(Soul Eater Not!) Certain points highlighted throughout Tsugumi's life, ranging from her first day at Shibusen, to years later.
Or even years before. It will be Tsugumi x Anya themed.

Disclaimer: It might rain sometime this week, I missed the bus yesterday, and I still don't own ANYTHING Soul Eater related.
Yes, sad times are had by all. I don't own any of the characters, locations, concepts etc. that belong to Soul Eater and Soul Eater Not!.
What I DO own, is the joy I get out of writing this and getting it out to everyone who reads it.

With that said, let's get on with this chapter! I do hope you give it a read and drop a review once you're done!

I hope you enjoy.

Hair

"… 'What hair color do I like?'." Tsugumi repeated in a curious tone.

Meme nodded.

"Un." She replied, simply.

Putting her lunchbox down on the bench right next to her, Anya looked at the two.

"Why do you wanna know that all of a sudden?" Tsugumi laughed. "Thinking about changing your hair color?"

Meme shook her head and smiled.

"No. I'm just curious."

Then she suddenly looked unsure.

"… Or do I want to change my hair color? Hmm… Maybe that was what I wrote down on my memo while brushing my
hair this morning…" Meme murmured, frowning in that cute way of hers whenever she was unsure of something.

"No you didn't." Anya cut in. "You wrote down 'My hair should be tied to the right'."

"Oooh…" Meme nodded, her face brightening as she remembered. "That's right! Good thing I remembered!"

Anya frowned disapprovingly.

"… Meme-san. Tell me, what side of your head is this?" She said and enclosed her hand around the brunette's side-pony.

Directing her gaze up at her friend's hand, Meme thought about it for a second (The fact that she even had to think about
it at all made Tsugumi smile, Meme was just so adorable at times).

"… My right?"

"Your other right."

"I have more than one right?"

"Ugh. No. You tied it to the left side of your head. You were supposed to tie it to your right."

"… I was?"

Anya facepalmed.

"Remember that note you wrote this morning while brushing your hair? Remember me reminding you about it not ten seconds ago?"
She asked, sounding a bit irritated now.

Meme's expression brightened again.

"Oooh…!"

Another facepalm.

"What is the purpose of you writing things down if you don't remember them anyway? Did you even bring the
note with you?" Anya asked.

Meme beat the butt of her left fist into the palm of her right hand.

"I knew there was something I was forgetting…!"

A third facepalm.

"Oh, Meme-san… Please try to bring your notes with you, would you? Otherwise, you may as well n-"

The two of them directed their eyes to the figure next to them, halting their own conversation for a new sound was capturing
the air around them. A very distinct sound.

Tsugumi had tried.

She really had.

But really, when her friends got going like this, there was no stopping her from exploding.

Looking upon her dark haired friend's expression, Anya felt her eyes widening slightly, and the strangest sensation
settled in her stomach.

Clutching at her stomach and trembling for a second, Tsugumi felt her last restraint snap and she erupted.

"Ahahahahahahah!"

Stomach fluttering, Anya took in the sight before her. That of Tsugumi having thrown her arms around herself, her head
held high as she laughed so hard tears gathered at the corners of her eyes. It really was a sight to behold, at least in
Anya's eyes. Tsugumi laughing, smiling and being happy.

"Aaah…" Tsugumi wiped at her eyes, chuckling. "Oh, you two make my mornings. Every single one of them." She stated and
smiled at them.

Smiling and moving her gaze from Meme to Anya, Tsugumi saw how she blushed and turned away, muttering something
about being made fun of.

Leaning back sideways on her spot on the bench, Tsugumi exhaled and let her gaze drift between her two friends.

"… Red."

Anya and Meme looked at her.

"Yeah…" Tsugumi nodded, as if thinking aloud. "I like red hair. It just looks so pretty, and I never see too many redheads
around so it's kind of exotic."

When neither one of her friends said anything, Tsugumi blushed under their gazes.

"… What?" She demanded, fidgeting.

Meme smiled and chuckled.

"What's up with that? You're so random sometimes!" She laughed.

"You're the one who asked!" Tsugumi retorted.

"… I did?" Meme asked, tilting her head to the side.

If the brunette had been looking behind her at this moment, she would have seen the fourth facepalm of the day
land safely on Anya's face.

"…eme-san! Meme-saaaaan!"

Turning, the trio saw Jaqueline waving at them.

"Sorry to bother you, but could I borrow Meme-san for a second?" She called.

"Umm…" Meme glanced between Anya and Tsugumi who shrugged. "Sure!"

Gathering her things, Meme got up and walked over to Jacqueline.

"Thank you so much! This won't take long!" The taller girl promised and started explaining as the two walked off.

