I do not own soul eater...

Secret Life of the Staff Meister

Chapter 4:

Miley's understanding:

Spirit is kidnapped?

Miley sat up. She felt something slide off of her. She grabbed it. She hadn't opened her eyes, but she knew what it was just by the soft yet coarse texture. She didn't want to open her eyes but she knew that going back to sleep wasn't an option. She opened her eyes. She stared at her crazy professor. He didn't seem like himself. Miley couldn't place it, she felt concern pulsing in his wavelength which for him was very usual.

"Feeling better?" He asked gently. There wasn't a hint of sarcasm or annoyance in his voice. Miley was trying to remember when she fell sleep. She remembered bawling her eyes out but not falling asleep. She felt her neck heat up. Had he heard about her episode and that was why he was being so nice? Miley couldn't bare to think about it. It wasn't like Stein hadn't seen her cry before he had many times, but what had happened was different.

"Yeah, I guess. Where's Miss Marie?" She asked trying to find something to talk about. She was surprised, they rarely had awkward silences. She hadn't really felt awkward with him really since she had gotten to known him in her first year. Miley was sure if Stein was still upset about the fight she had with Molly.

"She ran to get something, she'll be back in a few minutes." She still wasn't sure why he was being so nice to her. There was usually some sort of remark by now, they didn't really talk for the sake of talking, what was there to talk about really? She looked down at his lab coat that was still covering her legs. She wasn't really sure what to say.

"I want to ask you something." He said while sitting down next to her on the couch. She knew that she had been closer to the man, but sitting like this seem awkward.. no that wasn't the right word, strange was better. She never done this before.

"What?" She asked looking at him. This was a different talk then she was used to. They often kept looking ahead, at the sun or something else. She wasn't really used to serious face to face talks with Stein. She wasn't really sure what to do.

"Who do you trust your problems with?" He asked raising an eye brow at her. She wasn't sure what he was talking about. She usually kept things to herself, did she need someone to tell them too?

"I don't understand the question." This was more of the Stein she knew. She was still confused but a little bit more comfortable.

"If you didn't tell Mason, who did you tell?" He scolded, now he had really lost her? What was he talking about? She half didn't want to know, he sounded like she should already know...

"I still don't get what you're talking about." She said not looking at him this time. She wasn't sure if he was going to smack her, but he didn't really smack, knocked? Maybe that was a better word for it, she wasn't really sure.

"What Molly said to you! Why didn't you say anything?" He was frustrated now. He couldn't understand this part of Miley, he couldn't tell if she was protecting her pride, or if there was something... He knew there was something deeper. He was just wondering why the girl didn't say something, it would have saved her and him a great deal of trouble.

At first Miley wasn't sure if she should answer. She knew she could go to Stein if there was an problem. She would have told him that Molly started it verbally but it was what Molly had said, it was how she had felt for a long time. "I guess I didn't want to admit..." Her voice was shaking. She really didn't want to start crying again. She really had enough crying for one day. She realized she cut herself off and continued. "That she was right, about them..." She began fiddling with his lab coat which still cover her knees, she felt slightly bad, it was now half on the floor. "Also if I told it would just get worse, the bullying I mean, it would just give them something that could actually get me to fight back. They would be able to gang up with an excuse."

Stein could admit one thing about Miley, she was mature for her age. She had always been, since she arrived at the academy. He never thought Miley as a child... she was but he never really worried she knew how to take care of herself. His mind wondered back to the short time ago, when Miley was childish. It shocked him, that she acted so young. Then he remembered that he still hadn't spoken to her about it. "Also when you had amnesia, you didn't act like yourself."

"That was a random change in subject." Miley was very confused. He didn't change subjects that quickly, she wondered if she could tell that it was upsetting her. True she wasn't that hard to read but Stein could see it coming faster then other people. She hated when he did that...

"It's been bothering me for awhile. I just wondering how you acted before the academy. It was clearly different." She sat there trying to explain. It was hard to. Those where dark times for her. Not that anything bad happened and she was rather ashamed how she had acted.

"It's complicated..." she couldn't believe that was the only thing she could come up with.

