A/N: Hello there, welcome to the story, minna-san! Irasshaimase? Although this isn't a restaurant or a shop. Oh well. I use some random Japanese words in here, so let me just tell you straight out if you don't know:
Ohayo: Good morning
Okaa-san: Mother
Baka: Stupid, Idiot, Fool, et cetera.
Hai: Yes
Ittekimasu: Roughly, 'I'm leaving now.'
Itterashai: Once again, roughly, 'Have a good day.'
Sensei: Teacher
"Ohayoooooooo~" trilled Spirit Albarn, clasping his hands to his cheeks with glee. His beautiful daughter Maka was beginning her high school career at the Shinigami Weapon Meister Academy today, and what a gorgeous day it was! The sun was shining, there wasn't a cloud in the clear blue sky, birds were singing-
Birds were floating past his vision as his beautiful daughter Maka attacked him with a conveniently-placed book causing him to get incredibly dizzy...
"Shut up, Papa. I'm up already," Maka said coldly, straightening her black overcoat and triple-checking that her elaborate boots were strapped up past her ankles.
"Oh, you called me your Papa! Oh, Maka, dearest, I am so happy~"
"I'll hit you again."
"Oh, my beautiful daughter is growing up so fast, she's so strong~"
"Shut up, Papa!"
"Okay..."
Maka adjusted her pigtails in her bedroom mirror and sighed as her Papa ran out of the room, most likely to fix up a lovingly-made but terrible-tasting bento for her lunch.
Today was her first day at the SWMA, and she was extraordinarily nervous. She had always dreamed of earning her white stripes and the official Shinigami uniform...ahh, it would be so wonderful to be working beside Death himself...
"Maakaaaa~ Don't forget your bento, dear~" Spirit called from downstairs.
"Yes, Papa," she replied unenthusiastically, giving her appearance the once-over one last time. She had to give a good impression, Death would be at the opening ceremony giving a speech. Of course, she would listen with the utmost attention and probably take notes.
Maka went downstairs, picked up her bento from the kitchen, and peeked at the contents. Her nose was assaulted with the horribly strong smell of vinegar. Her Papa had a current obsession with pickled vegetables, which Maka absolutely hated. Some stupid slutty woman he saw at the Chupa Cabra mentioned she loved them, and, of course, her Papa immediately went on a shopping trip.
She would stop at the local convenience store and pick up a ready-made bento from there, without anything pickled. Disgusting. Maka would throw away the contaminated homemade bento in the garbage.
"Hey, get up, Soul, you have school today," said Wes Evans, attempting to shake his still-dozing younger brother awake. "Get up, or I'll get some nice, cold water..."
"Ugh," Soul groaned, "school is so uncool."
"Well, you're lucky Mom didn't force you to go to that private music college like she was planning. She's letting you become a Shinigami, so get up or I'll tell her you changed your mind and want to start up piano again." Wes opened Soul's bedroom shades, and sunlight filtered through the large windows.
Soul covered his eyes, shielding them from the bright light. "Fine, fine..." He yawned and got up out of bed, stretching. "Man, I'm so tired...I shouldn't have stayed up talking to Eruka last night..."
"Who, your long distance giiirrlllfrriieennnd?" Wes teased.
"No, Wes, I told you, she's just a friend. You know that. Now shut up before I smack you."
"Oooh, scary. Now get up or I really will tell Mom!"
"Baka," Soul complained softly. He really missed his best friend Eruka Frog. The Evans family had moved only a few months ago at the beginning of summer vacation, leaving Eruka, Soul's only friend, behind. Soul had, of course, been devastated, but with the wonderful invention of technology he'd stayed up until one in the morning video chatting with her. She was training to be a witch, and she was starting her witch high school today, too. He felt kind of bad-Eruka was bound to be tired, too.
He got dressed, put on his usual headband in a weak attempt to tame his spiky white hair, and stared at himself. "Lookin' cool, buddy," he said to his reflection, before going downstairs.
