Dissection SOS Chapter 14

Hand of Vengeance

A/N: The flashbacks/memories will be told from the point of view of Young Stein, with no reference to what his older self feels while reliving his dreaded memories. In other words, Stein refers to Young Stein and Marie to Young Marie, etc. in the flashbacks.

Previously:

He pulled away from the embrace just enough to lay his forehead against hers. He took a breath before recklessly saying what he'd wanted to all night, "Oh, screw it all. I'll show you!"

She chuckled at his gruff acquiescence before he pulled her down with him into the deep and very dark depths of his soul.

He pulled them down into the center of his soul, and before he knew it they were walking down the spiral threads of the screw that had pierced his soul when it pierced his head. Stein and Marie shrank until they stood on a low thread, which now looked like the cobblestoned streets in Death City.

The soothing feeling of Marie's presence lessened as he pulled away from her into his own memories. He knew she was walking with him, through the layers of his memory, but they were soon separated.

As Stein moved through his past, his memories washed over him like waves, welcoming him into the center of his soul. With each layer he passed he felt lighter, almost as if his memories bore physical weight. Each passing layer took him back to when he was younger and more innocent. He'd been happier then, a testament to the saying innocence is bliss.

Marie, however, was slowing, bogged down by the memories. Each memory clung to her like layers of a peeling onion, obscuring the path Stein was taking through his memories. She pressed on and slogged through memories she hadn't come to see. Stein's connection to her grew ever more tenuous as the travelled along the ever-darker cobblestones of his memory lane. She was always there, not far behind him, but he soon forgot she was. The apprehension he felt about showing her his most secret memory ebbed away with the fog surrounding his inner soul.

The memories Stein passed became more and more intense as he passed the years when he'd learned how to build walls around himself and his emotions. He began to remember the times when he'd let himself feel what he felt. So he began to run through the layers of memory, eager now to relive the intensity of his youthful memories, however emotionally scarring they had been.

Black fog surrounded a wrought iron gate at the edge of his inner soul. Stein passed the fortified wall he'd taken years to build without a second thought. Marie dove after him into the black hole of the mission that had broken her partner.

Darkness surrounded them as they each became immersed in the flashbacks.

Flashback (Young Stein POV):

Stein slammed the book shut. It slid off the edge of the table and crashed to the floor. Stein growled in annoyance. He couldn't find any material on octopus witches! There were plenty of books about other witches, from lackluster mouse witches to admittedly intriguing snake witches, but he couldn't find any record of them in the library.

The librarian poked his head around the row of shelves concealing Stein's table from the majority of the library. "Look, kid, I know research can be frustrating, but throwing the books on the floor won't accomplish anything!"

Stein narrowed his eyes at the librarian, barely keeping his Soul wavelength inside his body. "First of all," Stein began unable to keep the haughtiness from his voice, "I am not a kid! I'm seventeen, and my name is Stein, not kid! Secondly, the book slid off the table when I shut it. Thirdly, does this library have information on octopus witches or not?"

The librarian laughed. Stein ground his teeth and waited. Between snorts and laughs, the librarian said, "Seriously, kid?" at Stein's glare, the man amended, "I mean, Stein, octopus witches don't exist."

Stein frowned, "Yes they do. I've se-heard of one," he said, nearly forgetting to conceal the fact that he was the meister involved in Marie's incident. If the teachers heard what he was researching, they might try to stop him from taking revenge on Marie's assailant.

The librarian shook his head, a pitying smile aimed at the prickly teenager, "Someone was probably just pulling your leg. Witches require air, just like the rest of us, and their familiars need lots of exposure to their natural habitat. A witch with octopus powers would need to live close to the sea, and stay close to the sea. That interferes with their ability to gain power and prestige in the witches' community, so witches simply don't affiliate themselves with sea creatures."

"Then you're assuming all witches want power," Stein said, desperate to find a way to reconcile what he'd seen with realities.

"Have you ever met a witch who wasn't a greedy bit-" the librarian began.

Stein interrupted, "So it's possible. Improbable, but not impossible!"

