Claire

Meeting Seven

Everything seemed blurred as I walked down the hallways of DWMA. That guy -- Kid -- just tried to cut my hair off in the middle of class!

What kind of school is this?

The bell rang and I found myself wondering how long I'd been walking around. The sound of shoes hitting the ground repeatedly -- it sounded like someone running -- echoed through the hall. I turned around curiously.

"Hey!"

You've got to be kidding me.

"Hey!" Kid shouted again, finally caught up with me. "What do you want?" I snapped irritably. Kid gaped at me. "Who do you think you are, snapping at a Reaper like this?" I scoffed. "One hell of a Reaper, I'd say. What? Do you have assymetriphobia?" A glare sparkled in Kid's eyes. Two girls stood behind him, the taller one was with Kid in class earlier, the smaller one I hadn't yet met.

Kid frowned. "You don't have a weapon? Or are you a weapon?" I smirked. "A weapon." A grin slid onto his lips. "And you don't have a Miester?" I shrugged, a smirk on my face. "Don't need one." As I said this, Soul and the girl who'd scolded him earlier were at Kid's side. "Okay. Outside. Let's go." Kid challenged. I laughed and followed him outside.

I stood on the cobble in front of the academy. "Liz! Patty!" Kid called. The two girls nodded once with a, "Right!" And took their weapon forms as silver pistols that Kid took. "Soul." The girl said calmly. "Let's do this, Maka." So that was her name! Soul turned into a large scythe, which Maka took hold of.

Two Meisters. Three weapons. Not at all a challenge compared to who I've fought before.

"Hope you're ready to lose, weapon!" Kid spat from across the cobble. I smirked. "Call me Claire!" I called back. With that, Kid shot with his pinkies.

Scythes came from my forearms and calves as I ducked to avoid the bullets. When I looked up, Maka was coming down towards me, holding Soul up to slash me. With a scoff, I pushed her back up with my hands; she barely landed on her feet and slid back a few feet. "Damn. She's better than I thought..." Kid said. I fought a laugh.

They had no idea.

Kid shot again and, this time, I jumped over the bullets and lunged at him. I turned to the right, running behind him too quickly for him to note what I was doing. I lifted him from under his shoulders and flipped him onto the ground, face-first. He lay very still there, Liz and Patty off to the side.

The sound of wind rushing behind me made me duck by instinct, and Maka landed in front of me. "She made quick work of Kid, Soul..." Maka mumbled in worry. Instead of waiting for her next move, I kicked at Soul, knocking him away from Maka, and kicked her chest, sending her onto the ground. Soul took back his human form. "MAKA!" He screamed, and tackled me.

We rolled, and I ended up on top of Soul. I pressed a scythe to his neck. "It seems that I won this fight, Soul." I muttered as I pushed off the ground and stood. "And your precious Maka's fine. I didn't do anything but kick her." I turned my back to the weapon still laying on the ground. "If I wanted to kill her, she'd already have been dead." I said, looking over my shoulder at him. He frowned and I smirked. "Hm!" And pushed a light blue streak of hair out of my face.

"AAAHH!"

Immediately, I grabbed an ankle of the person screaming and threw them into the stairs of the academy. "I..! Am..! Black... Star...!" I huffed. "Black Star!" A tall, black-haired girl ran to the blue-haired boy's side. "Black? Star?" I questioned mentally. I just shook my head and started back up the stairs, my scythes gone.

A hand touched my shoulder and I grunted, turning around. "What's your name!" Kid demanded. I frowned. "I already told you; I'm Claire." He raised a brow at me, and jerked his hand away. "Ugh! You're disgusting! So asymmetrical!" I glared at him, but said nothing. "Kid, she just beat your ass and you're complaining about how asymmetrical she is?" The taller blonde asked. Behind them, Soul was helping Maka up. A sudden longing for a Meister tugged at my stomach, and I fought to ignore it as Kid ranted about how asymmetrical I was.

I stopped his ranting with a look. "Now, if you'd excuse me, I've got to talk to Lord Death. I'd appreciate it if you'd stop wasting my time." I grumbled as I finished my way up the stairs.

"What's the matter Maka?" I heard, just before I was out of ear shot, "There's something... Off... About Claire."

Hmph. She didn't know the half of it.

***

It took me forever just to find Lord Death's office. And, even then, it didn't look or feel like any office I'd ever seen.

"Claire Monroe. A lone weapon, I see?" He greeted me. I gaped at him. "How did you-- Wait. You run this school. You must know everything that goes one within it, even who and what your students are." Death held up a large, white hand and pointed. "Ah! Smart, indeed! Now, what is it you wanted to see me for? Hm?" This seemed even more ridiculous.

I sighed. "I have a question. Is it normal to... Want a Meister? Even if you don't need one?" Although anyone would expect me to sound vulnerable while saying it, I sounded even more guarded than usual. Lord Death went into an explanation of how it was common to want a Meister. But, since I didn't need one, I wouldn't be required to have one. "By the way, Claire, you'll be going on your first mission with Soul and Maka. I'm sure you've met them before?" He asked as I turned the door knob. I smirked. "You bet."

***

I wandered through the halls, trying to find an exit. Students were walking all throughout the halls, making it even harder to see. To make things worse, they were staring at me like I was a freak.

"Didn't you hear! She completely freaked on Death the Kid in Stein's class today!" "She's such a loner!" "Look at her hair! It's multicolored! Ew." "Haven't seen a lone weapon since I've started school here! She's a freak!"

Somewhere deep inside, these comments hurt and bothered me. But, for the more dominant upper side of me, I couldn't care less what they thought.

"'Sup, Claire?"

Soul appeared by my side. I frowned in greeting; what, did he think we were friends? Soul seemed to catch my meaning and frowned in return. "What? Don't wanna make any friends at the academy?" I shrugged. "Wasn't exactly part of the plan." I replied calmly, shoving my hands into my denim pockets. "Really? What is your plan?" I shot a guarded look at him that told him to quit asking questions like that.

"So. Claire. Where'd you learn to fight like that?" I grunted; this never was a good subject for me. "Let's just say it's hereditary." My tone was very stiff and rough. If it wasn't obvious now that I didn't want to talk about this, I don't know what was. "Huh. Never heard of such a thing." I didn't reply.

After walking for about ten more minutes trying to find an exit, I groaned. Soul looked at me curiously. "Where've you been trying to go?" I frowned. "Out. I want to go home, if anything." Maka smiled kindly. "Oh, just follow us, then!" Maka and Soul led me to the front doors of the academy and I sighed. I just needed to walk home alone. "Er. Thanks?" I thanked them before stepping outside.