"I bet it is..." Was his return. He had a feeling that Miley might not be ready to talk about it yet. He stuck the chat into his mind. Miley was saved by Marie entering the room. Miley quickly gave some poor excuse about homework and left the room. Marie watched her go.

"She still doesn't want to talk? I would have thought after today... She holds too much in."

"It's the only thing she knows how to do in times like these, but I think she'll open up when she's ready. I know she'll be fine. She's just a little confused still." He lit a cigarette wondering if he was right. He hoped so, he didn't want to push Miley that would make her avoid them both more. He wondered if any of her memories of that summer had returned... When they did she was in for a big surprised. He wondered what she would do when she realized she slept in their. He let out a chuckle.

"What's so funny, Franken?" His partner asked.

"Nothing," He said while puffing on his cigarette.

Miley walked in a daze. She was in so much a daze she started going the wrong way. She didn't notice till she was in the center of town. She sighed and sat down... she really needed to think. She stared up a the sky, she didn't understand why he wanted to know about her life before the academy. Why did it matter now? What did he mean she acted different when she had amnesia? She couldn't have been... she really hoped not...

Miley noticed a girl. She was taller then Miley, she had light blonde hair. She had a confused and worried look on her face. Miley was guessing she was a first year, she never seen her before. Miley walked over to the girl.

"Are you lost?" She asked, knowing getting lost in Death City can be scary.

"No, but there is a strange women chasing me." She panted, there was sweat over her face.

Miley had a very bad feeling. Not many people would chase an academy student, especially in Death City. She pulled the girl behind her knowing there might be a fight. How she was going to fight she wasn't really sure...

The women came around the corner. She was short, only about half a head taller then Miley. Her hair was sleek and black and pulled back into an elegant bun. There was a few strands that framed her face. Her eyes where as black as her hair. She wore a elegant dress of black feathers. Miley couldn't shake the feeling that she knew her...

"Well, well, the staff meister, your shorter in person." Her voice was soft. "I been waiting to meet you."

"Go to hell." Was Miley's dark rely.

"My, My, I heard you where so polite." The women said acting hurt.

"Sorry, you caught me on a bad day." Miley snapped. She didn't like this. They where defenseless. If she wanted them she could take them. It was days like this she wished she could attack with her soul.

"I'm sorry but it just got worse. Now be a good little girl and come with me."

"You really think we're going without a fight?"

"Tell me Staff Meister how do you plan do that?" Miley wasn't sure what to do. She sighed when Stein finds out he was going to kill her.

"Stop right there." Came the yell from behind them. Miley knew that voice very well. "I'll even go willingly, but the girls stay." Miley started at the Death scythe. She wondered what he was thinking. She was a witch that was clear, the witches would kill him!

"Spirit are you crazy?" She gasped/

The man turned to face her. He held her shoulders and his face was serious. "Do you think I'm going stand and let her take two students?" He mover closer and drop his voice to a whisper. "I need you to tell Stein and make sure she gets home for me." Miley just nodded. He walked away toward the witch. In the only thing that was left behind where several black feathers. Miley grabbed a few to show Stein.

"Oh my god! He just went, what do we do?' The girl began to panic.

"We need to stay calm." Miley felt bad, she didn't even know the girls name. "Um... what's your name?"

"Leslie, you're girl who had the fight with Molly the other day aren't you?"

"Yeah. You heard about that huh? I'm Miley by the way." She wondered what kind of stories had been floating around. Actually she didn't want to.

"No I was there, I was hiding around the corner. I didn't want to get in the middle of that. She deserved it. I mean, who could you say something like that to any one, why did she say that any way?" Miley kept the younger girl talking while walking the familiar trip to Stein's. She had walked this path way more times than she bothered to count.

"You don't know?" Miley asked, rather confused, she was more used to people know her parents story but then again this girl didn't really know her.

"No, oh great should I? I'm the first in my family to go to the DWMA. So I don't know all that I should."

"My parents where killed by witches when I was younger, but I really don't want to talk about it." Miley said while thinking about what Molly had said. She sighed and tried to take her mind off of it.