Ignoring the librarian, he jumped up from his chair mid-lecture and raced into the stacks, to find some newspapers and maps. The librarian was gone when Stein returned. In his place was an acerbic note about appropriate library behavior and respecting one's elders that Stein barely glanced at before crumpling it up and lobbing it into a nearby trashcan.

Hours later, Stein's fist hit the table. It was good that the librarian had long since gone home, because the maniacal grin on Stein's face would have given the poor man nightmares.

The yellow gleam of Stein's soul wavelength shone through the library. He reread the newspaper articles and maps under his hands. Yes, he was right. She would be there. He would have his vengeance.

Stein stalked out of the library, doors swinging carelessly on hinges half-melted by the aura his wavelength created around him. His grin morphed into a vindictive smirk as his triumph at locating his quarry transformed into vengeful thoughts of what he would to do the witch that had stolen his friend's sight.

Before he knew it, he was walking out of Shibusen shaking with crazed laughter. He had her. He would make her pay for what she'd done. Punching the air, Stein began to run for his and Spirit's apartment.

Sliding quietly through the door, Stein made it to his room without waking Spirit, who was snoring on the couch wearing only boxers, a magazine of questionable content splayed open on his chest.

Rolling his eyes at his roommate, Stein slid out of his Shibusen uniform and put on the dark, thick clothing that served as his armor in tougher missions. The pants were woven with spider silk and the occasional steel thread with an inner cotton legging. They were well-worn, a little thin near the knees where he'd spent so many missions crouched and jumping. There was a hole about an inch and a half in diameter tear near the top, just over his hip.

Grimacing, Stein realized he would have a tough fight ahead of him. Plenty of older meisters failed to kill witches with their partners' help. Attempting it alone, with shabby armor wouldn't be challenging. It would be almost impossible. Maybe he should ask Spirit to accompany him.

He knew Spirit would understand. He was Marie's friend too. Spirit would want revenge. But he might tell someone. Stein wouldn't put it past him to send a message to Shinigami-sama before leaving. He couldn't afford to take that chance. Anyone Spirit contacted would try to stop them. And this was something he hand to do. It was his fault her eye was gone. So he'd be her hand of vengeance, whatever the price.

So with a shrug, Stein slid into a tight, stretchy black t-shirt that never got caught on his surroundings in missions, yet gave him a good range of movement. It wasn't very good armor, but he'd always been swinging Spirit around, and hadn't needed protection there. He didn't have any more gear he could wear, so he set his jaw and began strapping his collection of throwing knives on.

As he secured the wrist straps, he fondly recalled the times he'd used these knives to get Spirit and him out of more than one tricky situation on missions. There was that one time with the giant mosquito that ended up getting away, and that one time they'd been mobbed by a young blond snake witches' minions. He shook off memories of all the reckless things he and Spirit had done over the years.

Stein slid his feet into black leather combat boots with heavy soles and metal covered toes. Flicking a piece of dried blood off of the tip of the boot, Stein slid another knife sheath into the side of his right boot.

He stretched, relishing the familiar feeling of his mission outfit over his fit body. He smirked towards the mirror. If Marie could see him now! His jaw clenched as his heart throbbed with pain.

Marie probably hadn't been interested in him that way before the incident. Now, she couldn't see him that way. He wouldn't let it happen. She deserved someone who would protect her, not someone who caused her to loose an eye while doing him a favor.

Though he looked into the mirror, he didn't see his clenched fists or intense stare. He saw her blood and bits of her eye flying through the air in the alley in slow motion.

"Oi, isn't it way too late to be working yourself up into a pre-mission fury?" Spirit's remarked sarcastically from the door.

Stein whirled, "When did you wake up? You know what I'm going to do, right?" he asked, no longer bothering to conceal his intentions.

Spirit crossed his arms and gave Stein a long, uncharacteristically serious look. "Yeah. I do," he finally answered.

Stein nodded and walked towards him, saying, "Then you'll understand why I don't want you to tell anyone what I'm doing,"

A scythe blade shot out in place of Spirits arm to keep Stein from leaving his room.

"You don't have to do this for her you know. She doesn't blame you." Spirit quietly told his meister.

