CHAPTER 6

A/N – Hello everyone! As you know by now, I am in the habit of replying to (most I hope) reviews through PMs, because I really, really love them all and I am immensely grateful for the attention my crazy ideas get! But since I cannot answer Guest reviewers individually for obvious reasons, I will do it here. So many thanks to all of you unknown Guests (especially to Kobi-Meri – you wrote one of the most amazing reviews I've ever gotten on my stories and it really made my day!)

A/N – Starting with this chapter, I have decided to change the structure of updates a bit. Therefore, each chapter will focus on only one of the two main characters at a time (at least until they meet), giving me the possibility to let the plot unfold a bit more. That being said, this chapter will be all about Maka. Enjoy!

"I know it would make you feel more comfortable. And besides, you wouldn't be alone in a fight so I get it," Franken Stein said, blowing out smoke as the blonde viciously struck the wooden dummy with a blunt sword. "But ultimately everyone here is on their own and you won't find any kindness of sorts in someone who has been fighting for their lives for as long as Evans has. Of course he won't help you. Why would he?"

Why would he, indeed? Maka had surprisingly survived through another two matches in the meantime, but it had all been pure luck, she thought. Both times she had been in a team with other low level slaves and she'd lived not because she'd done some spectacularly good job herself but more likely because the opponents had underestimated her each time, going for the stronger fighters in the group first and thus giving her opportunities to take them by surprise. But team matches were rare as it was and only for 'beginners'. The longer she survived, the blonde knew she would move up in the ranks and things were getting increasingly dangerous. She would stay positive though, thinking that a higher rank and more difficult fights meant more money for Galiel for every fight won – which decreased her father's debt ultimately – but still, how long was she going to be able to keep this up? Thanks to Dr. Stein's very effective and efficient training, Maka was now doing well with spears and short swords even, but those weapons were heavy nonetheless, even if not as heavy as a steel scythe. At the end of the day, fighting was the job of tough men and she was, just like Stein had put it, a tiny girl. A human weapon would have made everything better and easier, but…

Soul 'Eater' Evans was wasting his time as usual between his own matches, hanging around their training area but doing nothing. Kilik had gotten himself injured recently – with his own firepots no less – which had attracted a load of laments from training master Ox on how the champions of their house had gotten soft and slacking off more and more as of late. Of course, all the pestering had only succeeded in annoying the hell out of the scythe boy, who now purposefully refused to train.

Clearly, he won't help me… The blonde stole glances at him from time to time while pretending to focus on her own moves and listen to Stein's indications. He had laughed in her nose the last time – actually the only time – she'd asked him to fight with her. No, he wouldn't help her out of kindness, or any other reason. Unless… Well, unless she found a way to push his buttons, Maka pondered. As her father used to tell her often, everyone had a weakness. So there must have been something she could-

"I think you can stop being so subtle, tiny tits, you're failing miserably. How uncool…"

Maka gritted her teeth in annoyance at having been caught staring and Stein's amusement at the scythe's words didn't help either. And when the hell had he crept so close to her?

"Clearly not as subtle as you, sneaking behind my back, troll eater!" she replied with a grin, having a sudden idea. If nothing else, she could always try to get on his nerves. "Which makes me think… no really… maybe Kilik got the right idea, just backwards"

The scythe boy's thin eyebrow shot up at this and he seemed to struggle to remember what his friend had said in that respect. Maka could bet that Kilik usually talked a lot of crap, reason for which Evans appeared slightly confused at the moment. She decided to help.

"Actually he said that I want you. Well, I think it's exactly the opposite – I think you want me," the blonde stated boldly, "reason for which you were present at all my matches, came to visit when I was recovering from my wounds and the very reason you are here, in this very moment, pestering me with your overwhelming creepiness!"

Evans blinked a couple of times, apparently taken aback, for which reason she feared that she might have exaggerated.

"So basically you think I'm overwhelming. Good to know!" he laughed loudly, genuinely amused. "Look, I get it, you're defensive about it," he added circling her slowly, "but it's not working. After all, you're the one who asked to fight with me, so you want me as your weapon…. And only hell knows as what else!"

