Of course

She had wanted to mock him. But kept her mouth shut and meekly smiled back. Currently they were stumbling around some god awful Amazon, Stein had told her which but she didn't concern herself with things like North, East, South, or West. But what she did know was that blood sucking insects kept attacking her leaving itching wounds after feasting on her flesh. And wouldn't you know it they left darling Stein alone…the canopy was thick and laced with ancient trees and twining green vines, ready to snake their bodies around any unsuspecting victim and squeeze the life away. Speaking of sneaky serpents that supposedly "dead" witch was weighing on her conscience heavily lately. She never had liked the secretive nurse, even more so now that she knew what she was.

Her blood boiled enraged as she remembered the shy Chrona. That woman didn't deserve someone as precious as her….she did. And it had not gone unnoticed.

What the hell's wrong with her? Stein mumbled to himself under closed brows. She's been irritable ever since we left the underground catacomb and that was a few days ago... Glancing at her sideways Marie slapped her face in an attempt to splatter one of those bloodsuckers and cursing as she missed, it was indeed humorous. But she wasn't the only one thinking of Medusa, no…Stein played over again the events of that night in the basement. What she'd whispered to him in the dark. The rotting roots she left tangled into his thought system, eating away his mind from the inside out.

They troubled him and constantly he found himself avoiding the fact that he wandered at her poisonous words. "Hurry and become the sort of man I like…" Scowling he pulled out another cigarette and lit it up. If the insanity didn't kill him, his unhealthy habit would. Hands tingling as he threw another glance at Marie, who was still fuming over some matter left unsaid and bent over some large exotic flower, sighing frustrated. The curve of her swan like neck glistened with sweat sticking to it, his cold hands shook to wrap around the soft skin in a loving caress, and gently squeezing it with pressure so that it twisted the pretty slope, ending abruptly her shining eyes and blushing cheeks... Shit I can feel it; I'm not sure how much more I can take of this.

Like a man teetering above a skyscraper so was Steins will power. All it took was a little push and he'd plunge off into madness, with no return. It's not enough that mines already weakened with darkness, but to have Medusa in my head and Arachne—he thought bitterly. Some one must have a bone to pick with him, and that list could go on forever.

"So we trade one insufferable environment for the next?" Marie wined dragging her feet on the upturned dirt. "And where is this Baba Yaga's Castle anyway? I think it's safe to say its no where under the laughing sun."

"You're right, it's 2000 meters beneath your feet, and we're just trying to find the back way in is all. The one Maka and the rest of the students went in at."

About to reply Stein stopped and Marie (surprisingly not watching where she was going), slammed into his back. With kudos of apologies and rubbing her nose sore fully she recognized his alertness. Scrutinizing the space before them he saw the silver lining of a spider web half uncovered. Immediately he knew the trap for what it was and instructed Marie to follow his footsteps exactly and explained the situation to her.

"It's like a giant alarm system, if anyone were to get caught in it then the enemy would know within seconds. Like a spider weaving her web when a prey is ensnared doom is inevitable, were dealing with a nemesis scaled to Shinigami's level and the eldest of the three Gorgon Sisters, who created the first Demon Weapon, and separated her very soul into the lifeless form of a Golem for over 800 years, so be- breathing easily and softening his eyes towards here –careful."

"Don't worry, I trust you to protect me," her eye patch facing towards him.

Arching an eyebrow he nodded a little taken off guard. What was with her foolish devotion to him? Why wouldn't she just leave him the damn well alone…for all his scars and unfeeling demeanor though she still found a way to melt his scolding words with smiles. "And I'm not your student so don't lecture me." Well that was a little too cocky and being already a little annoyed he wouldn't let it slide.

"Excuse me?"

"Well I mean, were partners and I'm a big girl- thumping her chest with a fist, -and can take care of myself!" She rushed on to clarify, it wouldn't due for him to get angry and leave her behind. She groaned inversely at the thought of even attempting to find her way out of this maze of a jungle.

"Do you want me to dissect you when you're asleep?" Shaking her head furiously 'no' he grinned smugly, "Well then I suggest you'd be a little politer. Its soooo un lady like." Ouch, that one hit a sore spot, and he knew it, like rubbing salt on a cut. Everyone knew it, but he soon regretted his choice of jabs as Marie bit into her lower lip and hung her head in defeat.

"Wait, I didn't mea-"

"Its alright, I know its true. Its a bad joke really, the whole thing, me." Her eye stung with tears but she held them back, she wouldn't cry in front of him, not again. "You know, he didn't want to marry me, didn't want me as his bride…what's wrong with me?" Holding her arms around her chest in comfort she asked. But he didn't answer, because he didn't know. Didn't know how to tell her…

"I thought I'd retire after becoming a Death Sythe, but stupid stupid fate had different plans. And here I am with you, stumbling around in pursuit of what, revenge?" Sighing she breathed deeply and calmed herself. "I'm not sure yet what it is I'm after, but when I find it I'll know, that for sure is the day I look too."

Coughing she perked her head up and with a closed eye dismissed the conversation. Her sudden outpour of secrets unsettled him and the despair she spoke of he knew all to well…it was the first step in that fall, to the evil in you fighting to take over and force havoc to brim and boil over into murdering loved ones and stranger's alike. She didn't deserve that, and the agonizing thought of her becoming…like him was too much to bear. He'd kill her before it came to that, with mercy.

