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Chapter 2: Contests and Contentment

She was situated on the back of Soul's gaudy yellow and orange bike, holding on for dear life as they careened through the narrow alleys and walkways of Death City. Most days, she enjoyed riding with him, taking the opportunity to wrap her arms around his waist, and indulge smell of his leather jacket. So, this morning when they had been running late and he'd offered to take them on his bike to make up some time, she had readily agreed. As he made a hairpin turn at breakneck speed, she was regretting her decision while contemplating her escape route.

'Swing leg over back of bike, brace both feet and launch self towards anywhere that looks like it will make a soft landing. Use stupid Weapon partner's head as launch point if necessary.'

It was hard to tell with the wind in her ears and the bumpy ride down the cobblestone path, but she was pretty sure he was laughing.

Soul, meanwhile, was having way too much fun. He'd just tuned up his bike and it was purring. He hadn't meant to drive like a maniac all the way to school, he'd just wanted to check out how it accelerated when they'd pulled out of the apartment parking lot. The feel of Maka's arms tightening around him and the way she'd pressed herself into his back had changed that. As he accelerated up the pedestrian walkway he couldn't help but laugh at the way she clung on even tighter.

They arrived at the campus just as the bell was sounding. She practically launched herself off the back of the bike so she could properly glare at him as he shut it off.

"See? Not late" he casually remarked, engaging the kick stand. Ignoring the fact that they were supposed to be physically in class now.

"Eater, you are so lucky that the History of the Soul final is this afternoon and not this morning," she growled, while jogging up the steps towards the building.

"Wait, that's today?"

She stopped and gaped at him, "Yes that's today, I've been studying all weekend. What did you think I was doing?"

"You always have your nose buried in a book. How was I supposed to know you were studying?" He shrugged, catching up to her on the steps.

"Didn't you look at the exam schedule that was posted last week?"

"Yeah, the finals start next Monday."

"No, THIS Monday! Today! Soul, have you studied at all?" At least, he had the sense to look sheepish as he shrugged.

'I will not chop him, I will not chop him.' She had been trying really hard lately to control her temper and not resort to "The Maka Chop". Today was looking like it was going to test her resolve. "Fine! We'll study at lunch. Let's get to Phys Ed already."

Maka was pissed. She was going to have to spend her lunch hour in Soul Resonance with her partner while speed reading her notes. They had discovered this trick when she had insisted on them testing their Soul Resonance endurance, they had been at it for a few hours when she'd decided to test her focus by reading one of her textbooks. Soul had described the feeling as having the information 'beamed directly into his brain'. They'd used this method to study in the past. It allowed him to cover more material because she could read faster than him and he seemed to retain it better then when he was trying to study on his own. Maka suspected it had more to do with him being forced to focus than anything else.

She didn't mind helping him study. The DWMA used a complex algorithm to combine Meister and Weapon team grades and a bad final grade for him would pull hers down as well. But she was not impressed with the fact that he hadn't studied at all. She'd worked hard on studying this weekend and she would have rather had a relaxing lunch.

They had arrived nearly 15 minutes late to Phys Ed class. Nygus had reprimanded them, saying that just because it was the last class didn't give them the right to show up whenever they felt like it. The saving grace of the day was that because it was the last class today they were having a sparring tournament to determine who was the best at unarmed hand to hand combat. The gym floor was completely covered in foam matting and extra faculty had been called in to help referee the matches, even Kid had showed up to observe.

After spending the weekend cooped up in her room and the aggravating morning with Soul, she was looking forward to working off some aggression. That was probably how she managed to work her way to the final round while barely breaking a sweat.

In the final round, she was facing Patti, no surprise there. Patti would pose a challenge. She was a weapon and as such more physiologically durable than herself. Sparring with Patti was like fighting a wild animal if that wild animal had crazy eyes and laughed the entire time. She was fast and unpredictable. That's how she had bested Soul in the prior round. Soul was almost methodical in his fighting style. He analyzed and strategized. It made them a good team. When they fought together, he was able to think things through because she was paying attention to dodging and attacking in the moment. Against Patti, his deliberateness had allowed her to blindside him.

