A/N: Oh, how I love making the character's lives horrible! Controlling worlds is the best isn't it? Please enjoy.
Once back at the Death Weapon Meister Academy, the seven student's and the, now young, professor rushed straight to the Death Room to report said professor's little problem.
Upon entrance, Stein wandered off to the side as the young meisters and weapons marched quickly to Lord Death's mirror. Pulling his large, patchwork T-shirt over his head, he set to work on it while Maka breathed on the glass of the mirror.
"Okay, 42-42-564 whenever you wanna knock on Death's door." she drew the number as she spoke. Pulling away, she watched the ripple-like effects on the mirror, "Hello Lord death, are you there?" she asked as his image appeared before her eyes.
"Hey, wuzzup kids? How'd it go?" the delightful death god greeted jovially, giving them peace signs with his massive white hands. In response to his query, the seven teens each jabbed their thumbs in Stein's direction, while he tailored his shirt, with flat expressions. "Awww, he's so cute!" Lord Death gushed, pressing his hands to his mask and staring at the annoyed, shirtless boy.
"That's not the point, sir!" Maka exclaimed, exasperated that he wasn't taking the situation seriously. "The man with the magic eye and the witches did this to him before Black Star scared them off!"
"I see," Lord Death crossed one arm, rubbing the sides of his mask, with his other hand, as though he might spontaneously grow a beard, "Judging by how his clothes are now too large, and the absence of his screw and stitches, it looks like they put some sort of a time spell on his body, but if they did he shouldn't have ended at this state."
"Um, I think Black Star stopped them before they could complete the spell." Tsubaki offered.
"Well, if he hadn't disrupted the spell, they could've reduced Stein to an infant state or worse." Lord Death explained, dragging a hand across the place his neck should be in a slicing motion. For once, serious about Stein's predicament. "Thank heavens he stopped at four years old or we would've lost our greatest meister forever."
"Wait," Maka piped up, "If they used a time spell, then how come his clothes didn't shrink with him and his screw just fell out instead of disappearing and he still remembers us?"
"A witches time spell can't make non-living things disappear into thin air because it only refers to physical age, not the state of mind or clothing so his clothes stayed the same as his body regressed in age." Lord Death explained simply. "Also, Stein didn't put the screw in his head until he was fifteen years old when his dark side grew so fierce that it made him fear for losing his soul."
"Oh yeah! You can always count on me the great Black Star to save the nutty professor!" a certain assassin declared loudly. Oblivious to what Lord Death had been saying as he laughed over Stein's head, causing everyone to look his way.
Rolling his eyes, Stein cut the final thread and tried to slip his newly fitted shirt on. Looking rather childishly uncoordinated when he did so, even requiring Tsubaki's assistance at one point. Not that he ever admitted it, of course.
"That spell really took it's toll on you, didn't it, professor?" the dark arme questioned sincerely, pulling Stein's shirt down over his head and helping him pull his little arms through the sleeves after watching him battle with the mess of stitched up fabric. "And I never thought you were ever this tiny when you were this young."
"Must've been one hell of a growth spurt." Black Star cackled, joyful that he was finally bigger and stronger than the legendary meister himself. Soul and Kid snickered when they saw the adorable glare, their dear little teacher gave the energetic boy, but quickly shut up at the evil, sour look Maka gave them. Of course, Patty was giggling openly at the sight but she was left alone as no amount of death glares nor Maka chops could make her be quiet in a such an adorable situation as this.
"That's just what exhaustion, stress, and malnutrition does to a kid." Stein sighed. It was his own fault though. He worked through the nights with his own scientific research and studies. Never once giving attention to his bodily wants to the point where his parents forgot their fear of being near him to tie him to his bed and force-feed him much needed sustenance then sedate him with his own drugs, so that he may receive the first rest after weeks of experimentation and observation. Despite his shouts of protest that he must further his knowledge and that he was fine, they worried deeply for his fragile health and demanded psychiatric help for their son. Even in the doctors' care, he refused to eat or sleep for fear of what they could be planning. When he finally escaped, Spirit found him hiding in a dark alley and took him in out of compassion as he was exhausted, weak, and malnourished. The red-haired boy soon enrolled him in the academy as he quickly found that dear little Franken was a meister with a strong soul.
With an exasperated roll of her eyes, Maka returned her attention to Lord Death. "I think we should have Ms. Marie take care of him, sir." she stated. "He is clearly incapable of fending for himself in his current state."
"Yes indeed," the death god agreed, "But I believe you should be more suited for the job."
"Yes, of cour- Wait! Why me?!" Maka exclaimed in shock. "Why can't Ms. Marie do it? She's already practically professor Stein's babysitter."
"Excuse me?" said professor piped up, indignant. "You do realize that I'm not a baby, right?"
"I believe this is only the beginning of some larger plan and if somebody is after Stein, then I'll need my bravest meister to protect him." he explained, swaying back and forth childishly.
"But, I don't wanna babysit! Especially not Stein!" Maka begged, already getting mental pictures of the little scientist hovering over her body with a scalpel in her sleep.
"And also, babysitting is uncool." Soul agreed with his meister.
"Didn't you hear me? I said I'm not a baby and what about my class? I have tests to grade and students to teach." Stein stated coming closer, angered that they would think of him as something so helpless. "I need to get back to work."
"Too bad." the reaper stated merrily, completely ignoring the professor's complaints. "I need to have my death scythes on standby just in case someone does attack the academy. And besides, you could use a vacation from working all the time, Franken." Lord Death stated using the professor's first name as he approached.