In that moment he'd detected something they both shared, a burden needed lifting, a sickness with no cure… a contagious stitch in the hearts of every soul. He couldn't put his finger on it, but it was in those instances the desire to snuff out her life were the strongest. It was the forgotten song he'd shut out, and somehow Marie managed to know the lyrics and bring it back from the grave, giving it new life and meaning.

I should surely hope not.

2

The disguise was incredible uncomfortable to say the least. The black fabric of the suit held in heat like a damn radiator. Plus the boned mask had started to accumulate moister from his breath. You know what grows in wet dark places? Mold, fucking unthinkable mold. Not for the first time was he tempted to just throw it off and scream,

"Yeah, I'm not a spider goon and I'm kicking all your asses right now!" But that would blow the whole 'undercover' operation out of the water. So he sat, endured, and withered mentally.

He glanced at what he hoped was Maka, everyone looked the same except for height so it was hard to tell. "So where did that guy take you?"

"I don't want to talk about it." She grumbled, after returning from that saw idiots room she was in sulking mood. Three years? Why'd he add three years huh? I mean it's not like I'll look like a kid forever…

Pft, women always getting upset at the stupidest things, Black Star, he'll be in a happier mood for sure. Twisting around though he was unable to spot the egotistic boy and settled on Death The Kid. "So where did that gu-"

"Of all the injustices to befall my perfection! How cruel to leave me unevenly punished, woe is me, woe is me!" The dramatic wail burst from his mask, "What happen this time?"

"Soul? Oh lucky day! I know you think me unworthy of being called friend with this terminal flaw! But you shine like the circular sun down on the sphere of earth! I know you'll help my imbalanced body return to its equilibrium!"

"Uh, sure what are friends for." Soul was completely lost at this point and wandered what OCD thought consumed his head.

"You've saved my life from the black death that is my future!-but shinigami's can't die mused Soul- and into glorious rays of acute light beam angles!" It was a pain when you had a drama queen as a comrade but he had nothing better to do.

"So what do you want?"

Tears springing to the black holes of his mask as Death the Kid crawled over to Soul. "She hit me on the left! And I haven't the strength to bring down the mercy that will set me free, the right side so undeserving!" At first he was as lost as ever, but when Kid jumped up and thrust his pelvis forward saying, "Be gentle it does little good to smash the orbs so often!" Soul's eyes widened.

"FUCK NO! No way in hell am I gonna touch your BALLS!" He was standing horrified and everyone in the room had turned to stare. Maka gave a look that could kill, assuming it was Maka and he could see the look she was trying to stab him with, when Black Star screamed outraged.

"Soul! I can't forgive you for taking the attention away from me." Which was odd considering no one was paying attention to him in the first place.

"Its not me Black Star, Death wants me to kick his right nut so he's 'set free'."

Star stood and for a moment no one said a thing, until he did a 'why didn't you say so?' And kicked Death so hard he fell over with a look of pure horror and aghast, if you could see it. He squeaked and the room cheered applauding the brave warrior.

Black star was simply beaming with all the praise.

That was when small blob walked over and they realized it was Medusa, in a show of pure thankfulness and worship they threw themselves at her feet clinging to her desperately. After they'd questioned her whereabouts and mumbled about 'living hells' and 'torture beyond imagination' she'd replied with, "I was just making preliminary preparations…now, lets begin."

3

The pair had made camp in an old abandoned tunnel, and if her science boy knew his east and west like his knives, then it would lead them to the Castle. Nightmares haunted her restless sleep with screaming voices of terror and merciless deaths. Tonight was not a very good night. Stein of course didn't sleep; he'd caught on to that game long ago. The battle for the mind did not rest when you closed heavy lids weary from exhaustion and exertions, if anything, it was then when the most fighting was done. When you faced your inner demon. Though the mind is willing the body is weak, soon he too was asleep and thrown into a frightening dream. Twisted bodies of friends lay split open feeding the grounds thirst with red blood, sticky and coppery, but there was never enough.

Eye's, mouth, lips, all sewn shut, the picture of rotting corpses branding into his skull. The wind tickled his ear and pricked at his nostrils. No one could survive this, but you can…with power. The words, seducing and leering, stroked his back and brushed aside his matted white hair. A satisfying smirk etched into his shoulder and the alluring words continued. By ridding yourself of fear, you overcome the hate of people and obstacle to power. And when you succeed, you watch the world burn to ashes. Reaching around and taking hold of the thing around him, he looked into pupil slits and a flicking tongue.

Don't you agree? Doctor Stein…

In an instant the phantom seed of Medusa sauntered off into the air. His breath was harsh as he panted for truth, the lies left to swallow him. Standing he stumbled forward for a way out, an escape…

There was a door, before it blocked a silhouette deftly guarding his choices. His eyes burned and the room around him melted until opaqueness was total. Hand stretched out he reached for the thing and found cold meat. His skin crawled and quickly he shook his hand away. But returned for a curious touch here and there, until he found a jagged bump dipping beneath sunken tissue and up to swollen flesh, forming a pattern. The longer he kept a blind touch the more he desired the answer to that choice.

His key.

Feverishly he placed both hands around the head and traced the lines with gentleness, until in a wave of awe and horror the painting his "brushes" finished shocked him with understanding. Stepping back the light finally shined down on Marie, properly dissected, sowed, and hollowed out of her soul.

And now he knew what he had to do.

A/N: Suspenssseeee :O