Ch 1

The night was warm. Almost too warm but compared to the oppressive heat of day, the evening air was quite refreshing. Lights and music drifted over the city from Shibusen perched high above the buildings. The music was accented by the sounds of excited babble and laughter that became more audible as one drew closer to the unique school. The source of the excitement was a large ballroom with a huge open air balcony located about halfway up one of Shibusen's towers. It was a new year at the school and once again after the new students had a chance to get acquainted, a formal was held in this ballroom to officially welcome the newcomers. Students dressed to the nines mingled and laughed the night away while sharing the excitement of beginning their new lives. Most had already found their partners but this formal also served the dual purpose of allowing the stragglers to find their partners as well.

Off to the side of the large white and black marble ballroom stood a beautiful black Grand Piano. On the matching bench sat a white-haired youth. He sat facing the instrument; his red eyes stared at the piano but didn't seem to see it. Soul Evans heaved a sigh and tried not to think about the irony he was drowning in. He had come to Shibusen to escape these exact two things and here he found himself faced with both again. The party had made him feel uncomfortable. It was so eerily similar to every other formal event he had been forced to attend that he had instinctively sought refuge with the only other thing in the room he was familiar with. This proved to be an unwise move as the majestic black polished wood seemed to stand as a monument to everything he was trying to leave behind.

Just this morning he thought he might finally be free of his first-class raising. The school officials had asked for his name and he was delighted to find he could put down anything he wished. The last thing he wanted was for anyone to know he was an "Evans" but he loved his first name, so, without hesitation, he put down 'Soul Eater', a new name for a new life. Or so he had thought. The day hadn't gone smoothly. It was full of awkward meetings and questions none of which resulted in a meister. What was worse was he seemed to already have a fan club of squealing ditzy girls. Even now he could feel their eyes boring into his back and hear their whispers even though he pretended not to notice.

Maybe it really was futile. Maybe he would never be able to escape. He Grit his shark-like teeth and resisted the uncool urge to pound his fists on the piano keys. Maybe he should go and get some air on the balcony… He swung around and was going to get up but instead found himself face to face with a girl; a girl he recognized. He had seen her around earlier in the day but they hadn't spoken. She startled him but he regained his composure quickly, determined to remain cool. In the short awkward silence he took the opportunity to get a good look at her. She was thin, lanky and had no chest to speak of. She didn't have much sex appeal, but she was captivating in her own way. She was wearing a white simple dress. It had a square neck and spaghetti straps and fell simply to her mid-calf where it was accented with a simple but elegant ruffle. Her hair was the color of tarnished gold and shone in the lamplight. It was pulled up into a pair of loosely curled pigtails that spiraled lazily to meet her shoulders. Her most striking feature was her eyes. They were big and innocent looking but also full of determination. What took his breath away was their color. They were a beautiful, shining forest green; a perfect compliment to his own crimson orbs. They stared at each other for a moment before she spoke.

"Hi. I'm Maka. I'm a meister.

"Soul Eater, weapon." Soul responded. He wasn't really sure why but he turned back to the piano. Something about this girl compelled him to play. "This is the kind of guy I am." Then he began to play. He played in the dark Gothic style that defined him so well. He poured his heart and soul into this one song. The song turned out so dark and foreboding it sent chills up his spine. When he was finished, he sighed and turned around again expecting the girl to be gone. To his surprise, she was still there. He gave her a bored look and waited patiently for her response.

"Wow. I don't really get it but I liked it." She said with a smile. Soul's jaw dropped. She had to be kidding. What was there to 'get'? This girl obviously had no clue about music… Perfect. Maybe there was still hope for his escape.

"I saw you practicing earlier today. You're a scythe, right?"

"Ya…"

"I'm going to make the most powerful Death Scythe ever. Would you like to be partners?" She asked while extending her hand. This was perfect. A meister who knew nothing about music and had a strong goal, this was just what he needed to leave his old life behind completely. The fact that she was pretty cute too was just another bonus.

"Sure, sounds cool." He said while taking her hand. Now his new life had truly begun.