I don't own Soul Eater.
.-*-.
Marie looked around at the decorations. She smiled at her progress. The living room of the lab almost looked cheerful.
Azusa shook her head. "Stein's not going to like this."
"Oh, it's only this one time. Besides, it's his birthday."
Azusa rolled her eyes. Marie had talked her into helping organize a surprise birthday party for Stein, and Azusa really didn't understand why, but helped anyway.
Soon after guest started to show up; first Maka and Soul, followed closely by Death the Kid and his weapons. Black*Star boomed in while Tsubaki tried to came him down after he knocked over Crona, who was the next to show up, Ragnarok protruding from her back. Sid and Nygus helped her up while Ragnarok threw a fit, almost hitting Justin, who was forced to back into Joe so as he wouldn't get it. Lord Death came lastly waving with his big foam hands.
They socialized for a while when Maka suddenly shouted "He's coming!" Someone turned out the lights and they all hid.
Stein walked in shaking his head. "You all do realize that I can sense souls?"
He flipped on the light and there was a loud cry of "Surprise!" then they started clapping. Stein shook his head again as Marie put a party at on him, but a small smile formed on his lips.
The party was pretty uneventful, concentering who was there. Stein blew out twenty-nine candles on a vanilla cake with white and black stick frosting. After wards he opened presents and gained a lot of new science books, new scalpels, and the complete collection of Bill Nye the Science Guy from Black*Star, who proclaimed that he had gotten the best gift.
"Wait professor. There's one more," Maka said as Stein started to get up. He looked surprised as he saw another present. It was the size of a book and had a card taped on it.
"Was that here before?" Marie asked Azusa in a stage whisper. Azusa shrugged.
Stein picked up the card and read it out loud:
Dear Stein,
We've been best friends for years, even if you didn't think so. I've been working on this for a while, but where I'm going I'm not going to need it. Hope you like it and that its not to cheesy a gift. Happy Birthday!
Good bye,
Senpai
Stein blinked at this odd message and opened the present.
"What is it?" Marie asked as she leaned forward.
Stein flipped through it. "A photo album. It has pictures of when we were kids, family photos, even Spirit's wedding pictures. Everything's in here."
"Why would Papa give those to you?" Maka asked, looking at a photo of her mother and father together, with Stein standing as the best man.
"Probably to make up for Stein being stuck in this lab for all those years," Nygus said looking over Stein's shoulder.
Azusa looked at her. "I thought that is was Stein's fault. After all he's the one that dissected Stein."
As a debate started in between Marie and Azusa Stein's eyes fell back into the note.
"Stein, what is it?" Lord Death asked, who seemed to be the only one not watching the argument.
Stein stood up quickly, causing everyone to look at him and Marie to stop mid lecture.
"Stein?" she asked, a bit of worry in her voice.
He ignored her and walked to the kitchen and picked up the phone. After a few moments he put it down. "He's not answering."
"I'm sure he's fine," Lord Death said dismissively. "Let's get back to the party!"
"Why isn't Death Scythe here?" Kid asked.
Azusa fixed her glassed. "I didn't invite him."
Stein looked at her. "You didn't invite my first weapon to my birthday party."
"I didn't think anyone would want him here."
"Why?"
"Because he's a womanizing embarrassment. He would only be getting drunk and getting on Maka's nerves. He would only be in the way."
Stein frowned at her, but didn't say anything.
"He'll get over it," Sid said.
Stein sighed and sat down, watching the people around him socialize. He looked down at the photo album. "Something's not right," muttered.
Marie watched Stein and sighed.
.-*-.
DARK. It's So dark.
Ithurtsohgodthepainithurts!
Nothing. Everything. It's so painful.
HELP!
Good-bye
Stein!
He wakes up, gasping. He's trembling, sweating, his blankets curled around him like a noose.
Stein managed to untangle himself from his blanket and sat on the edge of the bed, trying to get his breath under control.
The nightmare didn't take place in a place. It was just dark. It was the feelings that got to him.
Fear, beyond anything he had ever felt. It almost seemed to make his soul shake in his chest. He turned and blink, then grabbed his glasses, not believing his eyes.
Spirit's photo album sat on the bedside table. Open.
Marie must have put his in here, he thought as he went over to close it when it picture caught his eye.
Unlike the others is was hand drawn: a rosary with a snake wrapped around the feet of the figure. The nail that held Christ to the cross were in his wrist instead of his palm.
Stein thought back quickly, but he had never seen this drawing before. Not even last night, when he searched though the pages of the photo album.
Stein shook his head and went to close the album when he spotted a picture of him and Spirit , just before Kami realized that Stein was dissecting him. Stein was holding a baby Maka and Kami had taking the picture.
He smiled despite himself and he found himself walking towards the kitchen again. As he dilled the phone he had a brief image of what Spirit would say to him for calling this early in the morning. But Spirit never picked up. It was the voice machine that got Stein's message.
"Senpai, it's Stein. I just wanted to thank you for the gift. I'll see you on Monday."
As Stein put down the phone he heard something. He place it back up to his ear. It was a mix of static and heavy breathing. "Senpai?"
The noise was gone after he muttered that word. A bit disappointed Stein put down the phone. Something's not right.
"Stein?"
He turned. "Marie? What are you doing up?"
She smiled. "I was about to ask you the same thing."
Stein shook his head. "It's nothing."
"If it's nothing what are you doing up in the middle of the night?" the blonde death scythe sat down, waiting for a story.
"Off."
Marie blinked. "Huh?"
"Something feels off... Not normal." Then he snorted. "I'm a scientist. I shouldn't put such credit to emotions, but..."
Marie touched his shoulder. "Mira, Azusa, and I are going shopping out of town tomorrow. If you come with us we could stop by Spirit's apartment on the way."
Stein coughed. "Marie, I have... experiments to do tomorrow."
There was dangerous glint in her eyes. "Such as?"
Stein opened his mouth, then sighed. "Fine"
Marie smiled and touched the Mad Meister's check. "Everything's going to be alright. You'll see."
Stein watched her walk away, wishing he could believe her.
.-*-.
This is the first chapter of a story I've excited to do. Please tell me if you think the character's are in character (especially Marie. I have a tendency to be mean to her.) Please review.