"Oh, my god! I'm sorry I must seem so nosy." She stuttered. "You're last name wouldn't be Summers would it?" Miley mealy nodded at her. "Oh geez, I'm so sorry, I just ramble on without thinking. Wait this isn't the way to the girls dorm."

"I need to tell Professor Stein what happened." Miley explained. Trying to keep her mind of her parents.

"Shouldn't I be getting home though?"

"No, he'd kill me if I let you walk home alone. The witch may be still looking for us." Miley said in a tone that remaindered her of Stein. She shivered at the thought she might start acting like him.

They arrived at the laboratory. Miley felt the knot in her chest ease a little. To most people the sight of Stein's house most likely freaked them out. Miley felt safe know the Professor was just a few feet away. She quickly rang the door bell.

Stein lit his cigarette. He had heard the door bell ring, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to open it. He couldn't really think of someone coming to call at this hour. Well other then a drunk Spirit which he never wanted to deal with. The door bell rang again. It was clear it wasn't Spirit, the man would just keep pressing the button till Stein answered. After a minute or so the bell rang again. Marie was out with Azusa and didn't expect her back that night. The door bell rang again, he decided that he couldn't ignore it any longer.

Miley bounced on the balls of her feet. She wondered if he was doing research in his lab. He might not even be home at the moment. He maybe out with Miss Marie for all she knew. She wondered if the door was unlocked, she reached out to grab the knob when it opened. She jumped a bit and quickly moved out of the way.

Stein felt the wheel catch an the familiar sensation, he long since given up trying to beat the threshold. He twisted his screw, that felt much better. He looked up to see the two shaken looking girls. Stein raised an eye brow. "What are you doing out at this hour?"

"Well, I took a walk after I left and lost track of time." Miley replied. Stein got up and fix his lab coat. "Then we ran into some trouble in the center of town." Miley really didn't want to be out in the open anymore.

"Trouble?" he questioned.

"Well, this really strange women tired to kidnap me..." Leslie said shyly.

Stein glance at Miley who nodded. He couldn't' remember the girl's name. He wondered why the women hadn't try to grab them both. It was clear Miley didn't have her partner with her. "In," he said while pulling his chair in behind him. "What's going on?" Both girls started in at the same time. He held up a hand. "One at a time please."

The other girl who's name turned out to be Leslie, then he made the connection, told him her side of the story. She told him up to the point where Miley came in. Now the Staff Meister began talking very fast. She was trying to get somewhere, but he needed the details. "Miley slow down."

"I can't," She said. "She took Spirit!" She felt the knot tighten again, was he going to blow up?

"See that's why I need you to slow down. Why did she take Spirit?" He couldn't imagine why they took him over the girls. He maybe Lord Death's but it was clear the women want Leslie for something. Or better yet the Staff Meister, if the women was a witch as he thought Miley would have been the prime target. He puffed on his cigarette.

"He went, so she wouldn't take us." She said slowly.

"Alight now she didn't get near you two correct." Stein needed to make sure the girls weren't injured they didn't seem it but he would ask anyway. Miley shook her head no.

"No, I fell while I was running away from her but I didn't even get a scrape." Leslie said.

"Alright the women what did she look like?" He asked.

"Short, black hair, pale."

"How short?" He wanted to be in dept.

"Maybe a half head taller then Miley." Miley nodded in agreement. After that she pulled out the feathers.

"These where left behind after they vanished." Miley said while handing them over to the crazy professor. He began inspecting one. "I'm not sure what kind of black bird thought."

"It's a raven's feather. I think it would be safe to say that we have an enemy on our hands. I also think it's safe to believe she's a witch."

"If she was, why didn't she take me? I would have been more valuable then Spirit." Miley asked voicing what Stein was feeling.

"I don't know... You girls should be getting home now. It's late, actually, Leslie stay at Miley's tonight, I don't want either of you on the streets alone encase she's still looking for you."

Wow, another chapter down, what will happen? Who knows I'm sorry it's such a slow start, after this I think two more chapters then the story will really pick up.