A/N: So it seems people like the dynamic of Sam and Rei, so this chapter will be dedicated to furthering that. Don't worry, with all this tension I've built up, something is bound to happen.

And for those of you who want some Maka/Soul action, don't worry. It's coming. This chapter is really more exposition/ rising action between Sam and Rei.

By the way... If you want a character who is close to Rei to get an image in your mind, look at Katen Kyōkotsu from Bleach(the smaller one).

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I'm too lazy right now to reply to them all. But I do read all the reviews you guys send me, and I do consider them in my writing!

Chapter 26: Young Love

Calypso giggles lightly as she takes in the moment, watching Geoff eat another human soul. She gazes as the embodiment of another human being slips down his throat.

"That makes 7, right?" She asks her weapon. He waits before slowly nodding his head.

"Yes, ma'am." He answers soullessly.

"Well..." Calypso jumps from her perch on a dumpster, "We should get back to the academy before we're missed."

"Yes..." Geoff's eye twitches. "Calypso."

Rei walks silently next to Sam towards the towering figure of the school building. Her mind reels with all the details of the upcoming date. Will I need to wear something fancy? What if I show up in something casual and it's not casual? How should I do my hair? Where are we going? Her rampant thoughts made her feel dizzy.

Sam notices her distress and he forms a small smile with a corner of his mouth. He brushes her hand gently with his fingers as a gesture of comfort. "It'll be okay. Just go in whatever way you think is best."

Rei blushes profusely and combs her now past shoulder length hair out of nervousness. Stop reading my thoughts. It's embarrassing.

They start up the mass of stone steps. "I'm not reading your thoughts, though. It's all over your face."

Rei turns even more red while covering her face. Oh God... Really?

"Itsokay, though." Sam scratches the back of his head nonchalantly. "You look... cute when you're focusing on something. I first noticed it when we were in school, actual-"

Before he finishes, Rei takes Sam's hand and holds it firmly in her own, Just... you talk too much... Like, a lot, you know that?

Sam smiles down at her... And at that same time, a loud, high-pitched voice cries from the very top of the mountain of stairs, "HEEEEEEYYY! YOU GUYS ARE GONNA BE LAAAAATTTTE!"

Immediately, Rei's hand snaps out of Sam's. Oh great. Her. She rolls her eyes at the girl running down the stairs. Well, running down... until she trips and falls. All the way down the stairs.

Sam looks down at her with wide eyes. "M-Michelle? Are you-"

"-Okay?! Of course!" She answers and jumps up as if nothing happened. She pulls back her long ginger hair back into a somewhat orderly fashion and blinks her full, blue eyes innocently. "Oo! Now that I'm down here, we can walk up together!"

Rei obliges, albeit reluctantly, and the trio proceed to walk up the stone steps to the school. Sam tries to break the silence, "So, Michelle... where's your meister? Kendra's her name, right?

"Uh huh! But she had to... go home." She says, getting more disappointed as she continues, "She had some family issues to attend to. A sick parent. So I have no partner I guess!" She laughs half-heartedly and glances over at Rei for a fraction of a second.

"You should see Lord Death about that. You need a temporary partner." Sam remarks as they reach the top of the steps.

This time, instead of replying, Michelle simply glances over at Rei again and silently manages a disappointed "Humph." She runs a little ahead of them both and regains her cheerful disposition. "Well, I gotta get to my class! See you guys soon!" She only runs about two steps when she stops, turns, and asks, "Uuuuummm... which one is my class again?"

Sam sighs and smiles. "Down the hall. Far left."

"Thanks!" Michelle turns, waves goodbye with a giddy smile, and trots happily away.

How can you stand all that pep? Rei asks her weapon as she watches the orange-topped girl disappear into the immense school.

Sam shrugs, "You get used to it." The bell rings and his eyes widen. "Crap! We're late again!" He takes hold of his meister's hand and they rush into the school. Rei smiles all the way there.

"Do you understand what that means?"

Michelle's head lowers as she looks to the floor. "Yes Lord Death. I understand."

"What happened to her was not your fault."

"Sure. I got it," she states bluntly, without looking up.

Lord Death continues, "So then, I expect you to have found a new partner in three days time-"

"Three days?!" She is taken aback by unbelief.

"Well, we can't really hold back the EAT curriculum for one student, now can we? I'm very sorry, but you must quicken your search for a new meister." Michelle groans and rubs her eyes. "Have you found any potential candidates yet?"

"Well..." She mutters in reply, "There is one pair that I've been hoping for."

"Oh? They're a pair?" Lord Death scratches his head in thought. "Just remember that if the meister already has a weapon, they should only pair up with a third if they're the same weapon. It's very hard, and it puts a lot of strain on the meister, when they have to use two weapon types; almost impossible, in fact. Only the most skilled of meisters can pull off using different types of weapons."

Rei stretches her arms and legs out as all of the other students hurriedly rush out of the door. She gathers her things, slowly taking her time. She notices Maka erasing the notes on the black board, and almost goes to help... but before she even begins to walk down the steps, Soul appears at the bottom of the amphitheater classroom. Being the only student there, she decides to be courteous and leave them to themselves.

