A/N: I won't have time for all of these by any means. Maybe even not more than one. But I was inspired and wrote up a little something for the first Soultember Prompts (see my AO3 for the link). The first prompt is "death scythe."

Pre-canon, late academy Stein and Spirit... You'll see.

Consequence

Stein hadn't known there would be guests at the ceremony.

He peered out from behind one of the guide pillars in the red guillotine hallway as he watched, craning his neck to see past the heads of all of his classmates, both known and unknown, to the object of his attention up on the dais.

In front of the mirror towered the uniquely imposing form of Lord Death. And just in front of him a meister and weapon slowly bowed to their knees.

Lord Death's words beat against Stein's ears like waves. He couldn't process them. He watched as one great, white hand gestured to the lithe young woman on the left, who rose and turned to face their peers. She folded her hands low in front of her, smiled demurely and inclined her head. To anyone else watching she was the picture of humility, and Stein's stomach turned as applause began to sound.

But then on her right...

Spirit slowly stood and turned to face everyone. He grinned briefly, ran a hand back through his hair as he cleared his throat, and his expression grew nervous as wide, blue eyes began slowly scanning the small crowd. And then, Stein felt a familiar warmth hovering at the edges of his wavelength.

He quickly hid behind the pillar, holding his breath.

"And for the final piece…one witch's soul!"

Stein waited a moment, and then another. And then he cautiously peeked around the pillar again to watch.

The glowing purple and black orb was placed in the meister's hands first, and Stein's brow rose. He hugged himself, digging his fingernails into his arms as he watched her turn and place the soul into Spirit's waiting hands. The weapon's expression had grown solemn, almost worried. But applause began anew, stronger, and after a moment Spirit straightened up.

A strangely shy smile bloomed on the scythe's face, and Stein's heart leapt to his throat when Spirit brought the witch's soul to his lips.

Outwardly, there was no change, excepting Spirit's grimace at probably the taste and feel of what must be a foul thing going down and settling in his stomach. The applause continued as he turned back again and bowed before the Grim Reaper, who had extended his hand. And when Spirit rose he transformed with a blinding flash of light.

Stein gasped softly as he received yet another surprise, the sentiment echoed by his classmates.

"Oh..." Stein breathed as his body was suddenly overwhelmed with more emotions than he could understand. He felt sick. He felt like he was floating. He felt like he was sinking in quicksand.

But his soul's anchor, his lifeline, was far from his hands and never to be with him again. Now, Spirit was in the hands of the Grim Reaper. And he was beautiful.

His physical form had changed with the transformation of just scythe into death scythe. His blade was much larger as a start, and wider at the heel where it connected to a prominent cross-end at the top of his snaith. The latter was just as elegant as before, thinner than other scythes, and now far longer. Stein was certain that in this new form Spirit would be a few heads taller than him if they were side by side.

The most striking change however was to the blade itself. Gone was the jagged gray pattern of teeth as they had once jokingly called it, and now the blade was purely black—shining and menacing and heralding only death in its presentation. Also of impressive note was that the blade was beveled as a diamond from tip to heel, more perfectly than any craftsman could achieve.

Stein leaned heavily against the pillar, watching as Lord Death caught the slim snaith and began spinning the gleaming scythe in brief exhibition. The applause from their classmates grew, intermixed now with oohs and ahs and excited chatter about Spirit's new form.

The other meister had taken a few steps to the side out of the way of danger, and Stein briefly took note as she adjusted her black coat in attempt to hide the growing changes to her physical appearance, seemingly uneasy. Lord Death finished spinning Spirit and held him high aloft, speaking some grand words about his new personal weapon that Stein again didn't quite hear.

He was forced to lift himself back to reality as the ceremony apparently came to an abrupt end, and he pressed himself up against the guide pillar as the guests began filing down the hallway to exit. He hadn't thought this far ahead when he'd snuck in, and he didn't want anyone to know he had been there. His heart pounded as he willed his wavelength to calm, desperately hoping he might somehow remain unnoticed and slip out once they had all left.

"Yeah!" a familiar melodic and cheery voice stood out as his classmates passed. "Oh, yeah! That's gonna be me someday!"

"Without a meister?" a softer but cynical voice replied.

The first girl huffed. "You'll see!"

Stein edged further to the side as the familiar group passed him. Marie continued protesting to the younger weapon beside her, while the taller of the trio of ladies followed behind, shaking her head. Sid walked a few paced behind them, but when his weapon stopped he halted next to her.

"Naigus?"

Stein held his breath.

Marie and Azusa continued ahead as their classmates continued to file out.

"What is it?" Sid continued.

After a few moments everyone else had passed. The sounds of excited chatter began to fade. And when there were none left to look back, Naigus turned.

Sid turned with her. "Oh," he said.

Stein had tensed when he realized the inevitable, but found himself entirely at a loss now that his two peers were staring at him.

"Stein," Sid said.

Stein only blinked back at the pair, his heart racing despite his careful measuring of each breath.

Sid glanced back into the Death Room, and back again when Naigus set a hand on his arm. She turned to face the exit again.

"Naigus?" Sid asked, moving to look at her.

"How about you come back to our place for dinner tonight?" Naigus asked, still looking down the hallway.

Stein didn't dare move, in case any of the three still remaining in the Death Room happened to be looking down the hallway. And he was grateful beyond words that Naigus had somehow read the situation perfectly.

"I… All right," he agreed, his voice sticking in his throat and sounding not like his as he replied.

"Sid, is the coast clear?"

The young meister looked between the two before taking a step around Naigus, glancing up briefly, and then taking place at her other side.

"Clear."

Naigus glanced over from the corner of her eye, and Stein slowly released his breath. His heart was still pounding and his mind racing in all directions like a firework, each line of thought burning out before it could do more than spark.

"I…"

"Let's go," Naigus said.

Not wanting to miss the opportunity, Stein moved to follow at her side as they began moving briskly down the corridor.

With each step away and to safety he felt the fading of a warmth that was no longer his. A grunt of defiance left his lips as he stopped suddenly, turning back.

He could just see upon the dais, Spirit had transformed again and was facing Lord Death, who was saying something far too rapidly to be followed. But… She was facing the hall. And when Stein finally focused his sight, her eyes locked upon his. She frowned

Stein turned and quickened his pace back to Naigus's side. Sid had paused and moved to take position next to him as they continued.

"Stein…" the younger meister began uncertainly, "I'm sure he would have wanted you here."

Stein felt a sharp pang in his chest, followed by a swirling darkness that seemed to want to pull him to the ground. He shook his head reflexively at the same time Naigus looked over to her meister and did the same.

"No."

"But..."

"It doesn't matter," Naigus interrupted. "Let's go."

Stein stared straight ahead at the seeming infinity of red pillars and shining silver blades above. He thought of the brief glimpse he'd had of gleaming black in the moment Lord Death caught Spirit in his hands. He wondered what it would feel like...to hold him now…

Another sharp pang in his chest. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"That's right," he said, opening his eyes and focusing straight ahead on the exit. "It doesn't matter."