A/N: Ok, so I might have to move updating to just Wednesdays because it's really hectic for me right now. School's over in six weeks and their logic is to pile on the work for us ... because that makes sense? No, don't do that while we're in the middle of the year actually on schedule, just move it to the end of the year so everyone is confused and worried and shit. No problem there, am I right ladies? -_- Still don't own Soul Eater, still own my fic. Isn't that shocking?

Kid hated it when Soul got like this. It was so different from his usual self. Every time there was a challenge, his eyes became rough and edged. He never really saw any other logic besides fight and dodge. Fight being to get what he wants, whether it be knowledge or drugs, and dodge being to avoid anything he wasn't prepared for. Anything that could cause unnecessary trouble. This time though, things were different.

Their business had grown largely ever since Kid, Soul, and Black*Star joined together. Each had a specialty in each aspect of the drug they dealt. Dealing pot wasn't as bad as dealing crack or meth, but it still required special attention. Kid's specialty was organization and persuasion. A drug dealing business man if you would. Liz and Patty had been dealing on their own for a couple of years at an age far younger than any person should. If they wanted to eat that night, they had to deal. No exceptions. The bright side of having been on the streets though was that they knew the streets, and they knew people on them. More importantly, people who wanted some drugs. They joined up with Kid a year before he met Soul.

Black*Star had known Soul far longer than anybody else in the group. The two were practically brothers, which is Soul's mind was better than having his real brother around. Black*Star's specialty was defense and distraction. If anybody caused trouble, Black*Star would be the first to straighten them out. Likewise, he would also be the first one to cause trouble if it meant getting away with the pot quickly. He wasn't afraid to take a beating or two. The boy had grown up with two foster parents, both of whom were a bit different. They were also excellent fighters, and better teachers. His biological family was the Star gang, and Black*Star being the last of the gang left represented them once he joined Soul.

As for Soul ... he was the leader. The planner, the level headed one, and the laid back one. Unless of course you tried to start shit. Then yeah, he was going to get pissed. He took dealing very seriously. It was the only claim to his family name he had that his brother hadn't spoiled.

He wouldn't have that for long if a new dealer was closing in on him though.

"Kid, how much do we know about this new dealer?"

Kid shook his head disdainfully, "Very little. All we know is he's selling some hard stuff. If he gets caught he can do some serious time, but we can't have it happen on our turf if he does."

"Why not? Can't we just turn him in," Black*Star asked.

Liz sighed tiredly and shook her head, "What, are you stupid? We can't do that. You know the first thing about defense and distraction; never get caught. If they get sent to jail on our turf, or if we try to get the cops to hook 'em, then we're going to do time too."

"And I'm not letting that happen. This business is the last thing I have left to own up to. I'm not letting some snob walk in here and try to take it up with their meth, crack, acid, or whatever the hell they're selling," Soul said.

Everyone in the room watched him silently as he tried to steady his breathing.

"Calm down Soul, gosh. They're not going to do anything to what we got going here," Liz said to him as she sat down at the table by him.

"If they try, we'll kick them where it counts and feed them to-"

"Ok Patty, we understand," Kid interrupted.

Patty pouted a bit, but Kid ignored it. He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms.

"All we've been told is that they have some sort of connection to you," Kid sighed.

"What about me," Soul asked.

Kid shrugged, and Black*Star started doing pushups by the table.

"Is it ... that one ... dealer without ... a name," Black*Star asked in between reps.

"No, for all we know it's a new one," Liz answered.

"But how did you get this information? Did one of our customers say anything," Soul questioned.

"Ox's turf is already being invaded by this dealer's gang. He let us know in the parking lot by the basketball court. They were going to have a fight there, so he told us to leave after we got the news. Last I saw of him, he was in the middle of a face off with some guy with this weird nose thing and spiky hair," Kid explained.

"So if they're sending out smaller gangs to cover up our small allies they must be trying to muffle us a bit so we can't fight with backup. They're going to send the heart of their group straight at us with everything they got," Soul concluded.

Everyone was quiet until Liz barely mumbled, "So what do we do?"

Soul studied the faces of his friends and co-workers. They had come to be a bit of a family to him. He wouldn't be able to get over it if any of them got hurt in this, especially since the dealer was coming for him. It would be all Soul's fault.

"We start getting ready to fight," Soul announced.

He stood up from his seat and Liz followed suit. Black*Star also stood to acknowledgement, and they all nodded at one another.

A sense of unity filled the room but was shaken by one voice speaking up.

"Not without me you don't."

Maka stepped out from the shadows of the hallway, and by doing so ultimately stepped into the battle zone.