Thank you for the encouragement so far. *hugs all of the reviewers* You guys are the best.

Gah, dialogue. I was going to jump into the more action-oriented part of the story, but I'm saving it for next chapter (when you'll meet the meanies harassing Maka, hint hint…). I guess I was just in the mood for a fun Black Star moment today. Enjoy, and I'll have the next chapter out ASAP. :)


Five years ago…

"Black Star, don't you dare," Maka warned, grabbing her friend's wrist as he turned to chase after the boys who had been yanking Maka's pigtails a minute earlier. "You're going to get in enough trouble when Sid hears!"

"Who cares!" Black Star shook Maka off. "I'm gonna pound 'em into the ground!"

Maka didn't back down; instead, she got in front of her friend and raised her arms to either side, blocking him. "Black Star, no."

"Why, Maka?" Black Star paused long enough to glare at the girl, who, despite her messed-up hair ribbons and her scruffed-up dress, glared back with equal intensity.

"Because revenge isn't going to solve anything," Maka stated calmly. "I want to handle this my way, and my way doesn't involve black eyes."

"Hmph." Black Star crossed his arms, spun in a circle, and stomped back to the sandbox. "Maka, you sound just like a grown-up."


Black Star had been creeping up behind Liz wearing a hairy green mask when he heard a crash from the next hallway. He turned his head. What was that?

The crash attracted Liz's attention as well, and the girl turned with her hands on her hips. "Black Star, what— WAAAAAHHH!!"

Black Star grinned as he removed the mask, ready to announce his stardom to the world (or at least to the unfortunate demon gun currently huddling on the ground and muttering something about "ninja-eating goblins"). However, several clanks from the other hallway interrupted Black Star's speech, effectively arousing his curiosity. Really, somebody had better not be stealing the spotlight from him…..

Black Star turned around, tossing his mask behind him. Liz squealed in fright as it landed right beside her. As he walked away, Black Star thought he heard Liz shouting, "You jerk!"

By the time Black Star arrived, Maka had gathered most of her books off the floor and had made several dents in the locker next to hers (his locker—not that he cared, since he had already damaged the door so much that it was a miracle it hadn't fallen off the hinges by now). Maka gave the locker one more kick before dropping the last of her books in her own locker, which had been rearranged since the previous afternoon.

This was the second time in a month.

"If you point 'em out, I'll punch 'em out," Black Star offered as he put a hand on the top of her locker door.

"I told you, Black Star; I'll handle this my way."

Black Star rolled his eyes. Where had he heard that before? "Your way being the old call-up-your-best-friend-and-cry-to-her-over-the-phone-while-her-awesome-partner-is-trying-to-sleep approach? Or is it the worry-your-own-miserable-meister-and-just-happen-to-annoy-everyone-else method?"

Maka slammed her locker shut, and Black Star barely retracted his fingers in time. "Very helpful. Now please shut up, or Soul will hear you."

"Where is Soul?" Black Star asked, scanning the hallway. It was unusual for the weapon to be so far away from his meister, even at school, and especially if he wasn't with Black Star.

"He was helping Tsubaki. They wanted to ask Miss Nygus about something." Maka shrugged while readjusting the books in her hands.

"You haven't told him, have you?" Black Star asked, crossing his arms.

Maka smiled sweetly. "That's right— and if you do, it won't be your locker that I dent permanently."

"Just try it," Black Star said with a snort—honestly, where did Maka get off questioning his godlike invincibility? Then inspiration struck, and Black Star smirked as he began to walk away. "Oh, and Maka? If you let this go on much longer, it won't be Soul I tell."

Maka flinched. "You wouldn't."

Black Star's pace picked up as he cupped his hands into a megaphone around his mouth: "Oh, Mr. Death Scyyythe~!"

"Hold it! Black Star!!"


"Well, that was a bust," Soul muttered as he flopped down on one of the many Shibusen staircases.

Tsubaki nodded as she sat down beside him. We didn't learn anything, Tsubaki thought miserably, even though we went to the infirmary first thing this morning. "I guess we can't blame Miss Nygus…"

"Like hell we can't," Soul growled. "Like I give a crap about 'patient confidentiality.' I'm her weapon—"

"—and I'm her best friend," Tsubaki cut in, and Soul paused in his tirade. "We're both worried, but maybe we should do as Miss Nygus says and just ask her."

"I did," Soul complained, "and she just clams up. I don't get it."

Tsubaki sighed. She knew that Maka could be more stubborn than her own pig-headed partner when push came to shove. That was exactly what confused her, though—if Soul was right, and Maka was being bullied… Tsubaki just couldn't picture it. Maka? Maka, the confident friend, the straight-A student, one of the best one-star meisters in Shibusen? Compared to prekishins and witches, bullies just seemed… ridiculous. Could anything that trivial really be bothering her?

Tsubaki wondered.

"Hey, you two!"

Both weapons flinched at the sound of Maka's voice. Tsubaki turned with a (fake) smile. "Oh, M-Maka…"

"Have either of you seen Black Star?" Maka asked, lifting the two books in her hand over her shoulder. Soul grimaced as if he had hoped to see Maka without any books on hand.

"No," Tsubaki answered. "Why?"

Maka frowned before glancing around, muttering "freaky ninja skills," and sitting down on the steps between Soul and Tsubaki. "Never mind. You know how he is." Then she perked up and asked Tsubaki, "So? What was it you wanted to see Miss Nygus about?"

"Um…" Oh no… I can't lie… she'll figure me out for sure….

"She wouldn't help us," Soul interrupted. "Tsubaki thought we should ask some senior weapons about the role of weapons and all that for our papers. Turns out Stein warned all the staff not to help us."

"Yeah," Tsubaki agreed, pretending to be disappointed. In her mind, however, she was crying tears of relief.

"Darn!" Maka seemed to believe them; she scowled. "I was going to ask Sid for help, too!"

"Wait, you still haven't finished your paper?" Soul scoffed. "Even I finished mine already."

"Soul, don't—wait." Both weapons flinched again as Maka stabbed an accusing finger at Soul's chest. "You just said you were asking Miss Nygus about the papers! Or were you just a helping Tsubaki out of the goodness of your heart?" Note the heavy sarcasm.

"Of course." Soul eyed the books on Maka's lap warily. "That's what cool guys do. Right, Tsubaki?"

"R-right."

"But—" Maka was cut off as the bell rang, kill kill kill, die die die. The technician leaped up. "Oh, crap! Hurry up, you two! We're going to be late for gym!"