Soul Eater Zeta

by Grade-AMasterpiece

Prequel to Soul Eater: Troubled Souls. Kami Okubo is a freshman to Death Weapon Meister Academy. She has only heard stories about the Academy but is nonetheless ready to experience what it has to offer. Follow her as she makes new friends as the organization finds itself in conflict with a group of Demon Weapon liberationists among other things. Contains OC, violence, and language.

3. Learning More

Disclaimer: Soul Eater is copyrighted to Atsushi Okubo and all other third parties (characters, series, and concepts).

Learning More

Month 1, Week 1, Day 3 (Wednesday, March 3rd)

"Good moooooorniiiiiiiiing, DWMA~! This is Amagai Vladingham ready for another action-packed day!"

The son of the Crescent Moon Class instructor sprinted up the stairway and purposefully stomped one foot on the last step. One hand was on his hip as he rested the other across his bent knee. He grinned happily as he gazed upon the legendary building. It would seem he was excited for the day; however, he was actually relieved. Amagai and Rukia went on a mission afterschool yesterday. In a period of low activity, getting a mission done was a welcomed experience.

"Hey, Amagai!" Kami greeted, walking up behind him.

Amagai turned around with a massive smile on his face, throwing his arms up. "Kami~!" He embraced the girl in a tight hug, "My newest best friend! How are you doing?"

Kami laughed as she returned the embrace, breaking it after a bit, "I'm fine. I'm just excited and all."

"Why's that?"

"Well, today, I'm going to befriend Francis." Kami answered with a confident smile.

Amagai blinked several times in confusion. Without knowledge of the impetus for her ambition, he couldn't understand the overarching circumstances. "Uhh, really?"

"Yeah. Hopefully I can help him." Kami replied.

"Well, hey, power to you." Amagai said dismissively, shrugging his shoulders. He didn't need to know the full details; it wasn't his business. "C'mon, let's go find the others." He suggested. He and Kami then went inside the DWMA with the destination of the mission bulletin board in mind. After all, that was considered the central hub of the entire school; everyone passed by it at least once every day. When they got there, one person stood out immediately, and it was Claude.

"Hey, Claude!" Amagai called out as he and Kami approached him.

The oldest Moncharmin Brother turned to them and acknowledged them with a brief nod, "Good morning."

"What are you up to?" Kami asked.

"Just looking up missions," Claude answered, turning back to the board, "Unfortunately, it seems there are none."

Amagai crossed his arms as he stated, "I figured as much. I was lucky to get the one I got yesterday. I swear, missions are like collectibles nowadays: soon as they show up, they're gone before you know it."

"Indeed." Claude agreed with a sigh.

Kami gazed at the wide bulletin board with a green background, "So this is the mission board?"

"Yeah, when it actually has stuff on it." Amagai confirmed, finding it incredibly weird that none of the prongs attached to the board were occupied with mission specifications.

"The EAT class goes to this board and complete missions that take them all over the world." Claude added in.

Something went off in Amagai's mind that reminded him of something. "Speaking of which, you should invest in finding a weapon partner, Kami."

"I would, but…" The meister looked down, a little lost, "I don't know where to start."

"Your weapon partner can be anywhere. But don't worry. Destiny will lead you to him or her." Claude stated consolingly. Kami lifted her head and nodded at him, keeping his words to heart. Claude smiled and then looked at his wristwatch to see the time, "Alright then, we had better head to our first period class. We do not want to be late."

"Alright. Later, Claude." Amagai and Kami parted ways with the Moncharmin, heading to the location of the Crescent Moon Class. Unlike yesterday, the two meisters arrived at their homeroom before the warning bell even sounded.

"Morning, Dad." Amagai greeted amicably.

Romulus shot his son a dry look, causing him to freeze his spot. "Amagai. I told you to call me 'Mr. Vladingham' at school."

"E-Er, right. Sorry, Mr. Vladingham." Amagai replied apologetically, a sweatdrop appearing on the back of his head.

Meanwhile, Kami spotted her target. It was convenient that she and Francis sat by each other as it made her job easier. She took her seat and placed her book bag down. When she looked at him, Kami noticed that he was reading a book. "Good morning! You're Francis, right?" She greeted respectfully. Francis did not look at her and instead turned a page in his book. "My name is Kami Okubo. I just came to the DWMA yesterday. I'm a Meister. So are you one too or a Demon Weapon?"

Francis turned another page, his expression unreadable and unchanging.

His silence effectively ended that part of the conversation. However, Kami remained strong. She looked at the book he was reading and remarked earnestly, "That must be an interesting book you're reading. I like reading to pass the time too. Tell me, what are your favorite books and authors?" Again, there was no response other than the simple flipping of a page, so Kami decided to keep trying, "Well my favorite books and authors areThe Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë."

Finally fed up with her, Francis glared at her. "Obviously, you aren't a bright person. So let me remind you what I said yesterday. Leave me alone."

Kami smiled victoriously, unfazed, "Well, at least I got you to look at me." The male said nothing more as he went back to reading. Pressing on, the meister asked him, "So how long you've been in the DWMA?"

"Why do you care?"

"Because I would like to know." Kami replied matter-of-factly.

"Six months." Francis finally answered, hoping that would stymie further discussion.

"Oh, so you're fairly new as well." Kami remarked.