Much to Maka's disappointment, his wits seemed to be as sharp as his blade. Damn it! And now he was laughing even harder. Of course he didn't like her or anything – that much was obvious, she thought – but he was bored and she had proven to be a perfect target for his teasing and an endless source of amusement. Bastard! But, ignoring his obnoxiousness, maybe that was his weak point. To be amused? No, to be challenged, he probably liked that the blonde always tried to challenge him. Fine then, I will challenge him…

"Basically both you and Kilik are idiots, if I may say so," she retorted. "I don't want you as my weapon because I like you (which I really don't by the way), but because it would make it easier for me to survive. For both of us, actually – you'd never get hurt in full weapon form"

Evans pulled away, no longer amused. "You know nothing about survival, actually," he said somewhat bluntly, but retaining his mirth. "You're probably still alive because the gods have some twisted sense of humor. But like I said – me being your weapon? Not gonna happen. Can't you see it's just impossible?" he added with a theatrical sigh, rolling his eyes, then began walking away.

"Nothing is impossible!"

Her words stopped him in his tracks and the white haired scythe turned with an incredulous smile. "Really?"

Maka took a deep breath, steeling her determination. "Yes, really. I challenge you to fight me, right now! If I win, you'll at least give it a try at being my weapon. What do you say?" she asked with her chin held up and trying to show a confidence she didn't really have.

"Hmm… very interesting. But what happens if you lose, I wonder?"

The blonde shrugged. "If I lose… I'll never bug you with it ever again. I promise"

In reply Soul puffed his cheeks and made a fart-like sound. "Well I have to say – that is not much of a challenge. Why would I even bother with it? I see no real incentive in it for me"

True… but what the hell could I possibly promise him? "Well… what do you want?" she asked cautiously, although asking that was clearly a bad idea. Did she seriously want to put up with the scythe boy's twisted mind? He'd probably find some way to mock or humiliate her further. And she wasn't wrong.

"I tell you what," he said after brief pondering, "If you win, I'll consider being your scythe. But if I win, I shall give you a new challenge, a difficult one mind you. If you should fail that one as well, then… something you may or may not want will happen," Evans stated, his sharp toothed grin widening. "These are – if I may say so - my overly generous terms. You still up for it?"

"Yes"

Maka picked up the two swords she normally used for practice and weighed them briefly, examining the blades. A bit old and blunt, while his is as sharp as it gets… damn it. On that note, it wasn't quite a fair fight, but at least it wasn't a real fight, they would not try to kill each other. However, this was not the stake – she had to win anyway, if only to avoid his challenge, for only the gods of hell knew what the scythe boy had in mind to amuse himself further.

"This is a rather stupid idea if you ask me, "Stein observed from the side. "I don't think you can beat him"

The blonde frowned – at least the doctor was supposed to be on her side! She was getting more and more annoyed with how everyone was apparently kissing the champion's ass by the second.

"I'll give you the advantage of the first attack, so come at me," Evans said grinning, looking completely relaxed.

"As if I didn't know you fight dirty"

Maka took a deep breath and began circling him cautiously. She would not lunge forward recklessly, since that was what he was probably expecting her to do. His red eyes were currently trained on the ground at his feet, as if he were not watching her at all, which made it all the creepier. And then Soul smiled, showing feral sharp teeth, as if he could smell hesitation and suddenly Maka wanted nothing else than to wipe that blasted grin off his face once and for all.

She rapidly jumped forward and hurled one of the swords at his head, knowing he would be distracted blocking it and tried to shove the other in his stomach. Except he moved away faster than expected and kicked her leg with his own, making the blonde lose her balance. He then drew back several steps, allowing Maka plenty of room to stumble and fall on her face as a result.

However, she recovered quickly and now she was really angry, because his smile had only widened at this.

