Hi! This is my first Soul Eater fic. I was intrigued by these characters and their mutual history, and seeing as exactly what happened when it was discovered Stein experimented on Spirit wasn't revealed in the anime, I set out to write it for myself! Just how was their team organised? Why don't Azusa and Marie ever mention their meisters? How did the fact that Stein was harming Spirit affect all their friendships? And how did Lord Death handle Stein's transgression? I set out to answer all these questions with this fic, and I hope you enjoy.

Obligatory disclaimer: no, I don't own these characters. Yes, I wish I did!

The Labyrinth of Loyalty

Prologue: Capture

"Come on, everyone stand together!"

"Fine, fine. God Az, give it a rest. We're graduating after all. You're not class president any more."

"Aw, she's fine. Here Spirit, stand by me!"

"Hey Marsh! Over here! Don't wanna get missed out again do you?"

"Don't give me that! It's not my fault you guys went off without me last night."

"Marie, you're stepping on my toe."

"Ooops! Sorry Franken. Heh."

"Ok, everyone together? I'm gonna take the photo!"

"Yes yes, my sweet love..."

"Jeez, Spirit if you don't stop blowing kisses I'll-"

"Eri!"

"Sorry, Azusa. You know I'm just kidding."

"Right, are we all ready?"

Chapter One: Marie

She had been in Death City less than a day, and already Marie was feeling nostalgic. Everything in the Academy had sparked off memories: a glance at a dented sconce would remind her of the time she and Spirit got drunk and took it in turns swinging on it, the sound of kids yelling brought back multiple fights and scuffles she and her friends had had. And now she was here, in Stein's stitched laboratory. While the rain painted the world grey outside, Marie stood in her room, listening to the patter of the drops on the window.

The bedroom was almost bare, surgery scars snaking their way around the walls. The few dabs of colour were Marie's modest ornaments. A bright scarf to hang over the lamp, a childhood doll on her pillow. A framed photo on the dresser. Marie smiled as she picked it up. Grinning out from behind the glass were her former classmates and herself. This had been taken on graduation day, the last time they were all together.

Azusa, gazing sternly at the camera, with her meister Eri, who was smiling casually. Although now Marie and Azusa worked together when they needed to team up, Marie had heard that Azusa actually kept in good contact with her former meister. Marie envied her. In the picture, Marie and Marsh were arm in arm, pulling faces and laughing. Marie sighed. She hadn't seen her old meister since a few days after this photo was taken. If Marie had one regret in her life, it was that they hadn't parted on better terms. Then there were Stein and Spirit. Spirit shooting the camera a grin which he probably thought made him look rougish and mysterious, but actually just made him look goofy. Marie smiled, remembering. That had always been part of his charm. He thought his popularity with the girls of the DWMA was down to his good looks and dashing persona. It wasn't. It was mostly because he was great company, and a lot more genuine than most people. You knew where you were with Spirit. He never made any pretences about who he was. And that is a very attractive quality.

Speaking of attractive... Marie's gaze drifted to Stein. He was smiling coolly at the camera, but his eyes betrayed him. If you looked closely, you could tell his control was already beginning to waver. Marie frowned. That look in his eyes. She had recognised it as soon as she saw him again, back in Lord Death's office. She'd heard Stein had been doing so much better since the incident. That he held a steady job at the DWMA, even ventured out to battle alongside the students.

Marie sat down on the bed heavily, staring emptily towards the door. Stein was slipping. Marie had no delusions about why she had been assigned to him. She was just another of Lord Death's pawns, after all. And her main objective was helping Stein, not fighting as his weapon. Marie pouted. She loved a good fight.

Unpacking finished, Marie figured she should probably see how Stein was doing. But before she left the room she once again cast her gaze on the photo. There was someone missing. Maka's mother, behind the camera. The unofficial addition to their group. And yet without her...

"Hey, Marie."

Marie jumped up at Stein's voice. Stashing the photo under her pillow, she turned to face him as he leaned against her door.

"Yes? I've, uh finished unpacking!"

"I noticed. Would you like some dinner?"

Marie raised an eyebrow. "Do you have anything that's not some sort of pickled organ you're researching?" She had already had a look in his fridge, and quickly wished she hadn't.

Stein let out a low, mirthless laugh. "Don't worry. I bought normal food especially for you."

"Oh how considerate of you to feed your guests!" Marie was teasing, but her smile was warm. Stein half-smiled back.

"You coming?"

"Sure, just give me a sec."

Stein shrugged and wandered out, presumably to the kitchen to do something despicable to whatever food he had bought. He had never been an amazing chef. Marie remembered that Stein was normally more interested in dissecting the food, than actually cooking with it. Still, it was nice of him to try for her.