As she persisted in her efforts to opening up Francis, much of the Crescent Moon Class had arrived and taken their seats. Among them was Spirit and Franken. Before the former actually settled into his seat, he noticed Kami, the girl he saw yesterday in P.E., and a grin appeared on his face. He promptly approached her. "Hello there."

Kami looked at the redhead and instantly recognized him, "Oh! It's you from P.E. yesterday! The one who pooped in his pants!" Face contorting in displeasure, Spirit gritted his teeth as his head dropped. His bangs concealed his eyes as his eyebrow twitched in annoyance. She was yet another person to refer to that harrowing incident at second period yesterday. Kami noticed his face and felt bad, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you."

Spirit shook his head, "N-no. It's fine."

"Are you alright though?" Kami asked concernedly.

Spirit's mood brightened up, "Yep! I'm alive, thank goodness. By the way, the name's Spirit. What's yours?"

"Kami."

"Spirit Albarn," The Demon Scythe tenderly took her hand while winking, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Kami."

Kami blushed in embarrassment, offering a shy smile, "Why thank you."

"Are you new to the DWMA?" Spirit asked. Though he was sure yesterday was his first time seeing her, the DWMA teemed with a variety of people and faces, so one couldn't be too sure.

"Yes. I started yesterday."

"Awesome! So are you a Meister or a Demon Weapon?" Spirit asked.

"Meister."

This was perfect, Spirit thought. This was his chance to get closer to this cute new student. "Really? I'm a Demon Weapon and in need of a partner. Interested?"

Kami's eyes widened in shock. "M-Me?" She couldn't believe it. This proposition was coming right after a discussion about partnership with Amagai and Claude. "Is this destiny?" She thought, remembering what the latter told her.

However, before she had a chance to reply, Spirit felt a chill ran down his spine. His natural human instincts alerted him to the presence of another behind him, and he had an idea of whom it was. "I'm your partner, you simpleton." Franken reprimanded, standing behind him in such a way that he was partially visible to Kami.

Spirit tensed up uncomfortably as he gave his actual partner a sheepish smile, "U-Uh, right."

Kami's hopes were dashed, but she hid her disappointment. Instead, she opted to get acquainted with Spirit's apparent meister partner. "And who are you?"

"I want to dissect you." Franken declared menacingly, glancing at Kami with cold eyes.

Kami's face dropped.

"Don't mind him. He won't dissect you." Spirit said flippantly, hoping to calm her down. Too bad he didn't notice that her expression never changed. "This is Franken. He's my little buddy that I look after. I guess you can say he's my little brother." He added in a hearty chuckle that felt rather contagious, prompting Kami to awkwardly chuckle with him.

Francis only rolled his eyes and turned the page.

Class soon started, and Romulus initiated his lecture, mostly discussing Souls and the different types of resonances, including Soul Force and Joint Resonance. It was days like these Romulus convinced his students he had mastered the art of 'dragging on.' This was a relatively simple topic that he effortlessly turned into a long and boring lecture by choosing particular sentences and phrases, including personal anecdotes that he cited as 'real-life examples,' and always keeping the floor open for discussion and questions. But, alas, the bell soon rang, ending what many deemed a class that lasted forever. A good number of the students packed up their stuff and ran out at practically light speeds.

Surprisingly enough, Francis was one of those people, intending to lose that prying young lady from earlier.

"Hey! Wait for me!" The youngest Moncharmin Brother froze up when he heard that same, friendly-sounding voice. Sure enough, Kami ran up to him and stopped beside him. "That was a great lesson today, huh?"

Francis glared at the Japanese girl over the rim of his glasses, his eyes burning with jade green fire. "Go. Away."

Kami flinched for a second – a natural reaction to seeing someone usually soft-spoken suddenly raising his voice. As that was temporary though, she continued on as if it never happened, "Well, it's funny you say that because I can't really go away since we're going to the same destination."

Francis growled and increased his walking pace. Kami did the same, sporting an innocent smile all the way. This continued even into the beginning of P.E., during the warm-up stretches, and now the obligatory two laps around the running track.

"Hey, Francis, are you good in any sports?" Kami inquired, jogging with him. The bespectacled boy gave her a sideways glare before accelerating; however, she sped up too and caught up in no time. "Well?"

"What part of 'leave me alone' do you not understand?!" Francis yelled, running faster.

Kami matched his pace, "I won't leave you alone until you talk to me!"

"LEAVE ME ALONE ALREADY!" Francis cried out distressfully, sprinting the remaining portions of the running track. Persistently, the freshman pursued him, some of the other students watching them weirdly. This didn't last long. Francis slowed down progressively as his average physical fitness cropped up; it was becoming harder and harder to run at max pace without panting heavily or feeling his body tense up.

Kami, a significantly better athlete, easily caught up to him. "I guess running isn't one of your things." She said, not unkindly.

Once the run was completed, Francis sat on the grass, panting laboriously. He cursed himself for overexerting. Then again, he had that stubborn girl to blame for that. Speaking of which, here she came with two bottles of water in her hands, "Hey, Francis! I brought you some water. I thought you might need it."

Very reluctantly, Francis reached out and accepted the refreshment. Kami took a seat beside him, taking a swig of her own. "So, Francis, do you have a partner?"

Francis only spoke after taking a much-needed sip. "Why do you care?"

"Just curious."