The class was gathered around at a "safe distance". Soul smiled at her, a look that conveyed his confidence in her abilities. Kid was silent as he stood next to Liz who was obnoxiously hooting, "Kick her ass, Patti!".

Maka made sure that her braid was still securely coiled at her neck. Patti could be ruthless when she was pushed and wasn't above hair pulling. The pair faced each other in the center of the circle and Maka inclined her head slightly. A gesture that Patti reciprocated. Nygus announced the start of the match.

Patti charged at her, all crazy eyes and maniacal laughter, swinging a fist towards her face. Maka deflected the blow with one arm and brought the other arm across, grabbing Patti by her upper arm intending to flip the still laughing girl. Maka was momentarily distracted by her Soul Perception pinging off a pair of familiar souls. She saw the foot headed for her ribs at the last second, releasing Patti and spinning to deflect most of the force of the blow. They landed facing each other and attacked simultaneously, exchanging blows, both landing some but mostly deflecting. All the while, they increased the speed of their moves trying to outpace each other. Maka managed to finally land a solid kick, forcing Patti back and rushed her.

This was the trick to fighting Patti, don't think too much. Meet her manic ferocity head on. Patti attempted to slow her with a right hook, but Maka caught it and swung her own right hook back at her. When Patti raised her free arm to block, Maka grabbed it as well. She had her now. Without slowing, Maka leaped up, flipping so that she was momentarily looking down at the weapon's upturned face, matching Patti's crazy eyes with her own insanity inspired grin before finishing the rotation using the momentum to toss her. As she bounced across the padded gym floor Maka pursued. Patti could be a dirty fighter and Maka needed to make sure she didn't get a chance to catch her breath and regroup.

She wasn't fast enough. Before Maka could catch up, Patti was already on her feet. Maka transferred the momentum of her run into a kick aimed at Patti's ribs. Patti dodged, grabbing Maka's ankle and slamming her into the mat, hard. Maka gasped, opening her eyes just in time to see Patti's fist coming straight for her face. She rolled away. The sound of Patti's fist impacting the mat next to her head told Maka that that had been no sparring blow.

Maka was crouched a short distance from Patti, reassessing the situation. Patti's fist was still deeply pressed into the mat where her head had been. The tone of the match had changed. Gone were the crazy eyes and maniacal laughter. Patti's jaw was locked, eyes cold and calculating. This was Patti at her deadliest. The side of her that had allowed her to survive in Brooklyn. Maka had pushed her and Patti had responded. She'd need to be more careful now. This Patti didn't hold back. Chancing a quick glance past Patti to assess her surroundings, Maka realized how far they had ended up from where they had started. The rest of the class stood frozen, as if in shock, gaping at them. Nygus was only now crossing the length of the gym, Soul, Liz, and Kid a few steps behind her. For now, she was on her own.

In her moment of distraction, Maka barely saw Patti as she swung her leg down, intent on driving her heel into Maka's shoulder. Maka used her crouched position to spring backward, standing just in time to dodge a series of punches. Between blocks, Maka countered, striking out at Patti's face and stomach. Maka landed more than a few hits while deflecting all of Patti's, but it didn't slow the other girl. Her relentless attacks were forcing her back towards the wall. The intent was clear, trap her against the wall where she wouldn't be able to effectively dodge. Maka could try and redirect the fight now, but that would only drag things out. Patti was focused. Maka could probably punch her all day and never gain any ground. She needed an opening and some space to use a more forceful attack. She saw what she was looking for in Patti's overly square stance. Patti was a Weapon endowed with all the strength and durability that it entailed, but it also limited her combat experience.

Maka began to alternate her attacks and blocks using her speed to move excessively left and right with each one, allowing Patti to force her back towards the wall. Each time Maka moved, Patti would widen her stance intent on keeping the smaller girl trapped. When Maka's back hit the wall she was confused at the surge of fear she felt. This was all going according to plan after all. Patti loomed, fist pulled back to deliver a finishing blow, stance almost comically wide. Maka used the fear, letting it show on her face encouraging Patti to make her move. As Patti swung, Maka dropped, using the wall to propel herself between Patti's legs. On her way through, she kicked the back of Patti's knee, causing that leg to buckle and her to fall forward hitting her face on the wall where Maka had been. She took the opportunity to put some distance between her and Patti, leaping backward past Nygus, then Liz, Kid, and Soul, winking at her partner on the way by. The fear she had felt evaporated with Soul's approving grin.

