Chapter 2 – Dormitory Madness!

Good afternoon! This is the new DWMA student, and weapon of Maka Albarn, Harudori Tsugumi ... Me. Orientation has wrapped up, and although we were held up a bit earlier, Maka and I have parted ways with Black*Star, and are now heading over to the girls dorm where I'm going to be living from now on. A nice senpai is showing us new students the way, though I really wonder if Maka needs the tour since she's been at school for a while already... Surely she already lives in the dorms?

"You'll love the girl's dorm Tsugumi." Maka said as they walked side by side behind the other new girls. "It's practically a mansion, and it's fully stocked for the student's basic needs."

"Have you been living there for long Maka? I know you're a returning student but how long...?" Tsugumi trailed off. Maka shrugged sheepishly.

"Oh right... I haven't told you yet; I was born and raised here in Death City, so I've been living at home before now." Tsugumi stumbled.

"You live here? Are you really a legacy student or something?" Maka rubbed the back of her neck.

"Yeah, both of my parents graduated and joined the DWMA straight away together as partners. Mama normally isn't in the city since she travels all over the world for missions though..." She looked away at the market stands they passed. "My papa is permanently assigned as a part of the DWMA here so my house is really close to the school. It was honestly more convenient than the dorms." Tsugumi looked at Maka thoughtfully, it seemed her new friend was holding something back but she didn't want to pry.

"Uh... Then why are you coming with us to the dorms?" Maka blinked.

"Oh right, you wouldn't know. Here in DWMA partners are encouraged to live together in order to promote soul resonance. Since we're both girls that means we'll share a room in the girl's dorm." Tsugumi flustered.

"Then w-what if we were boy and girl?!" She waved her arms in embarrassment.

"Usually the school rents them an apartment. The girls and boys dorms are completely banned to the opposite sex after all." Maka shrugged. "If they didn't do that the dorms would become overcrowded really quickly." Tsugumi fought down her blush. 'Thank goodness I didn't partner up with a boy by mistake. I couldn't imagine being able to live with a boy!'

"Here we are everyone!" The senpai called out. "That's the DWMA Girl's Dormitory." Tsugumi took in the dorm with wide eyes. "Remember that asides from what's needed for basic comfort, you'll need to pay for food and other personal items with your school allowance."

"Even considering food and other things, $200 a week seems a bit excessive..." Tsugumi looked at the manila envelope in her hands doubtfully.

"That just means you can save more for later Tsugumi." Maka chimed helpfully. "This way you could even save up to visit Japan every holiday, especially if you take one of the school offered part-time jobs." Tsugumi smiled at that.

"That's true, I had worried that going back home would strain my parents financially but with this...!" The idea made Tsugumi hum happily.


Tsugumi spun excitedly looking at the dorm as she walked into the dorm. It was spacious and tastefully decorated. Tsugumi spotted a small girl sitting on a plush couch, cards strewn across the coffee table, and wander over to her curious.

"I'm going to foretell your day." The girl said in monotone.

"Hello?" Tsugumi said back. The girl bowed her head in acknowledgement and bean to shuffle her cards.

"Oh I see you've found Kana Altair, she's our resident divination expert." The senpai leading the tour chimed.

"I have seen it..." The girl intoned as she pulled card out, it was called The Tower. "Calamity, be wary new girl..."

"Huh?" Tsugumi began to sweat nervously. 'Calamity, what does that even mean? What's going to happen to me...?'

"Don't think to hard about it Tsugumi. There's no way I'd let something like that happen to you!" Maka said pumping her fist. Kana huffed and brought out a second card, waving it at Maka's face, it was The Bull. Maka clenched her teeth in anger. "There isn't even a card like that in the Tarot!" She snapped at Kana. Kana responded with another huff and a third card, The Go Home.


"Ok I'll show you the rest of the facilities." The two followed after her.

"We share the kitchen and bathrooms here." Maka took a peek at the cutlery and tableware.

