Ashley Stuff: Um, so... here's the second chapter. Tsun and I wrote it over at her house, and I think it turned out okay... I couldn't think of a way to make it interesting but the third will be better... very sorry. And just to say this, as usual, Tsun practically wrote this out for me, and saved a boring chapter with cool words, because she can actually write.. Could I please have some reviews, if anyone has a suggestion for how to improve this, or just want's to comment? I really want to make it better...

"Uh, okay. Eater... I really appreciate it... is there anything I could-" Eater turned and started walking away. I debated between calling after him and just minding my own business, and decided on the second one. He probably didn't have any reason for helping out other than kindness. So it would make sense that he didn't particularly want to talk. Though the name was really weird...

I started off for my next period, math. It went by in a blur of numbers and equations, which was comforting in a way. Math made sense. And nobody really wanted to talk, they were all too busy with work. I finished a bit early and sat quietly until the lunch bell rang. My mom had stuffed a brown paper lunch bag into my backpack, and I got it out, following everyone else to the cafeteria.

The first thing that hit me was the noise, like a wave of sound, a thousand voices chattering at once. Then came the smell, oily and greasy and vaguely meaty, though of course nothing in a cafeteria could be really trusted if it was labeled meat.

I sat down in an abandoned corner of one of the huge tables, quietly eating my sandwich, headphones on, head bobbing up and down to the beat. Suddenly there was a touch on my shoulder. I turned around to see a small group of people, all crowded behind me. The person who had tapped my shoulder was a girl, tall, with raven black hair and fine, asian features. Her mouth was moving in an unheard question, and I took off my headphones to hear.

"Excuse me?" I asked politely. Why were they talking to me? I had a sinking feeling it had something to do with the incident during PE.

"Um, I was wondering if you're the girl who met Eater today." The girl repeated. She gestured to the rest of the group. "We all know him. Well, not really know him, if you know what I mean. But he's helped all of us." She smiled. "We all sort of met up because we had him in common. So... we were coming over to say hi." Maka wasn't quite sure how to respond.

"Well, thanks. Um, there's plenty of room, do you guys want to sit down?" She offered, a little bewildered.

"Hell yeah." A guy with bright blue hair muttered. One, two, three, four, five of them all took a seat around Maka. She felt a little nervous. Too. Many. People. The girl looked around, trying to learn all their faces, so she wouldn't forget them. The asian brunette noticed her curious glance.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! We didn't introduce ourselves! I'm Tsubaki, hello!"

"Black Star. Sup." The blue haired guy said, somehow managing to slouch on a cafeteria stool. And what was with all the weird names?

"I'm Liz, and this is Patty." Said a ditzy looking blonde, wearing fashionable red and white clothes. Her sister was very similar looking, but with a rounder face and lighter colored hair.

"I am Kid, and may I note, your hair is absolutely perfectly symmetrical. My congratulations." Maka noticed he had three streaks of white on the left side of his hair, and wondered whether she should point it out. It wasn't exactly symmetrical.

"Well, I'm Maka. Um. Hi..." The girls voice trailed off. She wasn't really sure what to say to these people. Why were they talking to her...

"So, like, how'd you meet Eater?" The ditzy blonde Liz! Remember the name, dummy! asked.

"Yeah, he's totally cool isn't he!" Her sister bubbled cheerily. Maka looked down at her abandoned sandwich.

"...Well I tripped this guy in PE. Tony, or something?"

"Dude's a jackass." Black Star muttered. "This is the second time Eater's beaten the shit outta him."

"Shh!" Tsubaki commanded, giving the boy a glance. "Let Maka tell her story."

"Um, anyway, he and two of his friends jumped me after class. I think... I think they were going to hurt me pretty bad..." Tsubaki gasped a little, and Liz gave Maka a sympathetic look.
"Yeah, I noticed your face. Did he hit you?" Liz asked. Maka nodded in reply.

"Anyway, he was just about to start when Eater started choking him. I don't even know where he came from... and the two friends ran off. But... Eater was going to really hurt him... so I yelled at him to stop..." Suddenly, Maka got stares from everyone.

"And he listened?" Black Star exclaimed. "Holy shit."

"That's... surprising?" Maka asked, confused. "Would he have just kept..."

"Eater's... a little bit violent." Kid told her, his soft, deep voice sounding a little unsettled. "People do not usually escape him without... incident." The way he said 'incident' made Maka shudder.

"So anyway." She said, trying to change the subject. "Where is he? Does he sit with anyone for lunch?"

"Nope! Eater doesn't really like of people!" Patty replied, her voice bright and cheery. "He's one of those... emos? I dunno!" Then she giggled, just a little too long for it to sound completely sane. The bell rang, and they all drifted apart, heading for their various classes.

Maka was lost in thought. Normally, she wasn't at all interested in people. She avoided them, not wanting to add any more stress to her life. People had problems, they could be upset, they could get angry with you, and Maka didn't want any of that. But Eater... there was something about him that she couldn't get out of her head.

-secret-

Tsun Stuff: Ignore Ashley. The chapter is fine, right guys? But anyway, what she thought of for the next one really is a fair bit better. So keep reading! She'll do awesome, we promise.