Kid opened his eyes wearily. He had hit his head pretty hard before, and had undoubtedly been unconscious for hours. The room he was trapped in was dark and cold, lit only by a few candles around the room. He was chained by his wrists to the stone wall; his position gave him a clear view of the table in the center of the room. There, tied to the top of the wooden table, was his sister.
"Flander!" Kid called immediately, yanking at his bindings. The wrought iron gouged at his palms and wrists, making it uncomfortable to move.
"Finally awake, I see," Medusa murmured as she slunk into the room. She motioned to Free and Eruka to leave her alone in the room with them. "Bind the stuffed animal," she commanded. "I'll deal with him later." She turned to Kid again. "I would have started torturing her hours ago, but I want you awake to hear her screams."
"Why are you wasting your time torturing her?" Kid sneered, trying to sound in control. "She won't cave. I know you want to torture me, but you're just going to let me sit here?"
Medusa laughed. "I thought about it, but then I figured it would be much more fun to torture her and see you go mad from the sound of her screams."
Kid recoiled. She had seen through his plan. Kid couldn't let her torture Flander.
"Leave her alone!"
"Oh, so you care for her?" Medusa kept rubbing salt in the wound. "Of course, I never thought the brother could love such a hideous monster. One who tortures and kills for fun? It's beyond even me."
"You don't know what you're talking about!" Kid spat. "She's not like that."
"I don't know?" Medusa questioned, picking up a sharpened tool from the table. "Well, I'll find out soon enough, won't I?"
"What are you doing?" Kid whispered. He was absolutely horrified at this point; his palms were sweating and he was trembling.
"Your Professor Stein has me interested," Medusa replied. "In dissecting my enemies and seeing what makes them tick. I don't understand the motives or reason of this girl, but I have knowledge that if I cut around her skull here," she pointed with the scalpel to a spot on Flander's temple, "I will have my answer."
"She's going to perform brain surgery?" Kid thought.
"Of course, when you're an evil witch," Medusa lifted the scalpel to the flame of a candle to clean it. "Anesthetics are by far pointless. Also, I'm not really sure what I'm doing anyway. I just know that I can stop if it gets too out of hand. Even if she's mental for the rest of her life, she'll be my little mental Kishin daughter."
"Shut up," Kid whimpered. Biting his lip to keep from getting sick.
"Without further ado, shall we begin?" Medusa chirped. She moved to stand over Flander's head. Kid was shaking so hard that the chains around his hands and feet rattled. Flander was about to have her head cut open without anesthetics. Her screams would be terrible, unbearable. What was wrong with Flander, anyhow? Why wasn't she saying anything?
"Flander, honey," Medusa murmured. "Can you hear me?"
"I'm so tired… mom," Flander whispered. Kid gasped. Did this sociopath really remind Flander of her mother? Seeing as everything is considered, the thought was up for debate. Heck, there was even a chance that Flander wouldn't feel a thing with her fever being as bad as it was.
"I'm going to see just what you're thinking right now," Medusa continued in a soothing voice. "I want to know why you do these bad things. Okay?"
Kid swallowed, waiting for Flander's response.
"She's lying, Flander!" Kid yelled when she didn't reply. "She doesn't care what you think, she just wants to hurt you!"
"Nii-nii…?" she whispered, her eyes shifting around the room. Medusa gripped her head and swiveled it back in place.
"It's just a voice in your head," Medusa soothed her. "Don't listen to it."
Medusa could have had anyone fooled, had it not been for Crona. Medusa was all lies. She didn't care about Flan like she thought she would have cared about a daughter.
"I'm going to start now."
"Okay…."
Medusa shifted her hands slightly and pressed the knife against Flander's head. Blood poured over Flander's eye. She was tense, and she began to shake and twitch. It hurt so much. What was this pain? Why can't she see anymore?
Flander let out a scream of horror and pain. Medusa laughed and cut deeper. The flesh made a sickening squelching sound as it tore. Medusa was nearing the bone now. Flander felt as if her entire body vibrated from the sudden, shattering crunch. Tears poured down her face, mixing with the blood on her face.
"Why is this happening, WHY?" she thought. "I never meant to hurt anyone. Did I ever really hurt them? I'm sorry… I'm sorry!"
"That's enough, stop it!" Kid screamed.
"Heard enough?" Medusa taunted, facing him with a merciless smile. She gave a twist of her wrist, guiding the scalpel across Flander's forehead. The little girl screamed again, satisfying her torturer. Medusa grinned wider as blood splashed across her face. She threw her head back and gave a wild laugh. This was fun.
"Stop it!" Kid sobbed.
"I see it now," Medusa giggled. "It's so fun. This is all so fun. I can't believe it, I feel great!" she laughed again. Flander writhed under her grip, whimpering and shrieking from the agony.
"Medusa!" Maka screamed, running into the room and lunging at the said witch with her scythe. Medusa pulled away, narrowly missing being cut in half again. Maka stood protectively in front of Flander and Kid, and Blackstar came to her side to support her.
"You're so dead," Blackstar snarled.
"Or imprisoned," Medusa suggested disgustedly.
"We won't let you live after this!" Maka argued.
"You won't let me?" Medusa laughed.
"I'm done with this," Maka shouted, launching her final attack. Medusa sighed somewhat submissively.
"Until next time," she sighed as she evaporated in a cloud of mist.
Maka landed on her feet, and Soul transformed again. His arm was still in blade form so he was able to cut his friends free. Kid didn't even hesitate; once he was free, he ran to Flander's side, unlatching the metal bars that held her to the table.
"How could I let this happen? It's all my fault," he thought as he tore angrily at the restraints.
"Why isn't she screaming anymore?" Tsubaki whispered as she transformed. "Is she…?"
"She's sick," Kid whispered, feeling how hot Flander's skin had gotten. "She needs a doctor now."
"We need to get her to Professor Stein," Soul agreed.
"Come on, then, what are you all standing around for?" Blackstar said hurriedly, jumping to get out the door.
Kid picked Flander up and was about to carry her out, but a slurring pain in his legs forced him to his knees. Soul came forth and took her from him. Kid reached out instinctively; he didn't want to let her go. Maka and Blackstar moved to either side of Kid to help support him.
"It's okay, we've got you both," Maka tried to calm the frantic boy. "You're safe now, don't worry."
"Flander," Kid whispered. "W-why?"
I know it's short, but I found it fitting. Yay, they made it out alive! But still… do you think this little near-death/insanity scenario has changed Maka's mind about how Flander kills?