Turning to look into Spirit's eyes, Stein whispered, "But I need to do this, for myself as much as for her," he explained. He willed his friend to understand what he couldn't bring himself to say.

After a minute, Spirit's human hand clapped Stein on the shoulder and he said, "Okay. Okay, I won't stop you, and I won't send Shinigami-sama a note. But wait a few minutes, and I'll come with you, okay?"

"You shouldn't come. It'll be ridiculously dangerous," Stein said to his partner's retreating back.

Spirit transformed his arm back to open the door to his room. He threw a grin over his shoulder at his partner, "And let you have all the reckless fun? What are friends for?"

Spirit's throat tightened with emotion he'd never admit. "I'll leave in three minutes, whether you're ready or not," he said gruffly as he walked towards the kitchen, so Spirit couldn't see the grateful smile on his face.

"How much looonger?" Spirit whined from the passenger seat of the motorcycle Stein had been driving for the past two hours. It was well and truly dark outside now. However, they were nearly at the coast, and away from any big cities, so the stars provided enough light to just see by.

"We're nearly there, Spirit. Do you want me to knock you off? I don't think your fan club would like you so much with half of your face left on the pavement," Stein said.

"Sheesh! You're pricklier than a porcupine! Did you forget the fabric softener in the underwear load or something?" Spirit grumbled.

Gravel spewed from behind the motorcycle as Stein pulled over to the side of the road. "That's it. Get off," he said emotionlessly.

"Stein!" Spirit protested.

"It's only a ten minute walk, Spirit. I want a bit of time to think in quiet," Stein said. Seeing Spirit's scowl he continued with a sigh, "Look, Spirit, I promise I'll just sit under a tree or something until you get there, okay? I won't recklessly rush into anything. I'll be rational,"

Spirit scrutinized him closely. Finally, he said, "Okay. Okay, I'll trust you," he got off the motorcycle.

"Don't forget!" he called after Stein as he roared away on the bike.

As promised, a minute later Stein sprayed gravel as he brought the bike to a stop beside a large oak tree. He swung himself off the bike and lounged against the tree trunk. He closed his eyes and took deep breaths, trying to get to the calm state one of his teachers had said would help him access his Soul Perception ability.

Yet, no matter how many deep breaths Stein took, he couldn't calm down. His heart and mind raced. Tonight he could avenge Marie. Picturing all the ways he could mutilate, torture, and eventually dissect the witch, he sank into meditation, and his Soul Perception ability.

Out loud, he commented, "Ironic that the things that give other children nightmares calm me down,"

"Not ironic. Screwed up!" complained Spirit's voice. Stein jumped from shock. His eyes shot open. Sure enough, there stood his partner, lounging against a nearby tree.

"How did you get here?!" Stein yelped.

"I walked, because someone wouldn't let me ride the motorcycle," was the sarcastic reply, accompanied by a scowl.

"No, I was in Soul Perception mode, but I didn't see your soul. I can see it now, but why didn't I sense it?" Stein started to panic. What if his ability still wasn't developed enough to find the witch? It could have been her that snuck up on him, rather than Spirit. Had that happened, he would have already been dead.

Spirit sighed and rolled his eyes, "That's because you're too focused. You're too emotionally invested. It's interfering with your perception, because you're seeing what you expect to see, regardless of what's actually there."

Stein half-heartedly accused, "You've been watching too many detective shows! I'm not getting emotionally close to my target or anything, and even if I did it wouldn't matter!"

Spirit shook his head. "Say what you like." After staring at him for a silent minute, he continued, "Are you sure you want to do this now? We have time. I doubt the witch will stray too far from her lair. We can come back when-"

"No!" Stein yelled. He looked down and noticed he'd clenched his fists while Spirit was talking. Stein relaxed his shaking limbs. He shook his head in response to Spirit's raised eyebrow.

He couldn't tell his partner and friend why he couldn't leave now. It would hurt his pride too much to admit that he was afraid. He couldn't admit that he knew the fear was already compromising him, and that if he left, he wouldn't have the courage to return. He couldn't admit that instead of the calm fishing village, all he saw was the bloody scene of eye and blood flying everywhere, and Marie's unconscious body hitting the ground.