Watching the two go, Anya exhaled and started to say something when a sudden strong wind caught her hair.
The long, golden mass flowed gently along the wind, some of it getting in her face. She brushed it away, just as the wind
changed direction, making it flow in a different direction and she turned to accommodate. The wind rustled the leaves of the
trees around them and filled the air with that special breezy but warm summer day feeling.

"It's not red…"

Keeping one hand at her ear in case the wind turned again, Anya turned to Tsugumi and was slightly startled to find her blushing.

"But…" Tsugumi murmured and met her gaze with a blushing smile.

The wind strengthened around them again, but the rustling of the leaves did nothing to drown out the rest of her words.

"… I love your hair the best!"

Anya's eyes widened with surprise. And when Tsugumi's words registered a few seconds later, her cheeks
flushed red and a most enjoyable tingling filled her stomach.

Trust

"Being compatible with your partner is one thing. Getting along well with them is yet one more. However! The most important
thing of all, is trust! Even should you be compatible, if trust does not exist between Meister and weapon, then it won't be long
before you get hurt! And if there is ill will between you, then your resonance will suffer! So build your trust before stepping
out on missions! Build your trust, build and strengthen your partner-Meister relationship! Now then, weapons transform!
Find someone to practice with and start when you are both ready!"

If someone were to write up an essay where they argue that Sid can be one long-winded man, they would have plenty of
evidence to support their argument. However, what was equally true, was the fact that Sid was also a very wise man.
The kind you should definitely listen to, not ignore in favor of catching a few Z's.

Smack!

"Waah!"

It was with bleary eyes and a slight disorientation that Harudori Tsugumi came back to the lesson. Finding herself on all fours
and not standing like she remembered being, she turned to see Anya looking down at her.

'Uh-oh…' Tsugumi gulped as the blonde crossed her arms with a far too happy smile.

"Help me understand something here, Tsugumi-san…" Anya said in a tone that made the weapon shiver. "How is it, exactly,
that a person can actually manage to fall asleep on their feet?"

"Eehehehe…! We-well, even if you ask me, I-" Tsugumi started, but froze when Anya placed a hand on her shoulder,
still smiling far too brightly.

"Oh, I see! So you wouldn't know about that because you are not the kind of person who would actually do that. Right?"
Anya said happily.

Tsugumi felt her squeeze down hard and swallowed.

'Okay, Anya's pissed. Time for the truth. Yeah… Just admit that you fell asleep 'cause you stayed up too late watching
that The World God Only Knows marathon last night…' Tsugumi thought and opened her mouth.

"Err… Um. O-of course! Wh-who sleeps in class anyhow, right? I mean, it's not like I stayed up way too late watching
that anime marathon last night and… Stuff."

Anya's smile widened upon hearing this.

'… I wonder if it hurts to die?' Tsugumi wondered quietly, as her partner's smile vanished.

Five seconds later found her on her knees, nursing a football-sized (and smoking) lump on her head.

"How am I supposed to trust a partner who can't even stay awake long enough in class to even learn what the
word means!?" Anya practically yelled.

"I know what trust means!" Tsugumi defended herself. "For a Meister and weapon, it is to trust your back to your partner!
And for a weapon like me, that means trusting you to guide me and help me strike!"

Anya tried, but she really couldn't say anything to that. Tsugumi's words rang true.

"As your partner, I will protect you with my life." Tsugumi stated with a fiercely determined look in her eyes. "To be a weapon
is to literally place one's life in the hands of another. And I have no problem with leaving mine in yours, Anya."

Having been caught off-guard by her friend's sudden lack of honorific, not to mention what she just said, Anya could only offer
a flustered stutter, as Tsugumi took hold of her hands.

"I want to become a partner worthy of your trust, Anya. Let's work together until that happens!" Tsugumi exclaims and smiles.

By this point, Anya's face is redder than the world's most well-boiled lobster, and steam is shooting out of her head.

'Wh… Wha… H-how am I supposed to reply to THIS!? This is… T-too much…! This is too much all at once! I… I can't…
M-my heart isn't prepared for this…! I…!' Anya sways on her feet as she desperately tries to get her thoughts
and emotions under control.

Something that, going by the look of her and the sounds she was making, could only really end one way.

Whump!

"Anya!?"

Called it.

"Anya, are you alright!? Anya, can you hear me!? Anyaaa!"

Dance

"… No."

"Oh come on, Anya-chan! Don't be like that!" Clay tries.

"… No."