Rei exits the classroom and glances around the initial muddle of kids for Sam. She sees his familiar golden hair among a variety of unfamiliar faces, who all are talking, laughing, and smiling. She feels unwelcome in the group of friends, so she walks up behind him quietly and tugs on the link, Um... hey.

Sam fails to notice her quiet call, so she tries something physical: she tugs on the hem of his shirt. Sam notices immediately and whips around. They let a few awkward seconds pass between them before Sam turns back to his friends and remarks, "Well, see you guys later." They all bid him goodbye and continue their conversation.

The pair silently walk out of the school. Rei's mind races faster and more irratically than ever. Lost in her thoughts, she doesn't notice Sam coolly siding his hand over hers until he has a hold of it. Rei's eyes widen and her cheeks flush.

"Um... It is okay for me to hold your hand, right?" He stutters, with a face just as red.

O-Of course. Rei tries to shrink into herself more and more in spite of the situation. S-so um... Where are we going?

"Well..." He starts, "I thought we'd drop by the café first and get a snack. After that... is a surprise."

Alright. Rei scratches the side of her arm nervously.

Once they arrive at the café, Sam walks up to the counter with Rei awkwardly standing behind him. The first thing that Sam notices is that the person behind the counter looks awfully familiar. "Hello?" He says to the man turning his back to the counter. Then, Sam realizes; he does know him. It's none other than-

"Akane?" Sam recoils when he sees the sword meister turn around, wiping a coffee cup clean with a rag.

"Ya, hi. Whachya want- oh, hey there Sam." His soft eyes peek over his glasses at the weapon. "Is Rei with you?" The meister answers his question by peeking her head over Sam's shoulder. "Ah, there she is. What'll it be you two?"

Sam tugs on her side of the resonance. Rei? Do you want me to order for you?

N-no! Its fine, I can do it! She takes a half step out from behind her weapon partner. Her hands ball up into fists and remian firmly at her sides as she struggles to get out any words in a public area. Her gut churns from nervousness.

Finally, the silent girl opens her mouth and mutters, very quietly, "Milkshake."

Rei sends Sam what she couldn't verbalize over resonance: I want a milkshake! Please...

"Make that two chocolate shakes." Sam orders the drinks and Akane nods.

"Master," he quickly rips off the note with the scribbled order and hands it out ito the middle-aged man walking behind him, carefully balancing multiple cups and dishes in his arms.

Without missing a beat, the two switch, and Akane dissapears to wash the dirtied tableware. Sam and Rei sit at an unoccupied table and wait for their order to come. Sam starts up a conversation to prevent any awkwardness. So I take it you like milkshakes?

Rei's cheeks redden. I don't know yet. I haven't tried any.

What? You've never had a shake until now?

She shrinks in her chair sheepishly. Nope.

Its so good! It's just like ice cream, only you drink it!

Rei sinks even lower in her chair. I've never... had that... either.

Sam examines Rei's lowered state and smiles, Well I guess we'll just have to get you some on our way to where we're going. She immediately brightens up when she picks up what he is saying.

To accompany her better mood, a girl carrying a platter with two silver milkshake containers and two large glasses approaches them. She is a little older than the two of them, with black hair like Rei's, tied up into pigtails. She places the platter on the table.

"Thank you." Sam regards her.

A gruff voice calls from behind the counter, "Tsugumi! Get table four's order while you're out there, would you?"

"Right!" She calls back in reply. Before scurrying off, she bows and smiles brightly, "Enjoy!"

After a few minutes of enjoying their treats, the two exit the café. Rei turns to Sam and smiles. So, I assume it's off to this 'surprise' you have in store?

"Yup! You're gonna love... it." Sam senses a presence at the exact moment his meister does, and he instinctively transforms while she whips around. Rei holds her arms up in front of her defensivly.

She slows her breathing and tries to think of all the possibilities that the presence watching them that night could be. A stray dog? A classmate? A witch? She is wrong on all accounts when a stranger with blue hair turns the corner out of the alleyway.

"Damn it! Am I really that bad at sneaking?!" He shouts to nobody in particular.

Somebody answers him anyways, "Kinda..." It's his weapon, who transforms from a katana on his back to a tall, dark-haired woman. "Hello!" She greets Sam and Rei and waves at them. "Sorry we were spying on you!"

The word 'spying' makes Rei go into more defensive mode. The blue haired man casually yawns and stretches. "Oh well, to hell with sneaking." Without any warning, he dashes at them at top speed. Rei is caught off-guard and throws her weapon forward without any forethought.

But before the blade even extends all the way, Rei feels her arm stop. She looks with wide eyes to her right arm to see that the blue haired man had caught her arm, mid-thrust.

"You two, the weapon and meister pairing Samuel Harris and Rei Shijima," Rei gets a good look at her attackers eyes and her stomach begins to twist nervously. Bright yellow stars. "...are under arrest by order of Lord Death himself."