Chapter 4

Dante hid his face in his hands, slumped down in the drivers seat of "his" car. This beauty was what he found in his father's garage. Being that he was an evil soul, he didn't need such a beautiful ride. The amazingly well kept dark gray Corvette C7 looked as new as it could've been, especially with the top down.

He held the steering wheel, then slammed his forehead against it, his face flushed red.

"Leiko needs to know how to close window blinds," he murmured to himself.

"Damn," he heard come from his partner, who was blissfully staring at his car. Leiko was thoroughly impressed, jumping into the passenger seat. "This is a beauty!"

"Yup." Dante said shyly, trying not to look at his partner. No matter how much he wanted her, he couldn't. Even if they weren't partners, they couldn't. Half of him was supposed to hate her. It would be better for both of them if he just played his feelings off for sarcasm. Dante turned the key in the ignition, and the beautiful convertible roared to life. "We better get going."

Leiko had walked to her locker with Dante, but lost him in the crowd. It seemed like he had just disappeared. She shrugged, assuming he could figure his way around. Jax and Noemi were plastered to the window by Leiko's locker, staring at something in the parking lot, envy filling their minds.

"You two need some solvent or something?" Leiko asked, shoving the pair into each other. "Looks like you glued yourselves the glass."

"No, someone has a freaking Corvette," Jax said almost angrily. "What I'd give to drive that beauty."

"I don't know much about cars," Noemi started. "But that one sure is bad ass."

"It's Dante's car." Leiko stated, looking at her group members. The two turned their heads, glaring at her.

"How can the new kid have such a nice car?" They both shouted, blowing Leiko's bangs back a bit.

"He didn't tell me, but it's my ride to home and back. Now let's get going," she started waking to class. She smirked, thinking of a plan. "Maybe if you're nice, I can get him to give us all rides!"

"Wait for me!" The two yelled, catching up to their leader, imagining the places they'll go in that beauty of a vehicle.

"Are we doing more dissections, Professor Stein?" A worried student asked, cringing at the very word "dissection."

"Sadly, we need to hold off on that," Stein replied, clicking the screw in his head, giving everyone shivers. "Today, we're going to work on single partnership resonating. I want to see how each of you work with your partner. Then, we may switch it up a bit, just to make things interesting. Leiko, will you need to be excused from this lesson?" Leiko's face flushed red as a few students snickered. Before she could answer, the door creaked open, drawing every girl's attention.

"She's good," Dante said as he entered the classroom, holding his hoodie over his right shoulder, exposing his well-toned muscles. "I'm her new meister."

"Pfft, good luck," one student teased.

"She can't resonate with anyone!" Another said, flipping her violet hair from her shoulder. "If you need a weapon, I'm your girl." Dante approached the girl, an unimpressed look on his face. He rested his elbows on her desk, his nose inches from hers. She batted her eyelashes, trying to look cute.

"If anyone says anything else about my weapon," he started. "Don't be afraid to step up and fight. I heard humiliation is a good learning experience for little kids like you." With that last moment of pride, Dante took the empty seat next to Leiko, the first in from the aisle. Stein smiled.

"That's exactly what most of you elite meisters and weapons can't grasp. Sure, you can resonate fine. Of course, you can use techniques the average student can't, but most of you can't seem to protect your partner to an emotional level. Your own reputation stops you from that. That's what gives a pair the boost they need." Stein said, looking at every student, every pair of weapon and meister. "Now, let's head outside for some practice."

As the class got up and walked out the door, Leiko held Dante back to be the last to leave the room. She grabbed his wrist, and pulled him from the mass of moving students. She had a look of confusion, but gratitude on her face.

"Why'd you do that?"

"What? Protect you?" Dante asked, throwing his jacket on the back of his chair. "I'm your meister. It's my job to keep you safe until you're a Death Scythe."

"Okay, that's it," she teased sarcastically. Leiko walked out the class, Dante following closely. Stein stopped them in the hallway on the way to the forest.

"I need to drop by Lord Death for a moment. You two are in charge until I get back, alright?" Leiko and Dante nodded, and continued walking.

Stein somewhat-rushed to the Death Room, excited to report to Kidd what he just observed. He saw Soul walking down the hallway, probably for no reason. Knowing he didn't like Dante in the slightest, Stein dragged him along.

"Kidd," Stein said, walking into the Death Room. "I have something to tell you about Leiko and Dante."

"Yes?" Kidd asked, turning to face them.

"He better keep his grimy hands off my baby girl," Soul said, crossing his arms.

"Calm down, Soul Eater. You're starting to sound like Spirit." Stein teased, Soul fuming. "Anyway, you made a good choice in this, Kidd. They seem to be the only pair who actually supports each other. Well, emotionally, anyway. Leiko still won't give him a chance to use her in a fight."

"Good," Soul grumbled to himself.

"I don't understand why you dislike him so much." Stein said. "He protected her reputation today, you know."

"His mother and father were affiliated with witches," he started. "That's why. I don't need my daughter getting close to some witch-related meister."