"No need to get all tense there!" Clay laughs. "It's only a dance! Just relax and have some fun!" His expression then
changes to a slightly more serious one, and he adds; "I know Tsugumi's been away for a few weeks and won't be back in
another one or two. But still, it's not good for you to be so tense all the time. Body and mind, both. Taking your studies and training
seriously is good, but taking the time to relax and have fun is just as important. Having fun without Tsugumi, while hard to
believe, IS still a very real possibility, I firmly assure you."

"… No."

"Come on, just one dance. I'll go away after that, I promise!" Clay smiles and raises both hands in a show of surrender.

However-

"… No."

"I'll let you lead?" Clay tries one last time.

"… No."

Heaving a sigh, Clay rubs the back of his neck and then straightens his tuxedo.

"Rule of five, huh. Worth a shot. Ah well. Take care, Anya-chan!" Clay said and waved as he walked away.
"And try to have some fun!" He called over his shoulder, and then directed his attention elsewhere.

Letting her blue eyed gaze linger on some of the dancing couples moving together all around the ballroom, Anya gripped
the hem of her dress tighter and heaved a sigh. A long, suffering sound. Bringing a hand up to her face, she closed her eyes
and just… Willed herself away from there.

Sure it was just a dance. Sure it was just a simple occasion for the students, teachers and other employees to relax and have
some fun without having to focus on studies or work for a change. And, true, the music was rather good. Nothing too loud or
boisterous, and the bits meant for waltz were actually quite pleasant to listen to.

All in all, a pretty pleasant event.

However…

Another sigh made its way out her nose.

"All this dancing, all this music, these fancy dresses, all this glamour…!" Anya muttered and swept her gaze across the room,
her brow furrowing and a bad taste filling her mouth. "All this is part of the reason I ran away from the castle in the first place…!
I don't need a reminder of that life…!"

"And there was I, thinking you might honor me with a dance this fine evening…"

Eyes widening, Anya turns around.

"But seeing as milady isn't feeling up to it, I guess I'll just have to make do."

It was as if a switch had been flipped. Gone was the expression of an evening gone sour and overall gloom. In its place came
a wide smile, filled to the brim with warmth and joy, as was her voice when she called out;

"Tsugumi!"

-And dove into her weapon's arms. Returning the blonde's embrace with a chuckle, Tsugumi patted her on the back before
backing a step to look at her properly. Anya blushed and fidgeted under her gaze. She'd been looked at by various others throughout
the evening without sparing any of them a second thought. However once under Tsugumi's appreciating gaze, she became so
self-conscious she could barely stay still.

"Anya."

"Y-yes?"

She shyly met her eyes and a bomb of warmth went off in her stomach at the sight of Tsugumi's smile. It was filled with
warmth and affection and she knew it was all for her.

"You look beautiful Anya. Absolutely breath-taking… I cannot imagine you've been left alone very much tonight." Tsugumi said
and gently took her hands in her own.

They made for quite the contrast, standing together like that. Both their dresses fit the color of their hair, respectively.
Anya's golden dress had some white lines with frills, small bows etc., with a bare spot showing off a healthy dose of cleavage without
being even remotely slutty. The bottom part stopped just an inch shy from reaching the floor, brushing across it every now and again
when she walked. Tsugumi's was black with light-purple frills slanting across the bottom part, the hem of it stopping a few
inches from touching the floor. It left enough skin bare to reveal her cleavage. She had grown with the years, but Anya still
had her solidly beat. Not that either of them cared anymore. They each preferred the other's size.

"I… I thought you said you wouldn't be able to make it tonight…" Anya said, trying to shift the focus away from her dress and herself.

She could ignore others with ease. One appreciating look from Tsugumi though and she was done for.

"And I wasn't meant to. But when I realized just how many people were gonna be here, jealousy-mode took over I'm afraid."
Tsugumi replied and took a step, sliding her arms around her girlfriend's waist and bringing her flush against herself.

"Tsugumi…" Anya sighed happily against her shoulder.

"I've been gone for two weeks already. To say I missed you would be like telling Patty and Liz that Kid's got a complex
about symmetry." Tsugumi said and nuzzled her girlfriend's shoulder where her dress left it bare.

"I've missed you. Missed this…" Anya stated as they swayed together to the calm music.

Tsugumi chuckled at that and kissed her next breath away. As they parted, she brushed a strand of Anya's hair from her forehead
and leaned her own against it.

"And I've missed other things we usually do when alone, what say we dance a little, maybe talk to some people, eat a bite or two,
and then I kidnap you to your room?" Tsugumi suggested.

Blushing beet red as her girlfriend's words bring on some rather pleasant memories, that of private things, Anya punched her
in the arm with a huff.