"If you won't wait for your own sake, why not do it for Marie's?" Spirit tried, his uncharacteristically calculating gaze never leaving Stein's face.

"What?"

"Don't you think she'd rather get a chance to take out the scum of the earth that took out her eye? Just because she's kind doesn't mean she won't want revenge when she's healed," Spirit explained.

"No. She's hurt. By the time she's healed enough to fight the witch will be long gone."

"Aren't you underestimating Marie?"

Stein hummed noncommittally. He didn't meet Spirit's eyes, but he could see him smile in his peripheral vision.

"You're getting protective of her! You like Marie, don't you Stein?" Spirit crowed gleefully.

"Shut up!" Stein yelled.

Spirit's grin widened, apparently believing this was evidence.

"I-I mean, talk softer. Someone could hear you, and we don't want to let the witch know we're here!" Stein said quickly.

"Wouldn't want that, would we? And as for Marie?" Spirit asked, a knowing look in his eye.

Thoughts of Marie came unbidden to his head. Marie, kindly laughing at a teacher's bad joke. Marie, smiling as sunlight made patterns on her face through the leaves of the tree she rested under. Marie, transforming mid-sprint launching gracefully through the air. The glint in her eyes when she was about to punch him. The glint, now only in her eye.

Stein took a deep breath an unclenched his jaw, trying and failing to block out the pain and the guilt. He'd started to let himself think of good memories with her. He'd thought about times when she was incredibly fierce and beautiful. But of course he'd also remembered that he'd maimed that beauty.

Stein knew he no longer had the right to think of her that way. The hurt he'd caused her could never be repaid. It could never be truly forgiven, no matter how much she tried. He knew she said it was fine for his sake, but no one was that magnanimous. No one could forgive the loss of an eye.

The fact that she tried to make him believe it, to put his peace of mind, his sanity, over hers proved that he did not deserve her. She would do well with someone else, who hadn't and would never hurt her. Stein gasped as the thought provoked a feeling in his chest akin to iron bands wrapping around his heart and squeezing it far too tight.

Finally noticing Spirit's raised eyebrows, Stein forced his emotions aside, focusing instead on the prospect of a hard and exhausting fight that would distract him from such dangerous thoughts.

"Of course I like her. She's my friend. It's normal to have platonic affection for a friend," Stein said evenly.

Spirit snorted and rolled his eyes, "Platonic? Like hell!"

Although Stein felt his emotions surge in agreement with Spirit's statement, (showing merely platonic affection for her did indeed sound a lot like hell) he said, "Spirit, unlike you, I see the opposite sex as friends primarily, and only as potential girlfriends after careful scrutiny. Marie is a good friend, but she lacks qualities I consider crucial girlfriend material,"

Grinning at his friend's lie, Spirit mocked, "Oh, yes, she's very unqualified in the womanly department. I mean, large boobs aren't feminine at all,"

Next thing Stein knew, he was on his feet and Spirit was flying across the road from the force of Stein's punch. He was breathing heavily and his heart was pounding in fury he couldn't explain. "Don't look at her like that. And don't you dare even think of touching her!"

"Damn, Stein. No need to be so protective of her. First of all, that gives away your feelings for her, you know." Staring at Stein's fist, Spirit quickly continued, "And I'd never go for her anyways, Stein. Everyone knows you two only have eyes for each other."

"She looks at me as a friend!" Stein growled, despite his heart beating painfully fast in his chest at the thought that just maybe his player of a partner was right.

"Then maybe you should look a little closer, Stein. I'm not the only one who's seen it." Spirit said passively.

A kernel of hope lodged in Stein's heart. He coughed, trying in vain to dislodge it.

"Let's just go find the witch," he said gruffly, stalking off past Spirit into the village.

Stein reestablished the link to his Soul Search ability, and immediately halted.

Spirit ran into him, "What the-? Stein?" he asked as Stein spun around, looking all around them.

"Nothing!" Stein said, his voice wavering in worry and frustration.

"Nothing?" Sprit questioned, stepping warily away from his friend.

"I sense nothing. Your soul is the only soul here apart from my own!" he answered.

"Then we shouldn't split up," Spirit said.