"You don't have to address me as a child." Stein crossed is arms, then focused his glare on the snickering children that stood above him. They quickly shut up when his glasses flashed menacingly up at them.
"Ugh, fine." Maka groaned then turned to face Stein as Black Star was reaching for his glasses. "Let's go, professor," she beckoned, turning on her heel to leave with Soul, "It's late and you look exhausted."
Dodging the boy's hand, and pushing his glasses up, Stein reluctantly followed at Maka's heels with the tails of his now-too-big lab coat dragging on the ground behind him. He scowled and rubbed his temples furiously. He didn't need his students to play nursemaid to him! All he needed was to put his screw back in, before his self-control flew out the door and he dissected everybody in the academy, and to get back to normal as quickly as possible! He had a class to teach phasmology, aka biology, to! Realizing that it would be futile to argue with the grim reaper, he gave in and accepted his fate though he still hated this whole situation.
Time skip.
Sobek's castle.
With Eruka and the Mizune's in tow, Free made it back to the dark wizard's lair. Panting for breath, the werewolf straightened himself and entered the black castle, holding the door open so the witches may follow behind him.
"Wait a minute!" Eruka exclaimed, suddenly recognizing the castle a little too late. "This looks like Medusa's castle!"
"Wasn't she dead?" Mizune questioned, casually looking around as Eruka hid behind her back.
"It's not like that." Free quickly calmed his friend. "This entire time, it was actually Sobek's castle."
"Who?"
"The king of alligators and crocodiles," Mizune explained, "The great wizard's younger brother."
"Exactly correct." a deep voice sounded around their heads. Startling Eruka again as the robed figure of Sobek materialized before the castle guests.
"Tell me, werewolf," the wizard began darkly, "Why is it, that thou hast brought witches into my abode? Hast thou completed thy appointed mission?"
"Chill out, dude. They're my friends." Free waved his hands in surrender. "They helped me preform my spell so I thought to myself: 'Why not invite them in and offer them a drink?'. Don't wanna seem rude, do you?"
"No. And thy thoughts art correct. How couldst I forget my manners?" Sobek answered putting on a sincere voice to sound as though he cared. Raising his glowing staff sinisterly, he materialized a tray of refreshments as he spoke. "And I remember now that thou hast once serveth under my deceased consort, correct?. In her memory, I cannot let thy services go unrewarded. For her relief, much thanks." he lied. "Fear not, my fair ladies. Quench thine thirst."
Slightly suspicious at the wizard's sudden change of heart, Mizune gingerly stepped forth, with Eruka attached to her arm, and plucked two medium sized glasses from the silver tray. Handing one to her timid friend, she took a swig of her drink. Not entirely sure what it was. Wine, maybe? It was some weird tasting wine. Almost metallic- Wait.
Eruka, seeing her best friend was still alive, slowly sipped her beverage, thinking it was alright. Not noticing the horrified expression Mizune was giving, she downed the whole glass and set it back on Sobek's tray with a grateful nod. It tasted somewhat of blood with the texture of wine. Quite enjoying the taste of blood, Eruka smiled. Forgetting her previous fear she happily licked her lips. She could actually get used to this guy. By the words he spoke, it sounded as though he had some sort of relationship with Lady Medusa. But he seemed like a regular wizard, much more pleasant than that horrible snake woman. Turning to face the pink-haired mouse, she gasped as she saw her friend doubled over as though she were choking. "Mizune, what's-" she began to ask before suddenly clutching her throat and coughing.
"Hey- whoa!" Free gasped, rushing to the girls' sides. "What's wrong?"
"R-Ribbit." she whimpered weakling, regarding the snickering dark wizard. "What was in that?"
"The blood of Seth." Sobek stated as if it should've been obvious while the poor witches writhed on the ground. "It was given to me by my cousin some centuries ago and perfected by my dearly beloved's magic."
"Dammit! What are you doing to them?!" Free barked furiously before falling to the ground as a single alligator-like spirit exited his mouth into the wizard's waiting hand.
"Not to worry," Sobek stated calmly. Trying to play his words so the werewolf would understand, "Even if the spell was incomplete, they hath played a helpful role in thy mission, so I thought to myself: 'Why not acquire their assistance the rest of the way?' But as my elder brother hath only gained tragedy and betrayal for trusting witches, I thought to myself: 'Why not make certain they fit their fancies to thine master's will?' and what better way to do that than to offer them stiff drink, polluted with a god's chaos and a snake's magic? It will strengthen them immensely, but it will slowly eat away at both of them from the inside if they defy me." he explained as the two girls began to shakily rise off the ground.
Free quickly recovered and caught both witches so they wouldn't hit the ground as they stumbled weakly from the dark drink's effects on their bodies. "Hey, take it easy, girls." he chided.
"Ugh, my head." Mizune groaned as she rubbed circles in her temple in hopes of fighting off the oncoming headache.
"What was that, Free?" Eruka whimpered, looking up at her friend with hazy eyes.
"A wizard trick." He growled in response, hugging the girls protectively and shielding their backs with his strong arms.
"And now, my pretties," Sobek commanded the air as several apparitions leaked from the cracks in the walls, "Show our guests to their room and make sure they're comfortable."
"Yes, my lord." they spoke in unison with ghostly voices that made Free shiver
"I was wrong," Eruka cried, clutching tightly as he carried them along, "He's even worse than Lady Medusa."
A/N: Don don don! Oh, I'm enjoying this and I hope you did too! In Egyptian mythology, Seth, the god of chaos, murdered Osiris to take his place as the Pharaoh but he was killed by Horus, who was Osiris's son and Sobek's cousin. Please review! Best of love!