"Wow, all this stuff looks like antiques." She mused.

"Is it really alright for them to be giving students access to such nice things?" Tsugumi wondered. "What if we broke something?"

"Any dormitory property broken by students is replaced by the offending party." The senpai warned. "If you do break something the Superintendent will write up a bill for you and you'll have to work off the debt at a part-time job, so be careful."

"Right, careful it is." Maka said; backing away from the items, Tsugumi nodded in agreement.

"Speaking of the Dorm Super..." The senpai said waving over someone from the corridor. "This is her, Misery." A friendly looking woman walked over. Her hair was long brown, swept out of her face. She was dressed in a modest button up shirt and dress, and she had a pleasant smile on her face.

"It's nice to meet you. You can always find me in the Superintendent's Office on the first floor, so come see me if you need anything girls." Tsugumi thought she looked a very nice person. 'It's good to know our dorm super is such a good person.' She mused.

"It's nice to meet you ma'am." Misery looked at Tsugumi thoughtfully before flipping open the book in her hand. "Well I'll be in your care from now on. I'm Harudori Tsugumi."

"That's not how Mary introduces herself!" Misery screamed.

"What?" Tsugumi cried as Misery began shaking her furiously, fingers digging into her arms painfully.

"Come on Mary! Do it right this time, again!" Maka's fist met Misery's head with a resounded thump.

"Cut that out!" She said furiously as she put herself between Misery and Tsugumi. Mercifully their senpai snapped out of her shock and pushed Misery back into the corridor, ending the chance of a fight.

"I know Misery is a bit strange but don't let that bother you..." The senpai laughed nervously. Tsugumi clung to Maka. 'As I thought this school is definitely too high level for me...'


"Right, this is the floor you'll be living on. Since your partners you can share this room over here." The senpai said. Maka and Tsugumi noted the room number and then nodded. "Your things are here already so I'll leave you two to get sorted out ok?" The senpai said, already moving out the door.

"Thank you for your help senpai!" Tsugumi and Maka said in unison.

"Don't sweat it." She chimed before closing the door.

Tsugumi plopped herself onto her new bed with a pleased smile on her face, humming a tune. 'It's so soft and fluffy.'

So this is where I'll be living... I'm still uncertain, particularly after meeting the dorm superintendent, but with Maka here I'm sure everything will work out.

"I've never slept in a bed before; I wonder if I'll be able to sleep?" Tsugumi mused aloud.

"Oh you must have been using a futon before this right Tsugumi?" Maka asked, with her head tilted to the side.

"Yeah, there's a lot to get used to here. America is so different to Japan... But honestly it's exciting." Tsugumi answered. Maka hummed thoughtfully.

"I guess so; I've never been out of Death City myself so I wouldn't know." Maka said wistfully. "Though it would be nice to take the time to see other places I guess." Tsugumi blinked in surprise.

"You've never left the city? Not even for vacation?" Tsugumi questioned, and Maka hummed in agreement.

"Yeah, between mama's trips and papa being stuck here there's never been a good time." Maka said plainly. "But Death City is huge so it's not really an inconvenience, and with the mishmash of culture's I've never been short of variety. Everything that's anything ends up being represented here."

"Then you'll have to show me around Maka." Tsugumi clapped her hands in excitement. "I want to see it all!" Maka laughed.

"Now that's going to take ages!" She stood up off the bed. "Want to start with dinner? I know this great diner nearby that's on special tonight!" She asked.

"That sounds good to me!" Tsugumi grabbed her wallet as an afterthought as she leapt off the bed. "Lead the way Maka."


We ate out at the place Maka suggested with part of our new allowances. The food was great like Maka promised and I enjoyed spending time with her. And then we made our way back to our room, ready for bed before the first day of classes at the DWMA...

"I'm turning the lights off. Good night Maka." Tsugumi flipped the light switch and crawled into her bed. 'Today was such a big day... I was up and down all day... I can already feel myself drifting off...' A shadow caught Tsugumi's sleepy eyes. 'What's that...?' She mused sleepily; she opened her eyes further to get a better look. "Misery-san why are you here?" Tsugumi screamed out at the sight of the dorm super in front of her.