"No, I'm sure I can still contact you. Your soul is as blunt and perverted as ever. But how about you check the village instead, and I'll check the forest."

"But Stein-"

"Take your time," Stein waved, walking towards the trees, "the village was probably cleared out by the witch, and then she left. That would explain why I couldn't sense anything. So you've got time. Why don't you go find a pretty shell on the beach to bring back for Kami?"

"No. Stein!" Spirit called after him.

"I'll be fine Spirit!" Stein yelled over his shoulder before disappearing into the trees.

A few yards in, he paused, and waited until he was sure he heard Spirit's footsteps walking away through the village. He sank to the ground behind a tree, and took a deep breath. What was the matter with him? Spirit had made it sound like Stein was in love with Marie, which was obviously absurd. And yet, Stein didn't have enough evidence to disprove Spirit's theory either.

"Fine. I'll look closer. I'll find out if she likes me," he whispered to himself.

As he made his resolution, his Soul Search began to pick up Marie's soul wavelength. She was here? Why wasn't she still in the hospital? Stein scrambled up and sprinted for the Soul he sensed in the middle of the small forest.

He ignored the branches scratching his face and the darkness that grew ever thicker; each step he took brought him closer to her.

In three minutes, he'd reached a clearing. Seeing the blond girl lying unconscious in the center of the clearing, he ran through a wall of black fog that blew away from clearing's center in a tall ring. Reaching her, he realized that fog belonged to the witch. Pulling out two knives, Stein stood over Marie and yelled into the disappearing blackness, "I'll never let you hurt her again!"

But the blackness fled, leaving only the echo of a cruel laugh behind.

Two forces fought within Stein. The desire to go after the witch and make her life a living hell vied with the need to care for the girl on the ground. He needed to know she was still alive. Cursing, he sheathed his knives and knelt down.

"Marie! Marie, wake up!" he cried. His fingers slid down the side of her neck until they found her pulse. It was faint, but quickly grew stronger. Satisfied she was alive, he slid his arms around her and gently rolled her over so he could see her face.

Bandages still covered one eye, and her face was quite pale, but he could see nothing else wrong. Quickly scanning her body for injuries, he found none. There wasn't even blood on her knees from falling to the ground when she fainted.

A quick snore surprised Stein, and he suddenly realized she was in a deep sleep. Perhaps the witch had wanted her prey unconscious, to use in some nefarious spell. He shuddered at the thought that the witch might have intended to harvest Marie for body parts. Fresh human body parts were often in short commodity for the spells that required that sort of thing, he'd read. It was supposedly the second-most common cause for murders committed by witches, the first being their magical nature being discovered by an unwitting bystander.

Was that why the witch had been in Death City? Searching for people to hunt for spell material? It didn't seem like a smart idea, what with the DWMA just up the hill. But who was Stein to understand witches minds? He couldn't even understand how girls' minds worked.

I'd better take Marie back to the DWMA, Stein thought. But as he bent down to pick her up, he saw words dark as the black fog sliced into the ground.

Her sleep will last 'til true love's kiss

Is shared in sun's first light

But only in the last roc's grove

May her power be regained

Stein reread the cryptic lines. The witch had taken away Marie's power? What power did she mean? He shrugged and decided to focus on the first part.

"Her sleep will last 'til true love's kiss is shared in sun's first light" he whispered. His heart started beating faster. Even if he only liked her as a friend, he told himself, it was surely his duty to try to awaken her. And, if he happened to succeed, just maybe she would return his feelings. The feelings he didn't have, he mentally reminded himself.

Still, true love… Surely a power such as true love was strong enough to forgive his part in taking her eye? Surely, if he were her true love, she would love him too? What could be the harm of finding out come dawn?

A/N: I know, it's been forever. I have no excuses other than the worry that I can't quite get the right emotions across. I can't tell how to properly demonstrate the depth of the characters' emotions. If you have any tips or comments, let me know, thanks! I'm working on the next chapter, but the getting-emotions-across thing is hitting a huge stumbling block there. I'll work hard to get it up before school starts! As ever, enjoy! Thanks to all who've reviewed, followed, and favorited! It makes my day every time!