Due to topic/content, this story is rated M+. Maka deals with a traumatic event (sexual assault) and has to find herself again. Written by a sexual assault survivor. This story deals with Maka overcoming it all and finding her inner strength with the help of her true friends.

Chapter 1: The New Kid: Who is he?

"Soul! We're going to be late for class! Hurry up already!" Maka stood by the door tapping her foot impatiently. "I'm coming!" Soul groaned as he shut his bedroom door and met up with his Meister. "Let's go!" she took him by the hand and started running.

"So not cool, Maka." he huffed as he allowed himself to be lead away.

They ran all the way to the DWMA and to their class. Somehow, they managed to arrive in their seats on time.

"Good timing!" Liz Thompson whispered with a smile. Maka nodded in response, her pigtails bouncing slightly. Liz's younger sister Patty just giggled clapped softly.

Liz and Patty's Meister, Death the Kid just looked at his friends with a smirk and shook his head slightly. "Good to see you too! I'm surprised you weren't late yourself, Kid!"

Soul stated. "Why would I have been late?" Kid asked curiously. "I don't know…Because your stripes are making you unsymmetrical." Soul responded, referring to the Lines of Sanzu in the young reaper's hair.

Kid instantly fell on the floor, tears falling from his eyes and muttering something about him being worthless garbage. Everyone started laughing. "Doesn't this ever get old for you?" Maka asked Soul as she wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes. He only shook his head. "Nope!"

Liz leaned over Kid. "You're not garbage. Come on, Kid, you're okay" she tried to keep her voice comforting while still trying to hold back her laughter. She looked at Patty for assistance but realized that her sister was going to be of no help.

It was then that Tsubaki and her Meister Black*Star made their appearance. "I, the great Black*Star, is here! Now the day can begin!" he started doing warrior poses as Tsubaki slinked to her seat.

"Is everything okay?" Maka asked her. Tsubaki nodded and smiled. "The mighty Black*Star wanted to make everyone wait." she explained.

Tsubaki had to start laughing once she saw Kid on the ground. "Soul's doing?" Soul smirked, his sharp teeth shining in the light of the classroom. "As always" he told her, his crimson eyes lighting up mischievously.

"Okay, settle down everyone!" Professor Stein yelled as he entered the classroom. "Kid, Black*Star, that means you too! In your seats!"

Liz and Patty pulled Kid into his seat, although they were aware that his mind was somewhere completely different. Black*Star leaped over his friends and landed perfectly in his seat.

Stein could only roll his eyes as he adjusted the screw in his head. Once all had become silent, he began again. "We have a new student joining us today. He will be here in a moment. Right now, he is just observing and getting to know the Academy."

Chatter broke out amongst the class and Maka raised her hand. "Yes, Maka?" Stein wasn't surprised to see her hand go up. "Do we know if the new student is a Weapon or Meister?" she asked, head tilted slightly. Soul rolled his eyes and gently elbowed her.

"Right now, that doesn't matter, but thanks for asking." Stein answered. It was evident that he was hiding something, and everyone caught on to it.

Everything went silent when the classroom door opened and a shadowy figure stepped inside.

"Ah you're here. Good." Stein reached out and shut the door behind the student.

"Everyone, this is Wraith."

The students all stared in curiosity as the figured raised his head to face them. Some of the girls gasped in surprise. Maka just stared as the new student gave a half wave while trying to stay in a darker part of the classroom.

He couldn't be seen that well, but Maka assumed Wraith probably stood about 6'2; he was a very skinny boy. His eyes appeared so deep of a brown, that they may as well have been black. She was drawn to his fingernails, which he appeared to have cut into triangular shapes. He wore a black trench coat and his dirty blonde hair hung behind him in a ponytail.

Black*Star suddenly stood up "I, the great Black*Star challenge…" knowing where he was going with this, Profession Stein glared at him. "There will be no fight! Sit down." he growled.

Soul, Black*Star and Kid all exchanged glances. Who in the hell was this Wraith character and why was he here?

Tsubaki sat as far back as she could in her seat, nervously playing with her ebony ponytail.

Liz scooted closer to Kid, suddenly feeling very unsafe. Patty, in all of her innocence, was coloring and not paying attention even though Kid had a hand on the backs of both of his weapons.

Maka scooted closer to Soul and looked at the floor. Soul picked up instantly on Maka's inner panic and gently took her hand, giving it a supportive squeeze. "Maka?" she didn't respond and instead started to tremble slightly. She couldn't figure out if she was trembling because this new student frightened her, or if it's because she realized she was fascinated with him. She had no clue of why.

All she knew is that there was a strange energy coming off Wraith. She felt very uneasy and apparently, so did most of the other students.