"Are you enjoying this so far?" Evans wanted to know, clearly amused. "Because I am"

Gritting her teeth, the blonde swung both weapons in sync as she attacked once more, giving all she had. Soul blocked both her swords with his right morphed arm, but Maka continued to push at him, almost growling, until at some point she was under the impression that sparks were flying from the clashing blades. Bright green orbs bore determinedly into blood red as she held his gaze for a few moments, nearly grinning herself as she unexpectedly slammed his boot in the boy's stomach, making him stumble backwards. Maka took advantage of his momentary lack of balance and she attacked further, hoping to get him down on the ground this time.

But… something went awfully wrong all the sudden and so fast that Maka barely had any idea how it happened in the first place. Stein would have probably called it a spectacular defeat. She was on her knees in the dirt, Soul's razor sharp red-and-black blade right under her chin, pressed into the delicate skin of her neck, almost drawing blood.

"And I could have fought a lot dirtier, you know…" he chuckled, lips close to her ear. Something like a gasp escaped the blonde and she gulped, wanting nothing more than to slap herself, hard. Damn it, Maka thought, she could show him no weakness. She resisted the temptation to squeeze her eyes shut just to escape the overwhelming embarrassment.

"Well, I must admit – you do have some balls after all. It wasn't bad," Evans concluded, gripping her arm with surprising care and helping her stand up." Clearly, it wasn't good either, though… so I really hope you'll do better with my challenge"

"Which is?" It took Maka everything to force back the angry tears threatening to spill. She wasn't afraid of him, damn it!

"Hmm… I suppose I shall have to think about it…"

The blonde stomped angrily behind Soul 'Eater' Evans as he strolled carelessly towards the main gate leading out onto the death sands. Maka was doing her best to tune out the terrible sounds of the Arena as they made her shudder in anticipation of horrors to come, but the white haired boy walking in front of her didn't seem to care in the slightest.

"Are you going to tell me why the hell you brought me here?" she grumbled, extremely ill-humored. "You said you've decided upon a challenge! Well, what is it?!"

Giving her a wide, shark-like grin in reply, Soul wrapped an arm around her tiny shoulders and pulled her closer to the gate, pointing to the king's balcony. "Take a good look up there. What do you see?"

Maka lifted her gaze at the decorated, spacious balcony draped with the white and dark blue silk of the Stars. The king was on his throne, as usual, surrounded by his courtiers and guests.

"I see King White Star… and by his side, that blue haired boy is Prince Black Star I think. I don't know who the black haired girl talking to him is and…" The blonde squinted, only now having noticed two figures entirely shrouded in black cloaks, despite the heat. Their hoods were also pulled up and their faces covered by some peculiar white masks in the shape of bizarre, sharp teethed skulls. "Who the hell are those?"

"Shinigamis," the scythe boy replied simply. "Even you must have heard of them. Every girl in the Citadel has heard of them"

Having been somewhat of a tomboy in her childhood and even later, Maka had not been friends with many girls and was rather unaware of gossip and such. She had heard of shinigamis though, she had even heard that some girls liked to fantasize about meeting them, but now looking at the two rather sinisterly looking characters who stood out among the colorfully dressed courtiers she was positively confused as to what the fuss was about.

"Yes I've heard…" she replied hesitantly. "Although… well I don't really get the excitement-"

"They are said to be very beautiful. But for some reason women are not allowed to look at them, under the punishment of death – it's the law given by the Ourouboros himself. That's why they wear those masks when they are out in the open"

Maka somehow doubted that beauty needed be hidden behind gruesome masks. Most likely the shinigamis were some monstrous creatures of the High Priest, purposed to guard the king and his family, just like the Clowns guarding the gates of his palace and the Temple of Nights and Days.

"And?"

"And your task is as follows – I challenge you to draw their attention. It can be just one of them if you can't do both, I'll live with that," Evans explained cheerfully. "If you succeed that, I might even consider being your weapon. Fail and… I don't know what will happen…" he warned.

"WHAT?!"

"Meaningful insight – it is said they don't like girls, but since you have no boobs it might just work," the scythe boy laughed.

To be continued