"Ohayo, Okaa-san," he said when he saw his mother out of the corner of his eye. He would skip breakfast, cool people didn't need fuel. They survived on the very essence of their awesomeness. Soul cracked his knuckles casually before grabbing his backpack.
Soul froze. He forgot his mother was in the room with him.
"Soul, no!" she wailed. "Don't crack your knuckles, you'll have ugly hands! And you won't be able to play piano anymore, oh, that would be a travesty with your talent...your gorgeous, long, slim fingers...oh, my, please tell me you won't do that ever again, Soul!"
"Hai, Okaa-san. Ittekimasu," he said, walking out the door. He cracked his thumb knuckle quietly in a small act of rebellion. Cool people were rebellious, after all.
"Now, son, the opening ceremony is today, and I really don't know why you're insisting on going to the SWMA when I own it and I am the principal of the school and I am perfectly capable of teaching you on my own..." Death said, anxiously fiddling with his skull mask.
"It's okay, dad, you have work to do. Plus, this'll be good for me. I don't have any friends, after all. Maybe I'll meet some good people," Death the Kid said enthusiastically, and then got more serious. "The school is completely symmetrical in its entirety, I assume?"
"Of course, son," Death reassured his son.
Death the Kid felt as if a huge weight was lifted off his chest, and sighed heavily with relief. "Oh, thank goodness. I was worried I would have to deal with asymmetry, and, well, I honestly can't deal with it at all."
"I know. You have a lot of potential, son, and you have a large advantage over the other students. I hope you realize that."
Death the Kid nodded, and before heading out, checked his dark hair in the mirror. He imagined the day when it would be embellished with three white stripes, the mark of a powerful Shinigami. How amazing that would feel.
"See you at the ceremony, Otou-san. Ittekimasu."
"Itterashai."
Maka looked at the other students around her with a critical eye from her seat in the very front row. There was a white-haired boy who looked like he didn't care one bit about the opening ceremony, a very stressed-looking boy with dark hair and a sweaty face chewing on his fingernails, a pretty girl with black hair in a high ponytail, and two sisters with blonde hair. There was an empty seat on the end that the pretty black-haired girl placed a pale hand on, supposedly saving it for another student.
None of them were as serious as Maka was. She whipped out her notepad and a pencil from her backpack and sat at the ready. The white-haired boy burst out into laughter beside her.
"And what are you doing?" he chuckled, grinning. His teeth were sharp, like a shark's.
Maka backed up slightly, before mumbling, "I'm just going to take some notes."
"Hahaha, nerd!" the boy laughed, before sticking his hand out. "I'm Soul. Soul Eater Evans. Who're you? Let's be good friends, 'kay?"
Maka was a bit taken aback by his behavior. Calling her a nerd, and then expecting her to accept his handshake and apparent want for friendship? She placed her hand carefully in his and shook it firmly, professionally, and let go after an allotted time of about two seconds. "I'm Maka Albarn. Nice to meet you, Soul."
"Yeah, let's have a good year, Maka."
The stage they sat in front of brightened suddenly, and Death, wearing his typical black robes concealing every inch of his body and skull mask, boomed, "Hello, new and returning students! Welcome to the Shinigami Weapon Meister Academy! As you all know, this is the place where wannabe Shinigami train to earn their white stripes and improve their techniques! Eventually, you'll all have black hair with white stripes, how silly, isn't it? Otherwise the white wouldn't look as striking, see, it's part of being a Shinigami. Even if you try to dye it, well, it won't work! Dye doesn't stick, you see, even though I myself would quite like to be a redhead, oh, that would look nice, I think. Oh, my, I'm rambling. But yes, yes, welcome, welcome. This will be your new home, so enjoy! Get your dorm and room assignments from the teachers standing at the exit, please! Girls go to Marie-sensei and boys to Sid-sensei, ne? See you all very soon!" At that, Death disappeared in a poof of smoke.
Maka fiddled nervously with her fingers. This would indeed be interesting.
