then the doorbell rang out. "There's Kilik, listen Soul we are going to talk when you get back!" she said sternly before hanging up.

Just as Maka opened the door to greet Kilik, who was dressed in a pale blue dress shirt and black pants, she heard the mirror in her bathroom ring.

"Hey Kilik hold on just a second, ok?" Maka asked.

"No problem," he said warmly. He had his hands in his pockets and he was slouching lazily against the door.

He looks so much like Soul right now, she thought, but not as handsome. She shook her head violently before jogging to the bathroom. She was freaking out, why did she think that?

She answered the mirror to see Death excitedly bouncing up and down. "Hello, hello Maka! How goes it?"

"Fine sir, how are you?" she replied with a smile.

"Great, I just wanted to inform you that you and Soul have a mission together." She felt herself flush in anger at the sound of Soul's name. If Lord Death noticed he didn't let on. "You will be leaving tomorrow morning. The one you are fighting is a powerful witch named Mantis. Blackstar and Kid will be tagging along as well. I want you to work as a team." Maka noticed Kilik beckoning to her from outside the bathroom.

After saying goodbye to Death she headed towards the front door just as Death finished, "Be careful Maka, this is like nothing you have done before." Of course she missed that.