"Well, it's none of your business." Francis stood up, glaring daggers at the girl, "Now listen clearly, freshman. I don't like you, I don't want to talk to you, and I don't want to deal with you. Compris?" Hoping he finally cracked through that thick skull of hers, the youngest Moncharmin stomped away.

Kami reached out to him as he walked off, "Francis, wait! I was just ask…ing…" Her voice trailed off when Francis disappeared among a cluster of students, once again leaving her, "Damn it!"

She wouldn't have time to pursue and search for him because Ramses blew his whistle, catching everyone's attention. "Alright, kids. Today, we're playing dodgeball."

Excited screams and shouts bounced off the enclosed walls of the gym, overshadowing any sounds of fear or apprehension from the dreading minority. Too many of these students were all too eager to bash each other's faces in with dodgeballs.

"Everyone, line up so I can separate you into two teams." Ramses ordered as the students calmed down and got into position. For each person, he assigned them either the number one or the number two. When he was done counting off, everyone with the number one was told to go to the right side of the court while the others with number two were on the left. Sid, Amagai, Diana, Frederick, Claude, Kami, Marie, Spirit, and Francis were among the group of students on the right. Rosalind, Mira, Katrina, Rukia, Roger, Tezca, Franken, and Noel were apart of those on the left.

When that was done, Ramses placed a line of dodgeballs in the middle of the court and then stepped out of the way after finishing. "Team 1, are you ready?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Team 2, are you ready?"

"Ready!"

The whistle was blown.

A series of rapid footfalls thundered against the floor of the gym's court, resembling that of a stampede of wild animals. The charging ceased briefly when the students reached the awaiting balls. Hands and arms flailed wildly, hoping to grasp at one of the dodgeballs. In this game, to hold one meant one held all the power. He or she had the ability to reduce their opponents' numbers however they wanted.

Soon enough, every ball was picked up, divided among both teams. Then, everyone backed up, and the chaos resumed. Primal roars of exertion, the squeaking of shoes, and shrieks of fear filled the entire gym as the game ran its course. Unarmed individuals retreated, taking what measures needed to avoid bodily harm. Meanwhile, the killers – dodgeballs in hand – prowled about, seeking whoever they deemed to be an easy target.

This game of dodgeball was a glorified simulation of hunters and the hunted.

"Come on! Make a move!" Tezca dared, using his hand to beckon anyone from the opposing team to try him. Those who knew Tezca understood that strange masks and helmets didn't slow him down.

"Then allow the King of Games that honor!" Spirit bravely rushed forward with a dodgeball in hand. Planting his feet on the floor to stop his momentum, Spirit threw his weapon. The ball whistled through the air, a testament to how much speed and power was behind it.

Undaunted, however, Tezca tucked and rolled as the ball harmlessly flew above him. "Your aim is garbage!" He taunted as a teammate, in perfect synchronization, tossed over the ball she was carrying as the Demon Mirror stood back up. Immediately, Tezca caught and flung it over. A bit surprised, Spirit nonetheless jumped to the side, exposing the hapless person behind him. Tezca's projectile struck him right in the sternum, causing the poor fellow to lose some of his breath as he went careening backwards.

Another dodgeball surged through the air, but it hit no one as it pounded against the solid wall. The loud, hard smack was enough to send spikes of fear throughout Diana's body, causing it to shudder. Instinctively, she ducked behind the nearest person she knew. "Protect me, dear Frederick!" She pleaded, grasping onto his shoulders like a scared child with her parent.

The oldest Forsythia almost lost his footing when Diana took refuge behind him, given that he was trying to shift around, but he steadied himself. "Um… well, OK…" He replied awkwardly. He wasn't going to promise his best, but because Diana seemed desperate, he was willing to oblige her.

Claude managed to catch the exchange from the corner of his eyes. "I could have protected you." He mumbled to himself.

Another dodgeball was volleyed from the right side of the court to the left. Spotting it, Kami altruistically bound forth, using her own dodgeball to deflect it. The repelled dodgeball remained airborne due to certain physics, and one of her teammates seized the opportunity to jump up and snatch it out of the air, meriting another out. While that went on, Kami searched for a likely target. Amid the confusion, Rukia was low to the ground in a fetal position, unsuspecting of her. It pained the freshman, but a game was a game. Kami cocked her arm back and threw the dodgeball at the Forsythia.

In that moment, Roger caught the sight of the vulnerable Rukia being targeted. He saw this as a chance to impress her and to hopefully score a few points with a pretty girl like her. "I'm coming for you, Rukia!" He shouted valiantly, sprinting over. He used traction to his advantage, sliding in front of the Demon Naginata and holding out his hands in preparation to catch the ball.

BAM!

Too bad he misjudged its trajectory and speed.

Roger's body froze up as his eyes dilated to a tremendous degree, Rukia staring on with her hand over her agape mouth. His reaction was delayed, but Roger released several strained whines as he fell over, holding his crotch area that felt on fire with pain. Most of the players had stopped to witness the event. At the pathetic garbling sounds Roger made, some exchanged sympathy for unabashed humor.

"Hey, Roger! Ever heard of cups?" A male student shouted out cheekily, "Those things protect our soldiers from headshots like those! You might wanna invest in one!" The comment triggered a string of unrestrained laughter from those around him.

"Man. That hurt me, and I don't even have balls." Rosalind said with pity, shaking her head as she kicked up a nearby ball into her hands.

