A Steampunk/Soul Eater crossover.

A/N: Next chapter! Yay! Thanks for all the positive reviews I got for this, I hope you enjoy the second chapter as much as the first!

Metal Soul's Insanity (c) ToastWeaselofDOOM
Crossposted on deviantart.
Beta'd by Desert(dot)Moon!

Chapter 3

Soul stretched his arms as the bandages around his chest were unwrapped, but stopped when his wound ached. Stein, who was collecting the used bandages, smirked.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," the doctor said as he dumped the used bandages into a bucket of water. "Not unless you want your wound to reopen."

Soul scowled. "Whatever."

The door the room opened and Maka peeked in. "Um, Mister Stein—oh." A blush spread across her cheeks and she hurriedly stuttered, "S-sorry, I'll wait until you're done." The door closed and Stein rolled his eyes. Teenagers.

The silver-haired doctor handed Soul a roll of clean bandages. "I suspect, now that you are able to, that you will want to wrap your chest yourself. I'll go see what your meister wanted." Soul nodded and began to unroll the bandages as Stein left him alone.

Maka was talking with Marie in the kitchen. The doctor's weapon was cooking and smiling as she talked to the young meister. Stein cleared his throat and said, "Miss Albarn, you needed me?"

Maka turned. "Actually, Captain Shinigami wants to talk to you. You and Miss Marie."

Stein raised a silver eyebrow. "Really now? About what?"

The young teenager shrugged. "I don't know, Kidd didn't say when he told me to inform you. All I know is that Captain Shinigami expressed an interest in seeing you."

The older meister frowned slightly. "Curious . . ."

"What do you think, Stein?" Marie asked, whipping her hands on her apron. "Should we go see him?"

"It's been a while since I've seen the captain of the Shibusen," Stein said, a curious look spreading over his face. "Why not?"

"Stein~! Long time no see!"

Stein nodded, tipping his top hat politely. "Captain Shinigami."

The captain of the Shibusen was an oddity. He didn't seem to be human at all, but that was because he wasn't. He was the God of Death, the Grim Reaper. His body was made up of a full metal breastplate, rather like a suit of armor. His chest-area attached to smaller pieces through a series of gears and rivets which slowly tapered down to a single wheel supporting his entire structure. A jaggedly-cut black cape hung from his shoulders, the tip of which barely touched the floor.

The Death God had no visible face; only a mask shaped like a skull. The rest of his head was surrounded with black fabric that rose to form several vertical squiggles. Goggles adorned with gears strapped over the eyeholes, making his eyes impossible to see, and steam drifted from the top of his head-squiggle, occasionally increasing with a quick burst.

However, Shinigami did not appear frightening; quite the opposite. His skull mask was shaped in a comical way and he bounced as he spoke. His voice was cheerful, and he clapped his giant hands together when he spoke, rather like a small child.

"And who's this lovely woman who you've got with you, Stein? I don't recall seeing her before~!"

Marie blushed good naturedly at Shinigami's praise. "My name is Marie Mjolnir. I'm Stein's weapon partner."

"Oh ho, Stein, you've taken a new weapon since I've seen you last!" Shinigami bounced, looking excited. "What form you do take, m'dear?"

"A hammer, sir."

Shinigami's mask seemed to light up. "A hammer? Really? Mind showing me?"

Marie exchanged glances with Stein. The doctor sighed and extended his arm like a gentleman. His weapon set her arm on his and transformed in a flash. Stein's pale fingers wrapped around the demon hammer's handle as three black tendrils extended from the butt of the handle.

Marie's weapon form was jet black, decorated with gold-colored, lightning-shaped markings upon each end of the hammer's head; they were similar to the marking that adorned her eyepatch in her human form. Other gold markings adorned the hammer elsewhere, and her handle was wrapped with white cloth.

"Oooh, very good, very good~!" Shinigami clapped his great hands. "Is there any other techniques you can perform?"

Stein closed his eyes before saying, "Marie, Izuna."

"Of course." The black tendrils that had extended from the hammer's handle grew longer and began to wind their way up Stein's forearm as Marie's form extended in length to resemble a tonfa. The black tendrils completely enveloped Stein's wrist and the doctor took a step forward. He disappeared from view for several seconds before appearing across the room. Another step and he stood in front of Shinigami and another brought him back to where he had been standing. As Shinigami admired them, Marie transformed back and brushed imaginary dust from her black and gold pants.

"Very good, very good!" Shinigami praised. "I can see you are both very talented, Stein no less then when I met him last! You are a Death Scythe, are you not, Miss Mjolnir?"

Marie nodded. "Sure am."

"Aah, I had heard rumors there was a Death Scythe in Oceania! Leave it to Stein to pair with them! Tell me, was it Stein who made you?"

The blonde shook her head. "No, sir. I met Stein only recently."

"I see, I see! Very well! I now would like to turn our conversation to why I invited you here in the first place!"

"Yes, please do explain," Stein said, reaching into his embroidered jacket and pulling out his pipe. He inserted a cigarette into the end before lighting it with a match and taking a deep pull from it. Marie shot him a disapproving look, which he ignored.

"I called you two here to request that you join my crew." Stein raised an eyebrow and blew out a stream of smoke.

"And why should we do that?" the doctor asked. "What is so beneficial of us joining your crew?"

"Adventure, money, peace. It's what we strive for!" Shinigami said after a moment. "We travel the world seeking to destroy the madness that had corrupted the earth. You'd be able to battle strong foes and see new places.

"However, Stein, I mostly ask you to join my crew for the simple reason you are doctor. An excellent and gifted doctor. Had it not been for you, young Mister Evans would have certainly died. We need such skills aboard the Shibusen. Miss Mjolnir, the very fact you are a Death Scythe makes you more then welcome aboard my vessel."

Stein frowned while Marie looked enchanted. "Are you asking us to decide now?"

Shinigami shook his head. "No, no, of course not! The Shibusen leaves port on Friday—you have four days to decide whether to join us or not."

"I see." The doctor took another pull from his pipe and exhaled the acrid smoke. "Then we will inform you of our verdict sometime within these next four days."

Shinigami bounced. "Very well! I eagerly await your decision!"

Stein nodded tersely and turned. "Marie, let's go." His weapon nodded and followed her meister from the bridge, off the airship, and back to his home.

—Four Days Later—

The Shibusen was busy. Supplies were being moved on and the deck was a hub of activity as crew members carried boxes and crates below. In the middle of it all stood the ship's captain, Shinigami, directing people with his large hands and even larger voice. Something on the side of the deck caught his eye and he bounced excitedly.

"Stein, Miss Mjolnir! Welcome, welcome!"

"Captain Shinigami." Stein nodded curtly while Marie smiled happily and waved.

"Have you made your decision?" The Death God asked.

"We have." The doctor's face gave away nothing, no emotions, no hints.

"Oho~!" Shinigami bounced. "And what is it?"

Stein let a large bag ridded with stitches fall from his hands to the wooden deck with a loud "'thump'. "Where will we be sleeping?"

The Captain of the Shibusen seemed to glow. "Welcome to the crew!"