When Patti faced her, Maka could tell her move had the desired effect. She was angry, but angry was infinitely better than cold and calculating. She'd won this match, now she just had to finish it. Maka let her insanity inspired grin from earlier slip back onto her face as Patti charged her. Maka stood her ground, grinning and completely still. Patti swung her fist at Maka who grabbed her wrist while simultaneously rotating and using all her own strength and Patti's momentum to throw her as hard as she could. She'd barely released her hold and she was already pursuing her, running as fast as she could. They sailed past the rest of the class and past the two familiar souls she'd recognized earlier, one letting out a loud cheer of her name as she charged by. She didn't spare them a glance, too intent on her opponent as Patti began tumbling to a stop on the opposite side of the gym from where they had just been.

This time, when Patti came to a stop on the mat, Maka was there, her clenched fist raised and ready, with Patti pinned to the floor beneath her.

"Uncle…you win." Patti gasped. Maka waited for Nygus to declare the winner, then remembered that they had effectively crossed the entire length of the gym in a matter of seconds. "Uncle! Maka come on get off me, I give up" Patti pouted.

Maka knew this ploy, the match was still active until Nygus declared a winner. "Say it louder Patti, so everyone can hear."

"No fair…" Patti pouted again, then the crazy eyes were back and Maka prepared herself for the attack.

"MAKA WINS!" Patti screamed so loud and so shrill that Maka swore she could feel her teeth vibrate in her skull.

From a distance she heard Nygus repeat the words and only then did Maka relax and stand, offering Patti her hand.

"You ok?" Maka asked, casting an assessing eye over her friend, checking for any permanent damage.

"I'm fine" she singsonged, taking Maka's hand. "It was fun, let's do it again."

"Patti, you are crazy," Maka laughed shaking her head, "Let's go say hi to BlackStar and Tsubaki"

"They're here?!" and she was off running wildly towards where the students had gathered around BlackStar, who was showing off his martial arts prowess while boasting to Kid. Tsubaki stood off to the side obviously engaged in conversation with Soul and Liz, breaking it off momentarily to send her a warm smile and a wave.

On her way to join the group, Maka was intercepted by Nygus.

"Congratulations Maka. You did great on your final exam. The top mark."

"Huh?"

"That was the final exam. You would have known this had you been on time" She sent Maka a meaningful look before walking away. Maka considered going after her to see how Soul had ranked, but was cut off by BlackStar casually swinging his arm over her shoulder, and ruffling her hair.

"You know the only reason you got the top mark was because you didn't have to fight the Great Bushin!"

"Too bad you were late then." She replied shrugging him off and heading over to where everyone was making plans for lunch.

This was the first time in months they'd all been together. Liz and Patti were often away from the DWMA with Kid. The world having a Lord Death that could actually travel meant that Kid was often away from the DWMA, speaking to different heads of state. The truce with the witches, the black moon and the coronation of a new Lord Death had caused a good amount of unrest that still lingered two years later. People, in general, were not good with change.

Black Star and Tsubaki were enrolled in a "Customized Academic Curriculum" because BlackStar had gotten too powerful and obnoxious to try and contain in a classroom. They were usually somewhere in the world training with different Meisters or Weapons. Tsubaki completed school work through correspondence and BlackStar just needed to be in the classroom during major exams to ensure a passing grade.

Maka and Soul had been offered a similar arrangement, but she'd declined. At the time, she had been wholly focused on trying to find a way help Crona and she didn't want to lose access to the DWMA's library. After months of research, Maka came to the conclusion that what she really needed was access to all of Medusa's research. Unfortunately, it had been destroyed in a fire that had consumed her research facility. She still held out hope that one day she would be able to help Crona, but for now, she had exhausted her resources. She did a good job hiding it, but her guilt ate at her whenever she looked at the night sky.

There were times she regretted not enrolling in the Customized Curriculum. Usually, when she witnessed how much BlackStar's skills had progressed. BlackStar, who was currently hovered three feet off the ground next to her, giving her his "I'm BlackStar and I'm awesome" grin.