"OH YEAH! Another one bites the dust, baby!" Amagai shouted, giving his newest friend a praising thumb's-up, "Nice shot, Kami!"

"O-Oops." Kami squeaked feebly, feeling very bad about the whole mishap. Amagai's oblivious complimenting did not do wonders either.

"Forsythia!" Ramses barked out. The tone wasn't directed at her, it was meant to reestablish order. The students were beginning to get out of hands with their comments. "Please hurry and take Moncharmin to the Dispensary!"

"Y-yes, sir!" Rukia stood from her kneeling position, gingerly taking Roger up with her. That was the least she could for attempting to protect her. After she ushered the hobbling and babbling Moncharmin out of the gym, Ramses blew the whistle again so that they could resume, hopefully with no more misfortunes like that.

Without a hitch, the game continued. Some were more cautious than ever seeing what happened to Roger. Others, on the other hand, threw caution to the wind and went at it like wild animals. Throwing and dodging were expected, but the game was made livelier by students taunting each other verbally and physically.

Claude narrowed his eyes when someone shook his behind at him, an obscene gesture that normally would have been punished by Ramses if he were looking. Both to his chagrin and satisfaction, a flung dodgeball struck the poor fellow right across his face, causing his body to spin a whole 360 before hitting the floor. He settled on Rosalind instead, who was busying herself with eliminating many of her opponents.

However, Rosalind noticed the dodgeball coming her way and gracefully threw herself backwards so that it missed. "Too slow~"

"And now you're mine!" Tezca boasted as he shot past Rosalind, scooped up a dodgeball from the ground, and hurtled it toward the oldest Moncharmin Brother. But, Sid slid across the court floor on his knees and easily captured Tezca's dodgeball in his arms.

"You're out, Tezca!" The African-American yelled, pointing at the masked teenager. As a form of ridicule, Spirit stuck his tongue out while pulling down his eyelid as a fuming Tezca sat out for the remainder of the game.

"HA!" Mira grunted as she tossed over a particularly speedy ball, one that had quite a bit of spin to it. This effect resulted in the dodgeball curving slightly in its trajectory, almost nailing one student if she didn't react to it properly. However, it continued its course, heading for Francis.

Kami, of course, caught that and shouted over to the youngest Moncharmin, "Francis! Look out!"

Francis made no attempt to dodge Mira's ball as it hit him on the shoulder. It bounced off him and then struck a depressed Marie right in her torso, causing her to fall over.

"Hm. Double kill." Mira remarked with as much interest as watching paint dry. Her success, though, excited her teammates as they jumped up and down while screaming in elation. Team 1 was busy falling in numbers.

"Francis and Marie, you're both out." Ramses announced with crossed arms.

"About time." Francis grumbled, sitting out as a whimpering Marie dragged herself to a safe location.

Francis's apathy made Kami pout, making her realize Francis had not really changed since the beginning of her attempts to befriend him. With a sigh, she picked up another dodgeball and threw it, aiming for the motionless Franken this time. Like Francis, he made no move to avoid the ball as it struck him in the chest.

"Really, Franken. You and Francis should be pals." Spirit thought as he watched his meister casually walk to his seat. This momentary distraction was enough for a Half Moon student, who used a roll to give his throw exceptional momentum.

Kami saw that coming. "Spirit! Watch out!" The fifteen-year-old broke out into a dead sprint. By the time the Demon Scythe saw the ball coming, Kami had tackled him out of the way, sparing him from elimination or even a bad injury. The two breathed out a brief 'OOF!' as they hit the ground with Kami on top of Spirit.

Spirit cracked open his eyes at the same time as Kami, staring at her right in her eyes. They were rich pools of emerald green – so captivating and so pure, much like the gemstone itself. A light pink tint flushed across her face. Both the beauty of her eyes and adorableness of her face made Spirit's heartbeat increase as he managed to grin. "Well, hello there. We meet again." He said suavely.

"Hey, you two." Amagai called out disapprovingly, crossing his arms. Unlike the majority of times, his voice showed not a hint of humor, "This is a PG environment."

"GOTCHA!"

"What the—" In one second, the following happened: Amagai cursed himself for getting sidetracked during an intense dodgeball match like this; the dodgeball thrown by Rosalind struck the right side of his face with a resounding smack, rubber on flesh; and his body was flung backwards, dropping him to the floor so fast he almost suffered whiplash. The disoriented Vladingham saw white spots as his face throbbed with burning pain.

"A-Amagai!" Kami instantly removed herself from atop Spirit and rushed over to her fallen friend.

"….DAMN IT ALL!" Spirit shouted in his mind at how inconvenient the timing was.

"Nice shot." Mira commented standing by Rosalind as the dark-skinned teen carefully watched anyone else who tried to capitalize on the confusion.

"Amagai, are you okay?" Kami asked, kneeling by him. Half of his face was red, marked by the imprint of the dodgeball. It was also beginning to swell.

"My face is numb, and I can't see out of my right eye," Amagai replied dispassionately, "So I must've lost my contact."

Ramses sighed. It was ironic how these students were as much of a threat to each other as Evil Humans and Monsters. "Francis, take Amagai to the Dispensary."

As much as he didn't want to, that meant Francis would be away from these people, so he got up and walked to Amagai as Kami and Claude helped him up. Claude looked at his youngest brother. Although he probably didn't need to, he had to say something to him. "Francis, être gentil. Okay?"