"You're a total hypocrite, Soul." Kidd said, crossing his arms. "The tables have merely turned since we were their age. Leiko is pretty much having the same relationship with Dante as Maka and Crona did. You remember that, don't you?"

"Yeah, I do." Soul huffed. He sighed, and scratched the back of his head. "I'll give him a chance, but if he even tries to make a move, I swear I'm gonna-"

"That's all I wanted to report," Stein interrupted happily. He bowed, and left the Death Room to rejoin his students. Kidd looked at his weapon, chuckling.

"What?" Soul asked. "You don't have a daughter, Kidd. You can't possibly understand."

"Sure, I can't. But I can imagine the embarrassment of a controlling and censorable father." Kidd said. "You remember how I had to do my own dirty work back in the day to find out what my father wouldn't tell me. Don't do that to Leiko. She's as bright as her mother, and as strong as you. I'm positive she can handle herself and a few boys."

"A few?" Soul asked, worried. He sighed, and ran his fingers through his hair. "This girl is gonna give me gray hairs."

"You already have white hair, Soul." Kidd said flatly. "How could it get darker?"

"Like I said, you don't have kids."

By the time Stein reached his class, groups of weapons and meisters formed into their social groups, sparing with each other. He wasn't surprised to see Leiko using her right arm blade, and Dante backing her up against Jaxton and Noemi. He sighed, knowing their real power is being hidden because of Leiko's pride. Knowing the only way Leiko would trust Dante would be in battle outside of the academy, he had the perfect mission for her group.

"Leiko, Dante, Jaxton, and Noemi," Stein called. The group of four surrounded their professor, panting a bit from sparing. He handed Leiko a little wooden card from the mission board in the main hallway. "I have a mission for you four. This is a more, well, unusual kind of mission." She read the mission, and her face drained of all color, and Stein knew why. Flashes of Cassandra's chimera and the fight with the witch flooded her mind.

"Let me see," Jax said, taking the card and adjusting his glasses. "A chimera?"

"Technically speaking, yes. It's known as the Nue, a Japanese chimera. It's been seen having the head of a monkey, the body of a raccoon dog, legs of a tiger, and a snake for a tail. It can transform into a puff of black smoke and clouds, and escape battle easily." Stein explained.

"Then how do you know it isn't a freak storm cloud?" Jaxton asked.

"According to legend, the Nue brings misfortune and illness with every town it passes near. Ancient mythology explained that it was already killed and buried on the coast of a bay, coming from the Sea of Japan. However, recent sightings have dissolved that part of the story entirely. Whole villages and towns have been quarantined for a cancer-like disease because of this creature. Thankfully, it's a curable form, but it takes a few months to do so.

"This mission is unique in another way, as well." Stein said, holding up a finger. "If the information we've gotten from our Asian district is true, then the witch that created this modern day Nue used two souls to create this creature."

"Two?" The four students asked in disbelief in unison. Stein nodded.

"When it was last sighted about a week ago, a meister used his Soul Perception to find it and destroy it. When he finally caught it, he felt two Kishin Egg souls: One from the monkey's head, and another in the snake's head. Considering you're the only group with two weapons, it'll be equal soul distribution for once."

"I like the sound of that," Noemi said cheerfully. "Leiko always gets the good ones."

"Not all the time," she rebutted, rolling her eyes.

"When do we leave for Japan?" Dante asked.

"Tomorrow night. I arranged a flight for the four of you," their professor said. He took a quick glance at Leiko. "Even if you refused, I still would've made you go."

"Thanks, Stein." Leiko said, rubbing her temples. Dante sensed something was wrong, but decided not to ask until the two were alone.

"You should get going home and start packing," he teased. "Your flight leaves at two in the morning!"

The four groaned, and nodded. Dante offered the ride home, which Jax and Noemi were most excited about.

The next morning, Dante showed up almost three hours early to Leiko's apartment, giving her an hour to get up, a half hour drive, and an hour and a half for airport clearance and headaches. He pulled the Corvette onto the curb, and jogged up the three flights of stairs to her apartment. Before knocking, he pulled his hood down.

The door opened, revealing a groggy teenage girl who must've just gotten up. Her hair was in a messy pony tail, except her bangs, which were laying against the left side of her nose. She had only a red cami, and black sweatpants on. Dante chuckled, and walked inside quietly, not to disturb her neighbors that never seemed to talk to her.

"You all packed?" Dante asked softly, looking for her luggage. She nodded, and pointed to the kitchen while rubbing her eyes. A single filled to the brim duffel bag sat on the tiled floor by the fridge. "I'll take that to the car. You get dressed, then we can get Jaxton and Noemi."

Leiko nodded, and went back into her room. Dante returned to his ride, and threw the duffel bag in the foot space of the passenger seat. Dante returned to a seemingly empty apartment. He knocked on the bedroom door, and heard no answer. Worried, he cracked the door open, and slipped his head inside. He chuckled when he saw a sleeping, fully dressed and ready Leiko, passed out on her bed.

Author's Note: First mission! I wonder how it will go :3 Of course, I know, but I have a feeling you'll love it! Remember: Read, Review, and Enjoy!

~ Nicole