Someday
by. Poisoned Scarlett

Thanksgiving.

"One at a time!" Maka shouts at the top of her lungs, sighing when no one pays her any heed and just crowds around the table all at once. "One at a time, please! There's enough for everyone!" Maka hands a little girl a plate of food after taking her ticket stub, shoving it in the pocket of the light blue apron she wears over her long sleeved shirt. More hungry customers crowd around after the little girl leaves, all wanting their food now. Believe it or not, Maka volunteered to do this: take ticket stubs, hand out plates of food, get yelled at by hungry customers, yell at hungry costumers when they cut in line. There are tables with assortment of foods and desserts stretched out all down the town square, other food stands scattered down the snaking road, selling cotton candy and caramel-dipped apples and cheesy popcorn. Maka's sure all the residents of Death City are wandering the streets on this special day: Thanksgiving.

It's always like this during the evening but it won't be long before the streets thin out.

It won't be long before everyone heads back home to celebrate a more private Thanksgiving with their family, with their friends and even partners.

Her friends are mainly those who frequent the bank she works at for most of her days. But mostly, it was fellow clerk Liz Thompson, whom she had lunch with most days. But Maka knows they're not close enough for them to feel comfortable inviting her to dinner or anything of the sort and Maka is alright with it because she had never been one to crash parties like that. As for a partner, boyfriend, boy toy, whatever they're called nowadays, Maka hasn't had one since she was a Junior in high school and the thing about living in a small town is, when you break up, everyone knows. And when they find another girlfriend and end up marrying them, Maka thinks bemusedly, everyone looks at you sympathetically and offer their condolences.

As for family, she doesn't have one.

She did, once.

Now, she usually crashes the Harudori family parties, mainly because Tsugumi is a stubborn child and insists on having her there all the time. Her parents don't mind having her around but it's celebrations like these that Maka usually ditches.

This is a family event.

Maka isn't family.

To Tsugumi, it may feel like it, but honestly she's not. She has no business there, with her small friends loved and cherished ones. She always bails out on this holiday with the excuse of helping out around town because it's awkward to sit around people she doesn't know and watch them interact with each other so warmly. It's like this on Christmas, too, but that's another story for another time.

So that's why she's here handing out plates of food to greedy people who sometimes manage to snatch plates without her notice. The crowd stays like this for awhile, with Maka swatting away hungry hands and shouting for order. But once the line begins to thin out, order is momentarily restored. Maka smiles at a girl with long raven hair tied into a high ponytail who steps up with her ticket stubs held in both her hands nervously. She smiles sweetly, with a hint of trepidation, but upon seeing Maka's bright smile, her oceanic eyes light up with a kind warmth and she straightens up more confidently.

"What will you have, ma'am?" Maka asks.

"May I have three plates of turkey, ham, mashed potatoes with gravy please? Oh, and a side of gravy! Just gravy..."

"Sure! Three plates coming up!" Maka chirps, taking her ticket stub and preparing three plates for her. There's something rather strange about this girl, the aura she gives off. Maka doesn't quite understand how she knows this but she can feel it and Maka doesn't ignore her gut-feeling. It's gotten her out of sticky situations too many times to ignore it now. But instead of asking, Maka only continues filling up her plate with food. It's not her business, after all, but she does keep an eye on the otherwise kind girl.

"You…" The girl falters. She regains her courage when Maka looks at her curiously. "Are you Maka, by any chance?"

"Yep, that's me!" Maka cocks her head. "Have I met you somewhere before?"

"Oh, no!" The girl shakes her head fervently. "My name is Tsubaki Nakatsukasa. You haven't seen me but you visited the Evans manor for Halloween…"

"Oh! Yeah! Do you live there, too?" Maka asks, curiously.

"Yes, I'm the guard and cook there!" Tsubaki happily chirps, relieved to be able to speak someone without having them run away. Kid had spoken highly of her, Maka, and Tsubaki had been anxious to finally befriend someone without having to lie to them about what she really was.

"Guard?" Maka perks up. This girl looks like she couldn't hurt a fly! So sweet and innocent, there was no way she could hurt anyone! "Were you the one who made that cake, too? It was delicious!"

"Thank you!" Tsubaki beams. Her smile becomes a bit bashful. "I know I may not look like much but I do guard the manor along with my Meister."

"Meister—? Oh, then you must be a weapon!" Maka realizes. That explained a lot!

"Yes!" Tsubaki says, delighted. She didn't look a hint disturbed! M-maybe I can have a real friend now, Tsubaki thinks, heart bursting with glee. She knows and she's not scared! "Shadow Blade type!"

"Oh, wow… I've never met a weapon before," Maka admits. "One day, you have to show me!" Tsubaki beams and nods eagerly. She looks so normal, though! Like any other pretty town girl out with her family. There's nothing to tell you she can change into a deadly weapon at a seconds notice and this only makes Maka wonder even more. "Hey, um, this warlock that lives there…does he ever come out?" Maka finishes serving the second plate of food, wary on the impatient people waiting behind Tsubaki.

"Oh, yes, a lot."

"Huh?" Maka blinks. "How come I've never seen him around before?"

Tsubaki giggles. "Well, he won't come out in his true form!" She lowers her voice. "He disguises himself! "

Unable to help herself, Maka whispers: "Is he out right now?"

"No, not today. He doesn't usually go out during holidays. That's why he asked me to buy him a plate! He excused me from kitchen duty since it's a Thanksgiving!" Tsubaki gestures to the food Maka has served. "Did you make this, by the way?"

"Not all of it, but I did make the ham! I'm just handing them out since the other girls are busy..."

"Well, it looks delicious!" Tsubaki balances the plates in her hand and arm impressively. Maka notices that, despite bearing warm blue eyes and a kind smile, her arms are muscular and the way she holds herself, with a subtle grace Maka can't pinpoint, give away a history of martial arts. Blade type, huh? Maka really can't help being curious about how that would look like! "Ah, I should go. The man behind me looks angry," Tsubaki meekly laughs. She brightens up soon after: "It was nice to finally meet you, Maka! I...I hope we can be...come friends," she dares, bravely, and relaxes when she receives a bright smile in reply.

"I hope so, too, Tsubaki! And tell that guy to show some spirit and go out during the holidays! Just because he's not human doesn't mean he can't enjoy himself out here with us!" Maka beams. Tsubaki looks stunned for a second but she nods quickly and manages an even bigger smile of her own. It isn't often she's accepted so easily, especially by a human. Humans were the first to scream and run away. Kid had been right: this Maka girl was one in a hundred! "Bye, have a nice night!"

"You, too!"

And just like that, the girl disappears within the crowd.

But Maka's left with a warm feeling in her chest, the thought of friend, I'd really like to be her friend resonating in her mind. In fact, she feels so good that she doesn't mind when the man who'd been standing behind of Tsubaki sends her a dirty look and snatches the plate of food from her hand grouchily.