Francis rolled his eyes, "N'importe quoi." With him leading the way, Amagai followed him, resisting the urge to caress his sore face because he knew any further contact would sting.

"Resume playing!" The whistle was blown again.

"Okay! Anyone else want some?" Rosalind dared. She felt bold because she was on a six-person eliminating spree.

Kami narrowed her eyes emulously. It appeared this older girl was the biggest threat on the opposing team. The Japanese girl, though, wasn't all that pleased at how flippant she was at sending someone to the dispensary. Least of all her first friend at the Academy. "I do." Quickly, she ran up to the nearest ball, scooped it up, and flung it at Rosalind.

However, Rosalind caught a glimpse of the oncoming projectile in her peripheral vision. Rosalind threw herself backwards, performing a back-flip to evade the dodgeball. "Too slow." She quipped, landing on her feet. Just as she was going to get a ball, another one was volleyed her way. With a surprised squeak, she cartwheeled to the side to again avoid elimination. "Sheesh…" It would seem most of her time will be spent dodging instead of eliminating people.

"You're wide open!" Sid shouted as ran up, gearing back his arm and hurled a dodgeball. He was aiming for Katrina, who was not doing as much as some of her teammates.

Just then, Mira slid in the way of Sid's thrown ball and caught it, having the wherewithal to watch Sid's actions. "You're out, Sid." She calmly stated, standing up and moving on to other matters. Sid only shook his head, unable to be mad at that, and went to the bleachers to spectate the remainder of the game. By this time, only handfuls of players were left for each team. Unless those who were still in were that tenacious, the dodgeball game wouldn't be lasting much longer.

"Well, well. It looks like we've finally caught up." Mira remarked, scooping up a ball that had rolled back her way.

"Good. It's time we win this!" Rosalind yelled with an alacritous grin, holding up her hand and clenching a fist.

"Not if I can help it! We're gonna win!" Kami declared determinedly.

Claude was getting wary. Notable individuals that were left on Team 2 included Mira and Rosalind, two people who practically bled 'athleticism.' In addition, there was Katrina and the infamous Noel. He was mainly concerned for Diana's wellbeing, but it seemed Frederick was doing a good job at being her bodyguard.

Deciding things were slowing down too much for his taste, Spirit took initiative. "TAKE THIS! MY POWER BALL OF EPICNESS!" The redheaded Weapon wound up his throwing arm to build up momentum before chucking it. Like the last time he showed off, the air whistled sharply as the ball ran its course.

Mira cartwheeled out of the way, leaving Katrina open. The meister never saw it coming. The ball hit her dead in the gut. The force of the impact ignited every nerve and ignited her midriff with burning pain. Katrina stumbled backwards two steps before catching herself as she cradled her gut. "Th-that hurt…" She coughed as her lungs regained the breath she lost.

"HAHA! You're out, Miss Kitty-Kat!" Spirit bragged, his pride swelling up like a balloon.

WHAM!

"And you're outta here too, Red!" Rosalind crackled mockingly as Spirit sauntered off the court, holding his nose with an unimpressed look on his face as he grumbled to himself.

Frederick was relieved to know that both of his dear younger sisters were gone from Team 2. He no longer had reason to hold back, even as he continued safeguarding Diana. "Now's my chance!" Hoping to capitalize on the confusion caused by those back-to-back eliminations, Frederick snatched up a ball near him and flung it toward Mira. His thought process was that, if they took care of the strongest players, the weaker ones would fall similarly.

Unfortunately, he underestimated Mira's capabilities. The bandaged student used her forearm to deflect Frederick's ball, causing it hover before her momentarily thanks to certain physics. Then, she casually accepted it into her hands, the action registered as a catch.

"Frederick, you're out!" Ramses shouted. The people on Team 2 on the sidelines were cheering excitedly. At this point in the game, any step closer to victory was cause for celebration.

Frederick sighed as he turned to Diana bowed apologetically. "Forgive my ineptitude. We must part for today, Diana."

"Oh, darling, don't fret." Diana said reassuringly, giving the eldest Forsythia sibling a pat on his arm. At that moment, a ball harmlessly bopped her on her head.

"You're going with him, Diana." Mira said matter-of-factly. The African-American girl purposely held back, knowing that Diana would have thrown a fit if she hit as hard as she usually could. Team 2 was full of raucous glee, their hollering and shouting getting more and more enthusiastic.

Ramses took his attention away to regain order in gym. When Team 2 calmed down, he counted the number of people still in the game. Only five Team 1 players remained, Kami and Claude amongst them. On Team 2, they had eight, including Mira and Rosalind. His brow furrowing, he took a closer look at Team 2's side and noticed someone was missing.

Noel.

"How did he slip from my notice?" Ramses growled in his mind. The last thing he wanted was that unstable boy assaulting an innocent on his watch. However, he calmed down when he saw Noel sitting in a corner. He was holding his head while in a fetal position, apparently having excused himself from the game. "There he is. Good." That done, he glanced at his wristwatch to check the time. "You guys had better hurry up. Ten minutes are left in class, and you still need to shower and change."

"We'll finish this in 2 minutes. Not a second over." Rosalind proclaimed confidently. She set her sights on Claude and Kami because those two were the most active of the five players. With no warning, she threw her dodgeball, but Claude used his own to deflect it. He followed it up by throwing in his dodgeball underhand, much like softball pitcher, at Mira. This change in tactics caught Mira by surprise. She tried to jump back to avoid it, but the dodgeball got her in the ankle.

