Chapter 4 : Returning Memories! Stein's Lost Family?
Stein held the little blonde doll to his chest as he started to cry even more, as the others looked on in worry. The memories were coming back a little clearer now, especially the face of a little grey-green eyed baby girl smiling up at him as he held her in his arms. He didn't want to forget again, he couldn't let it happen again!
He had fallen to his knees at some point, his head hanging over his knees, as sobs shook his body as the memories were returning. How could he have forgotten his own baby girl? How?!
Vaguely, he could feel a pair of arms wrap around his shoulders, offering him comfort, but he flinched slightly at the physical contact. Eventually, however, he leaned into the embrace a little, unaware that it was young Maka that was hugging him.
The brunette had never seen her powerful, slightly-insane Professor break down like this. Ever. And seeing it now actually scared her, since she actually did look up to him as a role model in the sense that he was a powerful Meister. Now… now he seemed more human and broken than she had ever thought he could be. His soul was fluctuating wildly, like a sea tossed by a storm, as guilt, sorrow, and grief crashed over him.
She could also tell that the torrent of emotion was taking a toll on him, his strength fading slowly as brokenhearted sobs tore themselves from his throat. His tears were creating a little puddle on the stone floor, as he clutched the little doll like a lifeline.
Soon, the combination of his sleepless nights and the emotional meltdown had become too much for him, and his sobs quieted as he slowly fell asleep in the girl's arms, emotionally and physically exhausted.
"Professor?" Maka whispered softly, but got no response. She could hear his soft breathing, and realized that he had actually cried himself to sleep. This made her heart feel like it was breaking, seeing such a strong man reduced to this by the return of the memories he felt guilty for forgetting in the first place. Then, she looked up at her father. "Papa, do you know where his room is?"
Spirit looked at her in surprise, and then knelt next to her and Stein. "I think I remember… come on, let's get him to bed… he's had a rough day…"
With Kid and Soul's help, Death Scythe managed to pick up his former Meister, and the three of them carried him to another room that was surprisingly close by, where they found a bed with patchwork blankets and sheets on it, as well as a small computer desk and a dresser.
Looking at the broken man, Kid looked to Death Scythe as he asked an important question that he and the other boy had on his mind. "What could have caused Professor Stein to forget he had a family?"
Taking a moment and sighing deeply, Death Scythe only shook his head. "I would say a lot of things. The life of a Meister is not without some serious dangers; I can remember a number of occasions where missions Stein and I took on nearly took our lives" he paused, remembering one incident in particular. "This one time, back when we were only about eighteen years old, Stein was almost nineteen, our mission was to kill a certain Kishin that had a nasty habit of killing people even when he was full. They called him "Mad-eyed Jack", and he was a real piece of work; being a lot stronger than most Kishin souls. Thing nearly took my left eye and right leg during that fight. Stein got the worst of it, getting thrown hard enough that the doctor later said he was surprised he wasn't a vegetable, and was slashed across the face by a surprise attack." His eyes then widening as he remembered something. "Now that I think about it, that could have been when Stein lost his memory of having a kid. Would be around the right time as I recall him being wary of seriously dangerous missions and started developing an odd way with kids." Death scythe said, starting to put a name to his partner's behavior back then.
"But… what could have caused Professor Stein to forget so many memories by a single hit?" Soul asked, confused. "I mean, he lost a couple years worth of memories…"
Death Scythe shook his head. "When I had talked to the doctor, he said that the blow to Stein's face severely damaged the part of his brain that held his memories, and he had to operate fast just to keep him alive. Ever wondered where Stein got that screw that he fidgets with every so often?"
Soul and the others nodded, and Spirit sighed.
"He put that in his own head to try and make up for what he's lost. The purpose of that giant screw is to not only try and help him manage his mental instability, but also to attempt to fix memories in his brain. A lot of the time the memories stay by themselves, but sometimes they need that extra push."
When Maka heard this, her face fell slightly, turning to where Professor Stein slept, tears still threatening to fall from his closed eyes. She hadn't really liked the teacher, but he was a respected Meister that had successfully created a Death Weapon worthy of Death himself, so Maka felt it was her duty to help her fellow Meister through this until the end. And judging from the look on Soul Eater's face, he felt the same way.
Looking to her father, she asked him a question, "...Papa.. I want to help Professor Stein find his daughter." Spirit looked sharply as Maka spoke, an argument building on his lips, "and don't tell me not to! He has been through so much, and learning he had a daughter will put more stress on him than he already had! As a Meister, it's part of my duty to help others, so why not start with my teacher?!"