I started stretching, getting ready to fight.

"So, we're going against Kid?" I asked.

"Yep." Kylie said, taking her jacket off in the warm sunlight of Death City. "Try keeping your face symmetrical while trying to make him asymmetrical. Talk about the stripes on his head, cut his jacket on one side, whatever you can think of."

"You are very, very...devious." I said.

Kylie smiled. "Thank you, Rye."

"Right." I cracked my knuckles.

"Don't do that." Kylie said, putting her hand out.

I shrugged, taking her hand as she transformed to a claymore. I fastened her sheath to my belt and looking at Stein.

"One pair of Meisters and Weapons will fight each other. Not to kill the other one, just to make them submit or unconscious." Stein said, blowing smoke out of his mouth. "Choose the pair you are going to fight."

I began walking towards Kid, but Maka stepped in my way.

"I challenge you." Maka said.

Damn it.

"Alright then." I said, putting my hand out. I was wearing fingerless black gloves. "I accept."

Maka shook my hand, smiling, and I saw she was wearing gloves too.

"Rye, what are you doing! We were supposed to fight Kid!" Kylie said.

"I can't, see, because-" I began when, suddenly, Maka poked my face with a marker.

"He's asymmetrical! Kid would kill him now." Maka said, winking at me. Oh, be still my beating heart.

'Thanks.' I mouthed. "Kid would destroy me. And Black Star is plain annoying."

Kylie grumbled something about how I was lying and just wouldn't say no to a fight (or Maka), and sighed. "Alright then. Hey, Rye, I meant to tell you something after school, but I never got around to it. Want to talk about it walking home today?"

"Sure." I said, surprised. Usually Kylie told me everything the moment she wanted to, and this seemed to worry her. "Ready to fight?"

"Yeah." Maka said, a determined look on her face.

"Go!" Stein said, and I charged. I brought Kylie out with two hands (claymores are large swords that need two hands to use) and surprised Maka at how fast I brought her out, bringing sparks up as Maka hurried to block my attack. Maka shot back and spun Soul on her palm, then swung Soul at me, nearly cutting me. She was fast-moving and had a longer range than I expected. I ran at her, Kylie held to the side, and I spun in a circle. Maka just barely jumped in time and lost a bit of her awesome coat.

I spun the bolt in my head, clearing my thoughts. "Kylie and Riley are completely synchronized, and are able to use that to make up for their inexperience."

"They're closer than average siblings, I take it?" Marie asked.

"Yes." I said, puffing on my cigarette. "Kylie has a devious, planning soul that matches perfectly with Riley's caring soul."

"Caring, Stein? How has he shown he's caring yet?" Marie asked.

"Other than caring so deeply for his sister, he'd die for all of his friends. Look, he won't attack Maka to his full extent." I said, and, true to my word, Riley slowed his attack down slightly so that Maka only had her coat cut. "That might prove to be a weakness."

"Or, if he put him in a protection role," Marie said as Maka kicked Riley in the teeth, causing him to fall down, blood trailing from his mouth, "it could prove a great benefit."

"Damn it." I cursed, wiping my mouth on the back of my glove.

"Stop holding back." Kylie said.

"I can't hurt Maka, Kylie." I said.

"Just knock her out. It won't hurt her." Kylie said. She probably was lying, but I wanted to believe her, and people believe what they want.

"Alright." I sighed, standing up. Maka immediately swung at me, but I blocked Kylie and ran towards her, causing sparks, and then I lifted Kylie and hit her on the side of the head with Kylie's handle. Maka's eyes rolled back into her skull and she passed out, but I caught her before she could hit the ground.

Kylie transformed back into her normal self and smiled. "We win!"

"Yeah." I said regretfully, then noticed I'd cut Maka's head. "Damn it. Can we get a Doctor."

I was pleased when, instead of Stein, a woman with an eye-patch walked up.

A/N: Jeez this chapter was long.

-MN1