"Mira, you're out." Ramses informed. He was impressed that Claude was the one who ultimately eliminated his daughter. This major success rejuvenated Team 1, who began cheering and chanting at the glimmer of hope for victory. Kami herself became galvanized by the sudden shift in tone. As two other players got each other out by throwing at the same time, she jumped over another ball and threw hers, nailing her would-be eliminator.

Soon enough, both Claude and Kami remained for Team 1 while Rosalind was the sole person keeping Team 2 alive. The atmosphere was absolutely electric. Screaming and hollering bounced off the walls of the gym as students banged their hands and feet on the bleachers to either create a rhythm or to just simply be loud. It was so contagious that almost everyone was participating in the merriment, watching on as the three final players faced off.

"Two against one. Heh, those odds sound fair, don't you think?" Rosalind asked cockily, tilting her head to the side. A thrill coursed through her at the prospect. She loved to be competitive, and everyone's cheers, shouts, taunts, and chants were nurturing that drive.

"It would be easier if you give up, but it would be more fun if you don't." Claude suggested austerely.

Rosalind could no longer contain her excitement. A smile of unconcealed exhilaration slowly stretched across her Caucasian features. Her grip on the dodgeball in her hand involuntary tightened. "I choose fun." She replied, almost rasping.

Pleased, Claude smirked back, "Good girl. Now let's continue our fun. Show us your prowess, Miss Waldo!" The eldest Moncharmin brother then launched his dodgeball at full velocity.

Feeling adventurous, Rosalind demonstrated her speed and ability by not only putting herself into a one-handed handstand, supporting her ball with her free arm, but also by pushing herself upward with the same hand to avoid Claude's ball and subsequently retaliated. Claude had momentarily forgotten the extent of Rosalind's athleticism, and it nearly cost him. He only barely dodged her ball.

"Whoa, she's fast!" Kami remarked, eyebrows rising in surprise.

"Careful, Claude!" Frederick shouted supportively from his spot on the bleachers.

"GO, ROSALIND!" Tezca yelled, jumping up and down, "I mean, playing sports is basically all you're good at!"

If Rosalind wasn't so focused on winning this game, she would have thrown a dodgeball at the Demon Mirror. It wasn't her fault that she had not found a partner since she enrolled at the Academy two years ago. Kami and Claude decided to use their numbers against her, both of them picking up balls and throwing at the same time. Rosalind reacted by backpedaling to create some distance and then jumping high enough to clear both thrown balls, earning herself several surprised 'whoa's and shouts of approval. However, she was reaching her limit. When she landed on the floor, she did in a kneeling position as she panted heavily. Her face was lined with sweat from the workout she was getting, " Well, I guess brute strength ain't gonna cut it anymore. I'm gonna have to start thinking."

Rosalind stayed low as she slowly shuffled to two balls lying nearby. All the while, she was being watched like a hawk by Claude. She chose to start with him, seeing as he took out Mira; that meant he could do the same with her. An idea hatched in her mind, and she had to force herself to suppress a smirk. Acting quickly, Rosalind snatched up a ball and threw it, aiming for Claude's chest area. Immediately afterwards, she retrieved the second ball and sent it spiraling for his legs.

This changeup was unexpected, causing to Claude freeze up briefly. He wasn't sure which ball was the bigger threat. Ultimately, the 17-year-old jumped to the side to avoid the first ball. While doing that, he tried to lift his leg up to evade for the second one; however, his prior moment of hesitation gave the ball enough time to close the gap. He was hit on his shin and fell over on his side with an audible 'OOF!'

"Out!" Ramses declared as Rosalind's teammates practically exploded, making as much noise as possible. He checked his wristwatch again, seeing that now only five minutes remained. As much as he wanted to say something, Ramses opted not to interrupt such a rousing game. "Five minutes left." He said, warning everyone more than anything. The few people not involved in the game decided to head for the showers.

"It appears you didn't finish this in two minutes, Miss Waldo." Claude said coolly as he dusted off himself. He grinned slightly when he saw Rosalind twitch. The oldest Moncharmin Brother turned to Kami and said supportively, "Be a warrior to the end, Kami. Good luck."

"And then there was one." Rosalind thought, bending over as she rested her hands on her knees. She was catching her breath during this brief respite, mentally preparing herself. Now, all of the dodgeballs were Kami's side; she had a myriad of options to pick on how to eliminate her. "I think I overexerted myself earlier…" She groaned, feeling soreness in parts of her body.

"Come on, Kami! Win this for us!" Spirit shouted, cupping his hands on either side of his mouth to amplify his voice.

"This is so intense. I wonder who's going to win." Diana mused, idly kicking her feet as Claude sat beside her. That momentum had shifted to Rosalind's favor, but everyone could see Kami had more energy in her.

Emboldened by her team's rowdy cheers, Kami sprang into action, determined to come out of her first Academy P.E. game with a victory. She ran up to a ball and hurled it at Rosalind, and then she went over to another ball and threw it. Rosalind's eyes widened slightly, noticing the freshman's brisk pace. The older girl sidestepped the first dodgeball and then bent backwards, so far that her back and body created an almost perfect arch. Rosalind gritted her teeth as she quickly snapped back to a normal position, feeling her lower back throb. Her body was working overtime to provide oxygen to her tired muscles.