"You are just…! You are unbelievable…! First you arrive late into the evening, and then you start talking about… About…" Anya huffed
with the most adorable blush on her face.

"Is that a no?" Tsugumi asked and promptly kissed Anya once again once she opened her mouth to answer.

Breaking the contact, Anya placed her mouth by Tsugumi's right ear.

"I'm more in the mood for skipping to the end. How about you?"

Tsugumi's expression said it all.

Unfair

Tsugumi liked to think that despite its ups and downs, life was generally fair to everyone, and that karma eventually
got to you, whether it be in a good way or a bad.

However when she had only one bottle of her favorite apple cider left and a certain Hepburn lady caught sight of it,
fairness might as well have shot itself and jumped off a cliff.

… Really, there was nothing fair about the way Anya would just… Look at her in those moments.

Puppy eyes? No chance, get out. Crying baby? Got about a snowball's chance in the burning pits of Hades.

Anya huffing up her cheeks with just the right amount of blush, tears gathering at the corners of her eyes, and a compelling
stare that made you feel like the worst criminal in the whole wide world, and the only path to saving your soul from
damnation was to simply give her what she wanted.

… Damn you life, who ever said you were fair anyway…

Stupid

"… So, Hepburn-san. Let's hear you out first. Have you managed to find yourself a partner?" Sid asked.

Bowing and then stepping out from the lined-up students, Anya spoke up.

"Yes, Sid-sensei. I believe I have." She stated and bowed again.

"I see." Sid replied with a smile, being obviously pleased with the news.

His eyes returned to the papers in front of him and he reached for a pen as he asked;

"And this person is…?"

"Harudori Tsugumi." Anya said without hesitation.

"Step forward please." Sid said and got the papers ready.

Tsugumi stepped up beside Anya and shared a quick smile with her before directing her gaze ahead, looking as
determined as a soldier on a mission.

The registration was a short and simple business, and the two of them were walking down the corridor only
a few minutes later.

"So…"

Anya turned a curious eye on her friend and from now on partner.

"Yes, Tsugumi-san?"

Scratching at the side of her mouth and looking away, Tsugumi laughed a little as if embarrassed.

"No, um, I was just… I was just wondering if there was any… You know, particular reason why you decided I
was the right weapon for you…"

"Actually, there is." Anya answered after a second's thought.

"Yeah…?" Tsugumi asked, although part of her was afraid to ask.

Anya nodded.

"You're stupid."

Tsugumi stopped walking. Anya on the other hand, kept walking as if nothing was wrong.

"… What?"

Tsugumi felt lost. When did she lose the plot here?

Stopping a bit in front of her, Anya turned with a smile.

"When faced with hardships, most people would either try to run away from it or deny it in some fashion. This is
to avoid suffering pain and sometimes embarrassment and is the 'smart' thing to do." She stated.

When Tsugumi caught up with her, she continued;

"I, have no interest in such people. I get far too many of those back home." Anya declared and started walking again.
"Then there are people like you. People who, when faced with hardships of any description, do not simply run away or
try to deny them, even when doing so would save them pain and embarrassment. Namely, stupid people. People who
don't quit just because they've failed at something once or twice. People who puts up with embarrassment because they
don't care much for what society thinks of them."

Taking a few more steps, Tsugumi realized that Anya had stopped walking and turned around to find her only a few
steps back.

"I find such people very interesting. People who won't give up just because something's hard, I get that same vibe
from you, Tsugumi-san." Anya said with a warm smile. "You fail and you drop to your knees, but that matters not, for you
always get back up again, even if you don't do it right away. You made me realize that if you fall five times, you can
still get back up again a sixth time. As many times as it takes."

Walking up to the blacknette, Anya took a shaky breath and said;

"I would like to gain some of that determination for myself. And…" She looked away, suddenly feeling quite shy and
uncomfortable. "… I… Also do not find your company… Displeasing. On the contrary, I feel…"

Glancing up at her friend, Anya saw a look of utmost surprise on her face. One that slowly changed into one of joy.

"Y… Y… You know what I mean!" Anya blurted out and dashed off down the corridor.

"H-hey, Anya-chan! Hold up! Why are you suddenly running away for!? Wait I sa~id!" Tsugumi called and dashed off
after her.

Sure, they may strike people as an odd pair, the princess and the commoner. However in this case, opposites really did attract.

Aaaaand done! Finally done with the second chapter! I fear I may have gotten a tad long-winded in this one, but hey, I need to vent too at times, what can I say?

Alright, I do hope you enjoyed it. Please do drop me a review or two, so I can know what you think of it.

In the meantime, I will be looking over some of my older work, see if I can scrounge up some motivation to get some of those going again. 'Til next time, seeya!