Marie quickly straightened up her things. But before she left the room she retrieved the photo from its hiding place. It was almost painful to look at it, knowing that all the joy it captured would be shattered just a day later. Marie placed it back on her dresser, a sombre expression darkening her features. But, she reflected as she left the room, closing the door behind her, at least they had that moment. Even if it was fleeting.

"Marie!"

What a dreadful sound. Marsh's voice is piercing, far too loud for so early in the morning. Marie drags herself into a sitting position, hazily opening her eyes.

"Wass goin on," she inquires.

Marsh's expression is grim. He's standing at her doorway, arms folded. Glancing at the clock, Marie can see it's 6am. "Ugh, why did you have to wake me so early? You know what I'm like with a hangover..."

"It's Stein."

Marie snaps her attention back to her meister, fear sharpening her focus. "What about him?"

"Just come with me."

They're all gathered together, grumpy to be roused from their beds so early. And annoyed too, that they've been waiting in this freezing classroom for the better part of an hour. Marie sits awkwardly on the floor. No-one is talking. No-one knows why they're here. But both Stein and Spirit are absent. And none of them is sure why.

"What did Kami say on the phone?"

Azusa's question is to the point as usual. Marie glances up to see Marsh's reaction. He frowns.

"She didn't say much. Just that Spirit was in a bad way and... Stein is why."

Marie's heart clenched. It wasn't like they weren't aware of Stein's compulsions. Azusa and Eri especially had tried to work with him, to help him. As usual, Azusa would take the stern, cautioning route, while Eri, with her gentle nature and casual manner, would be more supportive. And their help seemed to have been working. It had been about a year since Stein had got into a fight with another student, threatening dissection. And several months since he had been caught experimenting on himself. Marie had hoped, desperately, that he was improving.

It wasn't as though Stein's peculiarities often disrupted the group. Far from it. He was their strongest member, one the most talented and powerful meisters who had ever attended the DWMA. In their second-level graduation, where most students earned their two-star title, Stein had pushed their group up to three-stars. As the DWMA offered another two years of advanced study, to attain such a grade at this level was rare. Stein himself had won a special commendation from Lord Death. Even though he wasn't the team leader, the group owed a lot to Stein and his abilities. He had saved their lives on multiple occasions. Marie had often thought he was both their greatest strength and their greatest weakness. And now, she suspected, the group was going to experience the latter part of this.

"You're right, I thought this might be coming."

Eri's voice broke through Marie's thoughts. She was talking in low tones to Azusa, a few feet away. Marie surreptitiously listened in on their conversation.

"What when he...?"

"Yes. When we last talked he seemed really... disjointed? That's a bad word but you get what I mean. His control seemed to be slipping a bit."

"I suspected this too. I was going to ask you whether you had heard anything during our last group resonance, but then I got distracted by exams. It was foolish of me."

"No, no, you had to concentrate on your grades."

"I know but I can't help but feel we could have-"

Marie leaned in, desperate to hear more, but Marsh sat down heavily beside her. Trying to mask her frustration, Marie shot him a smile. He did not return it.

"How are you holding up?" he asked worriedly. And no wonder. Marie's feelings for Stein were no secret.

"Ok. I'd be doing better if they'd just tell us what the hell is going on! What have you heard?"

Marsh winced. "I think Stein's really done it this time. Gone off the rails, I mean. Kami sounded pretty furious."

Marie winced too, at this information. Although she was known for her explosions, Marie was nothing next to Kami. The girl was a volcano. And she was fiercely protective of Spirit. Kami had always been uncomfortable with Stein, and if something happened...

"Heh, maybe we're here to defend Stein against the wrath of Kami!" Marie laughed nervously at her joke. Marsh still didn't smile. Marie was starting to suspect he knew more than he was letting on. And that maybe he sympathised with Kami's reaction.

"Look, whatever happens just remember that this has nothing to do with you and Stein," said Marsh, grabbing Marie's wrist. "You weren't even officially together. He never... I mean... Well, if he did something, you'd tell me, right?"

Marie frowned. Marsh was gripping her wrist really tightly, and his expression was that of desperate concern. "Something like what?" she asked.

But he didn't reply.

Marie looked up to see Death Scythe sweeping into the room. Her presence, as always, was intimidating. Her faintly gothic appearance and tendency to correct students' grammar at the slightest provocation was bad enough. But Marie had seen Death Scythe in her weapon form and she was nothing less than frightening.

The group stood. They were a sorry sight. Bedraggled, hung over, and worried. Death Scythe gave them a look that was almost pitying. Marie felt fear start to coil in her stomach. If Death Scythe, who rarely showed emotion, felt sorry for them...

"There has been an incident."