Kami was going to keep up the pressure. Instead of going to a dodgeball like she anticipated, Rosalind was resting. The Asian slid over to another ball and tossed two more while in a kneeling stance. "Eek!" Rosalind squeaked in surprise, leaping out of the way only to catch the sight of the other. She angled her body, just narrowly avoiding that one as it flew across her hip. Some of Kami's teammates started yelling that the ball had hit Rosalind, but Ramses contested that he clearly saw the ball miss.

"Y-You're not half-bad, new kid." Rosalind panted, keeping her eyes on Kami as she backed up to a ball behind her.

"Thanks." Kami replied simply, already armed with another dodgeball to throw. "By the way, my name's Kami Okubo. What about you?"

"M-Me?" Rosalind blinked as she kicked up the dodgeball into her grasp. She was honestly surprised; not many people bothered for an introduction. Most students knew name by proxy, by her athletic reputation, or by being classmates. Unless one's names were Amagai and Rukia, but even, they had many friends and acquaintances. "Oh, I'm Rosalind Waldo."

Without responding, Kami quickly flung her dodgeball. She had learned during the course of the game that Rosalind tended to react less efficiently when occupied with something else, such as dodging multiple balls at once even though she had the ability to avoid them. Her unexpected intro, coupled with Rosalind being taken aback, was the final nail in the coffin. By the time Rosalind realized she had a ball of death coming her way, it was too late. It struck her right in the forehead, everyone holding their breath when they heard the telltale wham resound upon impact.

"Nice to meet you."

Ramses blew the whistle decisively. "Team 1 wins!"

The victorious team flooded out of the bleachers and stormed the court, their collective voices bouncing off the walls and producing one loud cheer. They owned the gym today after this close win.

"WE WON!"

"WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!"

"WAY TO GO, NEW KID!"

"IN YOUR FACE, TEAM 2!"

"YOU GOT NOTHING ON US!"

Surrounded by so many cheers and adulation, Kami could not have been prouder of her accomplishment. She was able to lead her team to victory in her first game of DWMA dodgeball. She wasn't even aware of how much weight her achievement carried. It was part and parcel that Rosalind's physical fitness was phenomenal, and Kami had bested her in a game that tested the body.

"Don't worry about it, Rosalind. You win some and lose some." Mira said comfortingly as she patted the older girl on the shoulder. She knew Rosalind sometimes let competition get the best of her, so someone had to let her know everything was all right.

Rosalind sighed as she massaged her forehead. Despite it being a direct head shot, the worst she experienced was just dull pain. "Yeah, you're right."

"Alright. Game's over. Everyone, hit the showers." Ramses articulated, breaking up the after-game commotion, "You don't have much time so don't lollygag."

The students who did not take their shower before the dodgeball game ended scrambled to the shower room. Some were going to be quick about it. Others were going to take their sweet time because class was the last thing on their mind. During the minor stampede, Rosalind caught up to Kami.

"Hey, new kid, good game." She complimented. Although anyone competitive usually had lapses in humility, today wasn't one of those days for Rosalind. She had to give Kami her acknowledgements.

Kami looked at her and smiled, "Thanks. You were amazing out there yourself."

"Thanks." As the two entered the girls' locker room, Rosalind reached up to her scrunchie and removed it, shaking her locks of hair free. "You trained with anyone before you got her?"

"M-me?" Kami was taken aback by the question, "Well, no… I just like being an athlete. I wish I could play a sport, but nothing seems up my alley."

"There's always a sport out there for you," Rosalind reassured as they stopped in front of her locker, the older girl retrieving shampoo and a towel. "So, keep looking, 'k, squirt?"

Kami pouted at the nickname that obviously referenced her petite height of 5'4". It did not help matters that Rosalind towered over her at 5'9". "I have a name, you know, and I already told you it."

Rosalind smirked cheekily at the new student as she removed her shirt. "I know." Rosalind noticed Kami's eyes widening a little bit as she averted them, a light pink blush dusting her features. "Eyes up here, freshman. And get used to 'em; everyone showers in the same room."

"You mean like an onsen?" Kami inquired, titling her head curiously as she focused on the older girl's face. While she was aware of public baths coming from a country that promoted them, Kami herself preferred solitude for that kind of business.

"A what now?"

"Bathhouse."

Rosalind shrugged her shoulders, assuming these onsens were part of some foreign custom. "Kinda, I guess," She then stepped out of her P.E. shorts. Again, Kami looked away while blushing lightly. It seemed puberty had been kind to Rosalind. "Don't worry, if you're shy…" The 18-year-old wrung the washcloth she got from her locker, tightening it to the point it resembled a whip. "I'll show you the ropes." Rosalind added, a diabolical smirk stretching across her face.

Kami gulped.

Meanwhile, Ramses was putting all of the scattered dodgeballs back in a bag. It was much quieter now that the children and teenagers were away, save for the idle chatter of students leaving the lockers room and exiting to go to their next period. By the time he finished, he was approached by Edward.

"Ramses."

The African-American man glanced at the Full Moon instructor, "Oh, Edward. What brings you here?"

"There is something going on out there that has caught Lord Death's attention," Edward spoke seriously, "I am here to requisition Katrina Forsythia. She's one of the Three-Stars our lord wants to send."

