Tired of basketball, the gang decides to look for a new game to play. Can they find the perfect on for them?

AN: Pure fluff that honestly could happen at any time in the anime and anytime before the attack on Arachne's lair in the manga.

...

"Okay," Death the Kid looked to his friends as they headed to the court. "Who wants to be team captain?"

"I think Maka should be a captain." Black*Star pointed his thumb behind him towards who looked up at him.

"No way! You're just saying that because I'm no good aren't you?" Maka Albarn protested. Her blue haired friend laughed loudly as a response.

Maka groaned. "Why do we have to play basketball again? We never play anything else!"

"Don't you like basketball?" Patty Thompson asked her.

"Not really. Especially not if that's all we play," frowned Maka.

Soul looked over at his partner. "I agree. Basketball is cool and all but maybe it's time for something new."

"You guys are just afraid you can't beat a star like me!" Black*Star laughed.

"No I think they have a point," said Kid. "Perhaps a change in game would be nice."

"You two Kid?" Black*Star turned to the young shinigami.

Tsubaki walked next to Maka. "What would you like to do instead?"

Maka thought for a while before realizing she had no idea.

"How about we just try a bunch of different games and see what works for us?" Liz Thompson asked.

The gang nodded in agreement.

"Fine!" Black*Star grinned. "I can beat all of you no matter what game it is!"

...

"Alright Patty you kick first," Liz pushed her younger sister forwards onto the base.

Kickball was something that most of them hadn't played before and it probably wasn't the best to use the basket ball for it. It was the only ball they had however. They made do in the basketball court by setting up people's sweaters and hats as bases.

"Don't serve it too fast Soul," Maka advised. "Patty said she never played this before."

Soul shrugged and nodded. He held the threw the ball between his hands then took a stance. Soon the ball was rolling towards Patty. She stepped back and then ran up and kicked the ball with force. It went flying fast out onto the field and landed right in Tsubaki's waiting hands.

"You're out." Soul said to Patty.

"Aw man," the youngest Thompson sister sighed but skipped back behind the home base.

Maka was next to kick. She narrowed her eyes on the ball. Soul smiled, he had a feeling his meister wasn't the best at this but he had to admit her determination was admirable.

"I'm ready Soul," she said to him.

The ball was on its way to Maka. She was ready to do this. She backed up and ran towards it.

"Hyaaaaa!" Maka yelled as she ran.

Closer and closer she got until she was near enough to meet it. She swung a hard kick at it before slipping on the ground and landing on her back.

"Maka!" Tsubaki called from across the field.

Groaning before opening her eyes, Maka sat up from the pavement. Soul was above her.

"You alright?"

She nodded at him. "Yeah. I guess a got a little carried away huh?"

"My turn!" Black*Star ran onto the base.

"That was only strike o-"

"Bring it on Soul!" Black*Star interrupted Maka and prepared for the ball.

Rolling her eyes Maka gave up. Soul helped her from the ground before he went to pitch again.

"Let's go!" Black*Star jumped on the spot.

The ball came towards him and Black*Star was ready. He gave it a powerful kick in the side which sent it flying left. He then ran from base to base, kicking up dirt in the process.

"Hahaha! Home run!" Black*Star called as he pumped his fists into the air.

"It went out of bounds stupid. You're out." Maka stared at him blankly.

Black*Star held his victory position a moment longer before becoming embarrassed, he quickly composed his dignity.

"I don't like this game," he said. "I think we should play another.

...

Soul returned from the apartment with a large basket of items to choose from so they could test out more games.

"Jump rope?" Maka pulled out a skipping rope.

"Naw that's boring," Black*Star shook his head.

"What about field hockey?" Soul grabbed a hockey stick.

"We only have four sticks Soul so we can't all play," said Maka.

"What's this?" Patty Thompson pulled out a paddle.

Maka smiled. "That's for ping-pong or table tennis."

"Let's try that." Tsubaki suggested.

Soul found a box that they could use as a table and they set up the net on it.

"Okay first up is Liz versus Soul," Maka said.

"Who are you going to bet on?" Black*Star nudged Kid in his right arm.

Kid shrugged. "They're both pretty competitive if they need to be. I've never seen either of them play this game before though so it'll be hard to tell."

Black*Star nodded. Kid turned around so his left arm was next to Black*Star.

"Please nudge me on this arm the same way," said Kid.

Maka gave the ball to Soul who served.

For a while the two were pretty even they scored many goals on each other. For a while Soul was in the lead but slowly Liz caught up resulting in a tie right before the final match.

"Match point!" Maka handed the ball to Liz.

She hit the ball so hard that it dented the box on contact, Soul struggled to hit it back. Liz took another big hit but Soul was prepared and whacked it back. Liz hit it again but it caught her nail and cracked off the tip. This distracted her enough that she lost focus and Soul got the final point.

"Dammit Soul!" Liz looked at her nail and squinted. "I just got them done too."

"Let's try something else," said Maka.

...

"Chess?" Soul asked with a blank stare. "Could you get anymore boring?"

"Shut up Soul," Maka frowned. "I'm concentrating."

Maka was against Patty who didn't really know the rules. Even so, she was beating Maka already.

"Gah!" Maka exclaimed as Patty took her bishop. "How are you doing that?"

Patty looked questioningly. "I'm playing it right aren't I?"

Maka sighed. "Yeah. Very well."

Soul chuckled. "Even Patty can beat you at chess. You must really stink."

"Makaaaaa-"

"Okay, okay! I take it back!" Soul shouted, not wanting one of his meister's Maka chops.

At the next table Death the Kid and Tsubaki played. These were the only two games since there were only two chess boards at hand.

"Hmmmm," Kid thought deeply before moving his pawn forwards.

Tsubaki took it right away. Kid moved again and Tsubaki took it. Wherever he went it felt like she knew where he would move. Eventually Kid found himself with only a king left and in check mate.

"How did you do that?" Kid asked her when they were done. Tsubaki shrugged.

"You idiot," Liz said to him. "She realized you were just moving your pieces so they'd be symmetrical all the time."

...

As the sun became sleepy the gang found themselves exhausted too. They sat on the floor of the basketball court. The setting sun cooled them down.

"So what do you guys think?" Soul asked. "Know what new game you want to play?"

"I dunno Soul," sighed Maka. "None of those worked out very well."

"I think basketball just works for us," Tsubaki said leaning against the basket pole.

Liz nodded. "It's the only thing we can all agree on at least."

"I guess you're right. I sort of miss it now," said Maka.

"Alright." Kid smiled. "Do you want to meet here tomorrow for a game of basketball then?"

The six looked at each other. "Yeah!"