"I need to train you to be a proper Mary." Misery drawled as she leaned over Tsugumi menacingly.

"Ah! Get out!" Tsugumi struggled; only to find that she couldn't move as ropes bound around her blankets that had her wrapped up like a sushi roll. "Maka, wake up!" She cried, tears gathering in her eyes.

"Now, now Mary let's-" Misery was interrupted by a pillow slamming into her face.

"Shut up...!" Maka growled out, she was sitting upright, arm still extended from the throw. "I'm sleeping!" Misery turned to her.

"You would interfere again?!" Misery wailed in response. "Don't get between Mary and me!"

"Shut up...!" Maka growled one more. With that Maka threw herself out of bed, and rammed her foot into Misery's stomach knocking her back.

"Maka, Please help she's gone crazy!" Tsugumi cried. Unresponsive to her partner's plea Maka swayed from side to side.

"Tsugumi... I'm sleeping go to bed..." Maka murmured. Tsugumi sweat dropped. 'What? Don't tell me she's sleepwalking?!' Misery took this time to pick herself up.

"Well I didn't expect that..." She mused. "But a sleeping girl is easily taken care of!" Misery lunged at Maka; hammer in her hand swinging towards Maka's skull.

"Maka wake up! Dodge!" Tsugumi shrieked. 'Please be ok!' Maka fell into a crouch, the hammer missing her entirely, and her leg snapped out sweeping Misery's feet from under her.

"Get out... Get out of my room...!" Maka growled out. Her tiny fist slammed into Misery's cheek as she fell towards the ground causing her to slam into the door with a thud instead. "You're too noisy...!" Maka jumped forward towards Misery before she could recover, and with a final kick sent the door superintendent through the door, wood crunching ominously as it broke.

"Eh...?" Tsugumi whimpered, her senses fading.

"Goodnight Tsugumi..." Maka murmured as she stumbled her way back into her bed.


Tsugumi woke to the morning sun and a hand shaking her shoulder, her senses fuzzy. 'Please let it all have been a dream...' Alas, as she opened her eyes she found Maka leaning over her face scrunched up in concern, herself still bound by ropes, and a gaping Misery sized hole in the room's door.

"Tsugumi, are you alright? I'm dead as to what happened here." Maka said as she patiently undid the ropes.

"Eh?" Tsugumi exclaimed. "You how could you forget?" Maka's eyebrows crinkled in confusion.

"Well I must have slept through it all... Somehow..." Maka trailed off looking at the door. "I've always been a deep sleeper but this is a bit much even for me."


Tsugumi looked at herself in the misted bathroom mirror as she got ready for school. Her black hair a mess and her face white as the dorm room sheets. To Tsugumi's right Maka, who much to her consternation looked picture perfect as she brushed her hair, make her appearance seem even shabbier in comparison. Though the fierce glare Maka was giving the mirror proved the morning's events had managed to irritate her.

Even for a school that produces the world heroes this seems insane. I've only been a student of the DWMA a single day and night and I'm already at the end of my rope. The day has just started and Maka and I have already been called to the dorm superintendent's office to pay for the damage done to our dorm room... Though really Misery-san is just as guilty Maka... I need to get a grip! I am Harudori Tsugumi, aged 13... And Maka's partner!

With a huff of determination Tsugumi stared at herself in the mirror. 'I need to be better. I need to be like Maka... Like Maka...' And then it came to her, Tsugumi ruffled through her toiletry bag, pulling out her brush and a pair of hair ties.

"There we go!" Tsugumi beamed at herself, hair now in pigtails to match Maka's own style. "Not too shabby if I do say so myself..."

"You look cute Tsugumi." Maka grinned at her partner, her cheeks flushed a little bit. She seemed pleasantly embarrassed, Tsugumi thought to herself.