Ramses frowned. Not much had been going on recently in terms of Evil Human or Kishin Egg activity. In fact, the DWMA was experiencing a lower-than-usual number of cases involving them. Ramses wondered if this 'something' was the calm before a big storm. "All right. You might have to wait until she's finished showering. I don't think she's left yet."

"That's all I ask. Please send her to my class." Edward said. He took his exit with a respectful bow, taking Noel with him.

Very soon after this exchange, Katrina eventually emerged from the locker rooms with Frederick right beside her. Rukia was also with them, having returned to the gym sometime near the endgame. Spotting her, Ramses trudged over, "Katrina Forsythia. You are to report to Mr. Ricardsen immediately."

"What's the occasion, sir?" Katrina questioned.

"Lord Death needs one of his student Three-Stars," Ramses clarified sternly, "There's outside activities happening right now."

Katrina nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "Yes, sir. I'll head there now." She glanced at her older siblings, who were looking at her worriedly. Noticing that, she gave them a small smile of reassurance, "This isn't my first day on the job, sestra, bratan. I can take care of myself."

Rukia sighed heavily. "I know. I have to keep reminding myself that my little sestra is a big girl."

Frederick, meanwhile, was dismayed for other reasons. His inner self was currently in a dark corner in a fetal position crying his heart out – a stark contrast to the neutral demeanor he projected. "This is horrible! An outrage! I'm only a Two-Star Weapon, and even though I'm Katrina's partner, I can't go with her on missions for Three Stars! GAH!"

As the conversation went on, Kami and Rosalind appeared too. "There. That wasn't so bad, was it?" Rosalind asked innocently, tying up her hair in its usual style. Her outfit was a heavily modified version of the female school uniform, including knee-high and striped socks, rolled-up sleeves, and an ankle-length skirt. The colors were also beige and sea green.

"Y-Yeah, I guess." Kami sighed. She opted for a quick shower. For her, it might take some time getting adjusted to the procedures.

Rosalind then saw Katrina separating herself from her siblings and ran up to them. "Hey, you two. Where's your sister going?"

Frederick looked at her and replied, "Oh, Rosalind. Hey. And she's going on a Three-Star mission."

"A Three-Star mission?" Kami echoed, titling her head as she walked up behind Rosalind.

Rukia cleared her throat, preparing to give out an explanation. "At the Academy, Meisters and Weapons are distinguished by ranking. The lowest of the fighting forces are One-Star, what EAT students always start out as. Then, there's Two Stars. Finally, there are Three-Stars, the elite. There's also a Zero-Star rank, but that's exclusive to NOT students. Really, it's there to make sure no NOT student is put where an EAT should be."

"O-Oh."

"But check this out," Frederick nudged Kami to catch her attention, pointing to the departing Katrina. This little tidbit of information always made him fill up with pride as it was something not many could do, "Sestra over there became a Three-Star when she was 12."

Kami's eyes widened with shock as a quick gasp escaped her. Even Rosalind looked taken aback, having never heard that before. "Really?! A-At 12?!" That meant Katrina had been in this line of business much longer than Kami herself in spite of the fact Katrina was about a year younger.

Rosalind looked at the youngest Forsythia, who was at the exit of the gym, "Dang, Kat! Aren't you gifted?"

Her voice carried over in the form of an echo that was louder than she thought, her shock and awe acting on impulse. The word 'gifted' reached Katrina, making her pause mid-step. A spark of anger flashed inside her, threatening to burst into a bonfire. She gripped the door handle tightly in an attempt to suppress it, taking a deep breath to help calm her. However, something needed to be said.

Katrina turned back around, marching over to the group before they dispersed. "No one gave it to me." She stressed in a tranquil but irritated tone.

Understandably, Rosalind and Kami were confused. Rukia was the one to voice something, "W-What are you talking about, Katrina? And don't you have to be somewhere?"

Katrina ignored her older sister. She knew she and Frederick knew better, so her attention was directed at Rosalind and Kami. "I'm not gifted. No one gave me anything. I earned my rank through hard work, sweat, blood, and tears. Day in and day out. Ever since I began. So, I'd appreciate it if you didn't label me as that." With that said, Katrina finally left.

Rosalind and Kami only stood there dumbfounded, "W-Was it something I said?" The former questioned, wanting an honest answer.

"Katrina thinks people calling her 'gifted' or 'naturally talented' undermines her ability." Frederick responded, crossing his arms as he eyed the door Katrina stormed out. "While some people are just that good, she's not, so she has to hone her combat and academic skills religiously."

"But there are times where me and Frederick think she overdoes it. To produce the kind of she results she does, you have to be exceptionally diligent," Rukia's gaze somberly fell to the floor, "That's one of my deepest concerns about sestra. Is she really OK with what she's doing? How much is all this really affecting her?"

"Well, just be there for her," Kami suggested, "That's what siblings are for, right?"

Rukia and Frederick smiled, "Right."

Author Notes

I do hope the ages (especially the ones from last chapter) I've given to the canon characters are good enough. That was one of the biggest challenges in planning this prequel. It doesn't help that Stein, Spirit, Marie, and the others have rather vague ages, and their physical appearances are unreliable indicators. If anything, I hope they don't break your suspension of disbelief.

Next chapter is one full of action cuz I know you're probably tired of this daily school life stuff.