What felt like an eternity later, Maka mucked out yet another stall.
Her hair had slipped from its tie and she forcefully shoved a snarl behind her ear.
Why had she even bothered brushing her hair today?
She felt the sweat and grime clinging to her body as she worked.
Her friends back in England would have swooned at the very scandal of it all.
Maka would have been modified as well if it wasn't for the one thing driving her forward.
Ragnarok.
The though of him touching her was far more filthy than anything a horse could produce.
"Well, well, if it isn't his Lordship Fancy Pants Albarn."
Maka looked over her shoulder at the booming voice.
"Hello sir." She said, recognizing the rangy man with blue hair.
"I hardly recognize you Albarn, you look different with a shovel in your hands and shit on your boots."
After Mr. Evans' warning the day before, Maka had anticipated the teasing and jeering that was bound to come her way from the cowboys.
A woman would wine or be offended by the situation.
A man would take it, or even joke back.
Maka flashed him a cocky smile.
"I'd rather have muck on my boots than listen to the muck coming out of your mouth sir."
Black star chuckled and leaned against the stall railing.
"You have more spirit than I thought kid."
Maka smiled, enjoying her secret victory.
She was getting better at acting like a man.
She would have never said anything so crass a month ago.
"Hey kid, you better put some gloves on before you get blisters." Black star finally said once his laughter stopped.
"Too late, I already have them."
"And you're still shoveling?" Black star grabbed her hands and looked down at the angry welps forming on her palms.
"Dumb green horn, wash your hands and put gloves on. Do you want them to fester?!"
All traces of his amusement left his face.
"I don't own any gloves."
"What kind of man worth his salt doesn't own gloves." Black star mumbled as he walked over to a dusty shelf and grabbed a pair of gloves.
He threw them at her and scowled as she slipped them on.
"Those are way too big for you. I've never seen a fellow with such small hands."
"It's an Albarn trait." Maka lied, feeling a little nervous.
"Well that's not a trait to be proud of kid. Small hands means a harder life. I'll grab you a pair of boy's gloves next time I go to town."
"Thank you sir, that's very kind of you."
"You can just call me Black star." He said cracking a grin. "I reckon you and I should be friends kid. Anyone who drives Soul as crazy as you do is alright in my book."
Maka returned his grin.
Making her first friend here had been exceptionally easy.
"Plus, the boss is going to be so busy keeping an eye on you he wont't even notice when I sneak away for naps now."
Maka's smile slipped as her insides churned at his words. Something about Mr. Evans watching her... it made her feel uneasy.
"Who's taking naps?" Soul asked as he stepped into the barn's doorway.
Maka hadn't seen him all morning, but the smudge of dirt on his pale jawline testified the fact he'd been busy.
He had come in at the wrong moment, while she was standing around talking and not shoveling.
His disapproving frown spoke volumes.
Suddenly earning his approval mattered to her.
"Stop jawing and get back to work kid, I've got another job for you once you've finished mucking."
Her shovel scraped the floor in her haste.
"Yes Mr. Evans, I'll be done in a few more minutes."
"And you Black star, stop bothering the kid and get back to work. Tsubaki needs your help."
Maka noticed Black star perk up at the mention of the house keepers name.
It was so subtle a change that she might have just imagines it though.
"What does she need?" He asked casually.
"She says that damn fox has been digging holes under the henhouse again. Go fill the holes back up, and you might bury some wooden spikes too, just for good measure."
"Add a healthy dash of cayenne pepper to your last spade of dirt." Maka chimed in.
"Huh?" Black Star looked puzzled, like she was speaking Latin.
"Cayenne, I'm sure Tsubaki has some in the kitchen. It irritates the nose and eyes of a predator. That fox won't come back very soon after getting a sample of it."
Black Star turned to look at his boss in question.
Soul gave a half smile, which was about the only kind of smile Maka had seen from him so far.
She briefly wondered if the reason he was so grumpy was because his life was a dull one.
"I've never heard of such a hair brained thing."
"It's true Mr. Evans, it really works."
Soul frowned at her.
The kid kept insisted on calling him Mr. Evans and he secretly hated it.
"I'll tell you what kid, we'll have Black star fill in one hole with spikes and another hole with cayenne pepper. We'll see once and for all which method keeps the fox out."
Maka smiled. "Care to place a wager on it?"
"Sure!" Black star burst out.
"No." Soul glowered.
Black star huffed. "Come on boss. I know you don't like any of us gambling, but this seems pretty harmless."
Certain of her solution working Maka shot Soul an oh-so-innocent look.
"He's just worried of losing the bet, especially to an Englisher."
"Oh ho ho!" Black star crowed. "You gonna take that jibe boss?"
Soul groaned.
"I'll take your bet kid, just don't tell Stein we're teaching you bad habits like gambling."
"I won't say a word Mr. Evans. Why don't you and I have a gentlemen's agreement then? Instead of money, perhaps we could settle on the loser having to do a chore."
Like muck the stable . . .
Soul crooked a pale brow at her.
Hooking the heel of his boot on a wooden slat, Black star drawled, "Boss, isn't that henhouse due to be cleaned out?"
"It is."
"So do we have an agreement?" Maka strove to sound blasé.
"If the fox goes through the cayenne, I clean the henhouse. If he goes through the other section, you do the honors."
"Fine. It's a deal."
He stuck his hand out and she shook it firmly, like a proper man would.
"Now get back to work kid, the day is still young."
Maka felt so smug, she hardly even noticed the weight or odor of those last few scoops of muck