"Jeez Maka, I think you shrunk while I was away. You're even tinier than I remember." He teased.

Maka rolled her eyes "I swear if you hover next to me during the test this afternoon I am going to Maka Chop you through the floor."

He laughed and landed on his feet in front of her. "You'd have to catch me first." He started jogging ahead, glancing over his shoulder at her an obvious indication that she was to try to catch him. Maka refused to rise to the bait. He'd probably just end up speeding up at the last second or hovering in the air out of her reach, and she didn't feel like looking like a fool today.

Soul made sure to find a nice tree to sit under, positioning himself so he was leaning against it with his legs stretched out in front of him. June in Nevada was scorching hot, but today there was a cool breeze and in the shade of the tree it was comfortable. Maka was in the cafeteria grabbing them some food for lunch. He hadn't planned this. He'd been sure the final exams started next week. He felt a little bad for having to skip out on their friends, but they had reassured that they were all planning on being in Death City for at least a few weeks this time. He wasn't that sorry though. A nice lunch spent in Soul Resonance with his Meister did sound pretty good.

He enjoyed resonating with her. After so many years as partners they were constantly in a low level of resonance, a constant effortless link existed between them giving him an instinctive awareness of her. He'd nicknamed it Maka-Dar. It was like having quiet background music playing. Maybe he couldn't hear every note and sometimes he'd forget it was there, but it was always there. When she'd get closer it was as if the music got closer without becoming louder.

They could increase the link by intentionally resonating, like when studying, it allowed him to hear what she was thinking and vice versa, although at times strong emotions would slip through. They could use it to have a conversation if they chose to, but didn't do it often as there was no way to filter what the other person heard. It did prove useful if they needed to be subtle. They had used it once to strategize when they came across a well-disguised pre-kishin at a very busy night market. Not wanting to tip off the target or the people around them, they had allowed the back of their hands to touch slightly, establishing higher resonance to form a plan of attack.

This paled in comparison to the extreme resonance rate that they engaged in during battle. When they battled, they were practically one soul in two bodies. He had access to her skills in Soul Perception, allowing him to use his dark keyboard to its full effectiveness. She was able to use him to channel her wavelength into killer blows, witch-hunter, genie-hunter those were all her, he was just the amplifier and conduit. While in battle he could hear her thoughts, feel her emotions, and keep track of any damage she took. He could tell if she was hurt and how bad, although she could often keep fighting long past the point he would think possible. She was one tough woman and she was on her way over.

Maka tossed a wax paper wrapped sandwich and a bottle of water at him before plunking down next to him. Her hair was loose and still a little damp from the showers.

"Ham and cheese, it's all they had that was easily portable."

"Thanks" He responded around a mouth full of half-chewed sandwich.

They ate lunch quickly in a comfortable silence. Once they'd finished she pulled out her stack of notes and shocked him by lying down on the grass resting her head on his thigh. She smiled up at him and explained that if she was going to spend her lunch helping him cram for a test she was, at least going to be comfortable doing it. He felt her wavelength brush against his and they slipped into resonance. She began reading her notes silently and he could hear her voice in his head. He focused, picking up on important points because her voice would "feel" stronger. When he didn't understand something she was answering his question before he could even form it. This was why he did better on tests when they studied this way.

After a few pages of notes, he was thrown off by a soft moan that rippled through his mind and abruptly realized he had started running his hands through her hair, gently dragging his fingernails across her scalp. He jerked his hand away, embarrassed, 'Shit, get it together Soul, she's not a cat.' Her voice giggled in his head and his embarrassment reached new levels when he realized he might as well have said that out loud.

'Don't worry about it Soul….it's nice…you can keep doing it….if you want?'

He noticed her decrease the resonance slightly, she was blushing and intently focused on the notes. He couldn't get too hung up on deciding if this was a good idea or not. She might be able to hear any internal debate. Her small smile confirmed that. Soul went with his first impulse which was to return his fingers to her scalp, increasing the link to where it had been. As Maka started reading again, he could faintly pick up a pleasant buzz of something he could only describe as contentment but he couldn't be sure if it was his or hers.