Why Me? *DISCONTINUED*

Chapter Four: Not So Stranger - Part I

I watched the screen intently and a booming voice on the loud speaker started to announce the next division. "The challengers of this devision are all meisters and weapons without partners. They will be fighting against each other to showcase what their strengths and weaknesses are in battle. Keep in mind, duelists participating in these specified battles, that Lord Death, as well as all high ranking teachers of the DWMA, will be watching and evaluating your skills for the future pairing of partners."

Only students without partners, huh? Hm... I became a little more interested in what was about to take place below, (though I would never admit to it), when I saw a familiar streak of ashy blonde on the jumbo screen. Since it was a division of partner-less fighters, their weapon specialty was provided for the student meisters, as well as weapons who didn't have the ability to transform and fight with themselves alone in battle.

I leaned forward in my seat and looked up at the screen. Low and behold, that same mysterious girl who had knocked into me from before was being zoomed into and panned across the hovering T.V. She looked just as beautiful as before. This was definitely the same girl. Hold on a Shinigami moment. Why am I so infatuated with some random girl? So not cool.

The loud speakers all around the stadium started to boom out two names. One of the names, Akane Hoshi... and the other... Maka Albarn...

Maka... That's a pretty cool name. So that's the name of the intriguing mystery girl. Wait, intriguing? Since when did I use big words? Especially when all I'm doing is thinking to myself. Good Shinigami. What the hell is coming over me?

I shook my head and looked down into the packed stadium. As they began to fight, I noticed that her weapon specialty was a scythe. I'm a scythe. Maybe we could... No. Not again. What is with these thoughts lately? Ugh.

I watched silently, not thinking about anything except the battle taking place below. Well, if you could call it that, I guess. It ended pretty quickly. The girl, Maka, had won by a landslide. Wow. She's really talented.

The loudspeaker began to announce that the next matchup would begin after a short fifteen minute intermission as a medical aid personnel helped Akane limp out of the arena. Death, she really didn't hold back on that guy. I chuckled bemusedly to myself and stood up to leave. Making my way through the throng of people all pushing and shoving to get back to their seats before the next match began, I finally made it to the exit archway. I heaved a heavy sigh, glad to be out of that craziness, and stepped forward just as my cellphone began to ring.

I pulled it out of my jacket pocket and looked down at the screen lazily. The number 42-42-564 was displayed in bold chalky white font. Great. What could he possibly want now, I thought as I pressed the accept call button.

"Yeah?" I answered with a less than enthusiastic tone.

"Soul Evans! Just the scythe weapon I wanted to speak to!" A shrill bubbly voice sounded through the speaker and I rolled my eyes and clicked my tongue, annoyance clearly present on my face.

"Don't call me that. I don't go by that name anymore. Is there something urgent you need me for?" I waited for his response and sighed mentally. I hated when I got calls from him. It always meant that I had some kind of boring, uncool work to do.

"Matter of fact there is, Mr. Evans," he said making my brow and corner of my mouth twitch. "I need you to come up to my viewing box immediately. There is something I would like to discuss with you." He paused before adding: "And don't think about skimping out on coming because I have eyes everywhere!"

"Hmph. Fine. I'll be right there." With that last exchange I hang up and turned around stuffing my hands deep in my pants pockets. I slouched my shoulders and let my face express what a clear pain this was.

A short while later, after walking down a dark corridor that seemed to stretch on forever, I finally came up to the door of the judges' viewing box and hesitantly reached to open it.

I sighed softly and stood there hesitating for a moment longer. I had no idea what to expect from this sudden call to visit, and was too absorbed in my own thoughts to notice the bouncing figure steadily making its way over from the left side of the hallway. As I had steeled my resolve to grab the doorknob, I looked up and caught a glimpse of swaying ashy blonde hair and a darting hand just as the door was swung wide open, smashing me right in the face.

"Ow! What the HELL?!" I screamed at the figure while pinching my bruising nose and flailing my free arm in exasperation. "Ugh. Sdupid door. It would oben dowards be." I whined, nursing my throbbing nose.

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry! I really didn't mean too! I swea-"

Glaring coldly passed my raised hand, ready to really give it to the idiot who would be so uncool as to hit a stranger with a door, my anger suddenly caught in my throat. When I heard that soft apologetic voice and saw those deep emerald eyes I let my arm relax and fall limply to my sides. The pain in my nose no longer claiming my full attention.

No, it can't be. This is -!

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